Catholic Funeral Rites
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All the sacraments, and principally those of Christian initiation, have as their goal the last Passover of the child of God which, through death, leads him into the life of the Kingdom. Then what he confessed in faith and hope will be fulfilled: "I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come."
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
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When a loved one dies, those left behind are filled with the conflicting emotions of intense sorrow and grief, coupled with Christian joy and thankfulness that the suffering is over and everlasting life in heaven is beginning.
The Roman Catholic funeral rites offer a beautiful, profound journey through grief and loss to the joy of anticipation of the resurrection of the dead.
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Funeral Planning at our Parishes
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- Call the parish priest or parish office to begin consultations for preparing funeral rites. At the parish, the priest or liturgy team representative will help you choose readings and responses and offer music