Funerals

Sacred Scripture speaks of death in several ways: as a consequence of sin, as part of our limited human nature, and as the natural end of earthly life. Yet death remains a mystery, inviting people of faith to place their full trust in God. As the Church’s Order of Christian Funerals proclaims, “God has created each person for eternal life.”

This confidence is rooted in the heart of Christian faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because Christ died and rose again, we hope to share fully in his resurrection. Death is real, but it is never the final word.

When a Christian dies, the Church prays for someone whose life of faith began in Baptism and was strengthened at the Eucharistic table. We intercede for the deceased, trusting in God’s mercy and believing that death does not destroy the bonds formed in life.

Following the example of the loving care shown to Jesus’ body after he was taken from the Cross, the Church treats the bodies of the deceased with dignity and respect. Funeral rites express our faith, commend the dead to God, and help those who mourn place their hope in him.

Through our prayers and rituals, we entrust our loved ones to God’s merciful judgment, await the resurrection, and affirm that, in Christ, we remain in communion with those who have died and are now in God’s care.

We pray for the dead because we share a profound bond with all who have lived and died. Remembering them is an expression of our humanity, our love, and our faith that death does not have the final word. God does.

Because we do not fully understand what happens at death, we commend the deceased to God’s mercy and justice. None of us dies perfect. Through God’s grace, we may require purification and transformation before entering complete communion with him. The Catholic Church speaks of this mystery as purgatory.

Language about a person’s “time” in purgatory is necessarily limited. When we die, we go to God, so descriptions involving time and space are metaphorical rather than literal. We do not pray merely to “get someone out of purgatory.” We pray because the bonds forged during life remain meaningful and call us to remember those who have gone before us.

Christian communities express this remembrance through funeral rites, Mass intentions, cemetery visits, holy cards, memorials, and observances marking the first month or anniversary of a death. To remember someone who has died is also to remember a part of our own lives and to affirm our continuing solidarity with them.

At St. Regis, anyone may enter the name of a deceased person in our Book of Life, whether or not the funeral was celebrated here. During November, the book is placed near the baptismal font as an invitation to prayer. We also display a cross for each person whose funeral was celebrated at St. Regis during the previous twelve months.

Christian faith in the saving mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection has led the Church to structure its funeral rites in a specific way. In the Order of Christian Funerals we find mention of three “expected” stations, or times, for prayer in connection with the deceased person, their family and friends, and the whole faith community: 1) the Vigil Service for the Deceased; 2) the Funeral Liturgy (most often the Mass); and 3) the Rite of Committal. There is also an additional moment important for family and close friends: the Gathering in the Presence of the Body. This takes place before the body is sent to the funeral home, or if visitation includes the presence of the body, during the family hour prior to public visitation. The Church asks that Catholics be aware of these ritual times as we plan for the funerals of our loved ones or our own, always recognizing that specific circumstances may lead to various adaptations.

Who May Receive a Catholic Funeral?

All Catholics are entitled to Christian burial, including those who were active in the Church, participated less regularly, or were inactive for many years. Catechumens preparing to enter the Church may also receive a Catholic funeral, as may unbaptized infants and children whose parents intended Baptism.

A non-Catholic member of a parishioner’s family may receive a Catholic funeral unless this would be contrary to the deceased person’s wishes. The Church desires to make its funeral rites available to all who share its faith and hope. Christian burial does not depend upon parish registration, financial contributions, or payment of a fee.

Only in the rare case of possible grave public scandal would the priest or pastoral minister need to discuss other arrangements with the family.

Where May a Funeral Take Place?

The Funeral Liturgy ordinarily takes place in the deceased person’s parish church or the parish of a close family member. A parish may accept a funeral even when the deceased belonged to another parish or no parish.

Because a Christian funeral expresses our connection to a community of faith, it does not ordinarily take place outdoors or in another non-church setting. When pastoral circumstances call for a funeral at a funeral home or similar location, it is celebrated outside of Mass.

When May a Funeral Take Place?

A Funeral Liturgy outside Mass may take place on any day. Funeral Masses are not permitted on Holy Days of Obligation, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter, or Sundays during Advent, Lent, and Easter. St. Regis does not schedule Funeral Masses on any Sunday.

Funerals are generally held in the morning. The parish will make every effort to accommodate the family’s request, but availability cannot be guaranteed. If no priest is available, a deacon or pastoral minister may lead a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass.

If neither the body nor the cremains will be present the Order of Christian Funerals is not used. Instead a Memorial Mass or Memorial Prayer Service is prayed. This is sometimes necessary and appropriate, especially when a Funeral Liturgy has taken place in another location but a large number of family and friends could not be present. However, the church strongly discourages substituting a Memorial Mass for the full Funeral Liturgy. It is not an acceptable alternative to a Funeral Liturgy just because it will be more convenient for family and friends to schedule a Memorial Mass for a later date. Moreover, times have to remain open for potential funerals, and so a separate Memorial Mass time cannot be guaranteed until a few days prior in any case. A more appropriate use of a Memorial Mass is to gather family and friends on some significant day in remembrance of the deceased (one month after death, anniversary of death or birth, etc.) and connect the intention of the deceased to the Mass already scheduled for that day.

If a person dies unexpectedly at home, the local public safety department must be called first. If a person is under hospice care, the hospice nurse should be called first and they will then help you with the subsequent procedures. Funeral directors specialize in serving the needs of families at the time of death and will also assist in the notification of the pertinent people or agencies. The local parish may be called by the family or the funeral director. In either case, before everything is finalized with the funeral director the parish needs to confirm the date and time of the funeral, whether the body will lie in‐state before the funeral service and other details.

The bereavement ministry might vary slightly at each parish. Either through an appointment with the priest or pastoral minister at the parish, or a meeting at the funeral home, the parish will assist the family in planning the funeral, the Vigil service and Committal, inviting family participation where possible.

When someone dies the priest or pastoral minister, when available and the situation allows, will want to come to where the deceased person is and offer prayers and a blessing. Often this will be the prayers for Gathering in the Presence of the Body or some variation of them. However, a deceased person is not anointed with the oil of the Sacrament of Anointing. When the situation demands it, a person may be anointed when they are unconscious or near death, but not after death. Anointing ordinarily takes place when the person is conscious and can actively participate in the prayer of anointing. That means that the parish should be contacted as reasonably soon as possible once a situation of serious illness is known. The practice of waiting until near death is to be discouraged. Nor does anointing have to be only one time. A person might be anointed several times during the course of their illness, depending on progressive developments. There is in that sense no “last rites.” The Church desires to accompany the ill person throughout their illness with the sacraments: Eucharist (Communion to the sick), Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick. There is a tradition in the Catholic Church of having Holy Communion, when possible, be the final sacrament, which is called at that time Viaticum, or “accompanying you along the way.”

o   No. Suicide does not stop a person from being buried through the Church. We have come a long way in understanding the mental anguish and pain of those who tragically take their own lives. The Church does not treat such funerals any differently than other deaths. We pray for the deceased, commend them to the Lord, and surround them with all the rites of a Christian funeral, including burial in consecrated ground.

Yes. Many years ago there was a stigma attached to cremation because some who promoted the practice did so as a way to deny the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the body. That stigma is gone. Whether the body decays naturally in the earth or is cremated does not make a difference in a Catholic understanding of funerals. The Order of Christian Funerals makes it clear, however, that usually cremation does not take place until after the Funeral Liturgy. In other words, the body is present for the funeral and then is sent to be cremated. Also, once cremated, the Church expects Christians to treat the cremated remains as they would the body in a casket. That means placing the remains in a grave, mausoleum, columbarium, or consecrated place using the Rite of Committal from the Order of Christian Funerals when it occurs. The Church strongly discourages any separating out of ashes into various portions, or letting an urn with cremains stay in the home, or having ashes sprinkled over water or some other area. At times it is not possible for the body to be present, or a family has the body cremated before the time of the funeral. The Church’s Funeral Liturgy allows for this and has adapted prayers for such situations.

No fee is required for a Funeral Liturgy. The funeral director should not include any St. Regis-related fees when talking of funeral costs. It is customary to offer a parish a donation at the time of a funeral, and people have been very generous in such donations. Such donations are always appreciated but never required, nor do they affect any decisions about the funeral. The donation goes to the parish not the priest. Some families may also choose to offer an honorarium to the music minister for the Funeral Mass. Again, this is gratefully accepted, but never required.

The Church places special importance on the presence of the deceased person’s body because it provides a profound connection to the person who has died. The body is a visible sign of the life that person lived, the relationships shared, and the experiences that shaped them. Its presence can help family and friends remember, express sorrow, and grieve well.

Shortly after death, families often gather in the presence of the body at a home, hospital, care facility, or funeral home. This is a time to remember the deceased, commend them to God, and renew our Christian hope that, having shared in a death like Christ’s, we may also share in his Resurrection.

The Order of Christian Funerals provides a brief rite for this gathering. Led by a priest or pastoral minister, it may include the sprinkling of the body with holy water, a psalm, the Lord’s Prayer, a concluding prayer, and a blessing. Families may also pray together without a Church minister, using familiar prayers such as the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory Be, or a decade of the Rosary focused on Christ’s death or Resurrection.

Whenever possible, the Church prefers that the body remain present for the Funeral Liturgy. The rites reflect this through the blessing and sprinkling of the body, the white funeral pall recalling Baptism, and incense offered before the final committal.

Although not every circumstance allows the body to be present, its presence ordinarily supports the Church’s prayer and the family’s journey through grief.

As mentioned, there is great flexibility in the structure of Vigil service. The core of such a service will usually be some sort of Liturgy of the Word (Scripture, brief reflection, intercessions, concluding prayer and blessing), but other elements can be added to the core. This makes the Vigil service the preferred time for any eulogies, poems, other non‐Scripture readings, favorite songs, and other personal touches which may not be able to be incorporated into the Funeral Liturgy itself. As long as the focus stays on the Christian meaning of death and resurrection, the Vigil for the Deceased is able to adapt to almost anything. That is why it is important to discuss the details with the priest or pastoral minister of the parish so that everything can be accommodated in an appropriate manner.

The Rosary is not an official part of the Order of Christian Funerals, and ordinarily would not be done in the place of the Vigil service. For families where the Rosary is a cherished prayer form and is prayed by them, it would make a wonderful prayer together as family before the open public visitation begins. Alternatively, some parishes have guilds or groups who will lead a Rosary at the funeral home. This does not take the place of the Vigil for the deceased, but may be done in addition to the Vigil. In some situations a portion of the Rosary or a form of the Rosary can be adapted into the Vigil service’s Liturgy of the Word. All this can be discussed with the priest or pastoral minister.

The principal Funeral Liturgy for Catholics ordinarily takes the form of a Funeral Mass. This is appropriate not only for those who actively practiced their faith, but also for Catholics who were less active. Families should be encouraged to consider a Funeral Mass even when many relatives are not Catholic or regularly involved in the Church.

In some circumstances, a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass may be necessary or more suitable. This may occur on days when Funeral Masses are not permitted, when a priest is unavailable, or when the family and pastor determine that another form is pastorally appropriate.

The liturgy begins with the reception of the body or cremated remains at the church, expressing the faith community’s solidarity with the deceased and those who mourn. We never walk alone when we walk in faith. Symbols of Baptism and resurrection may include holy water, the Paschal Candle, the white funeral pall, a cross, and the Bible.

The Liturgy of the Word is essential to every Catholic funeral. Scripture proclaims Christ’s Paschal Mystery, remembers the dead, offers hope of reunion in God’s kingdom, and calls us to faithful Christian living.

At a Funeral Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist follows. Sharing in Christ’s Body and Blood gives a foretaste of eternal life and unites the Church with Christ and with all the faithful, living and dead.

The Final Commendation and Farewell concludes the liturgy or begins the procession to the place of committal. With incense and holy water, the Church entrusts the deceased to God’s mercy and affirms its hope that all who die in Christ will share in his victory over death.

A parish pastoral leader will meet with the family to plan the Funeral Liturgy. Together, they will choose Scripture readings, typically one from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament, and a Gospel. The Order of Christian Funerals offers readings that proclaim hope and our sharing in Christ’s victory over death, though other meaningful Scripture passages may be selected. Families may also prepare the Prayers of the Faithful and choose readers.

Hymns are selected during planning. Whenever possible, music should come from the parish hymnal so the entire assembly can participate. A family may instead prepare a funeral worship aid, with assistance from the funeral home.

Family and friends may place the funeral pall, present the gifts of bread and wine, serve at the altar, act as pallbearers, or assist with Communion. Extraordinary ministers of Communion must be active Catholics. Readers should preferably be Catholic, although another Christian may read when pastorally appropriate. All readers should receive the Scripture passages in advance. St. Regis’s funeral ministry team can also provide lectors and Communion ministers.

Because the Funeral Liturgy centers on the Christian meaning of death and resurrection, its readings must come from Scripture, and its music must reflect that faith. One or, at most, two people may offer prepared personal reflections a few minutes before the opening hymn. The Funeral Liturgy is not a time for open-ended sharing. The Vigil Service, and sometimes the Committal Rite, offers greater flexibility for eulogies, personal readings, and favorite songs.

The Rite of Committal is “the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. It may be celebrated at the grave, tomb or crematorium and may be used for burial at sea. Whenever possible, the Rite of Committal is to be celebrated at the site of the committal, that is, beside the open grave or place of internment, rather than at a cemetery chapel.” (#204)

Is there a procession from the church to the cemetery? Does such a Committal service have to take place immediately after the Funeral Liturgy?

A procession can take place from the church to the cemetery or place of committal. More and more people are choosing to forego the procession and simply meet at the designated place following the Liturgy, in order to lessen the possibility of accidents. If a body is to be cremated or sent elsewhere for final repose, the Rite of Committal can take place whenever the family is ready to make a final disposition of the body or ashes.

Is it acceptable to have final prayers not at the graveside or entombment setting but in a cemetery chapel?

It has become common to meet at the cemetery chapel for the Rite of Committal. At times, due to weather, this makes sense, but the Church’s Order of Christian Funerals strongly encourages, when possible, that the Rite of Committal take place at the actual place for the committal—graveside, mausoleum niche, or consecrated place.

Due to space limitations, we do not have an active funeral lunch ministry. One of our long-term goals is to create a social hall attached to the church so that a full funeral ministry will be possible.

A number of restaurants in the area or near the chosen cemetery have facilities for a lunch.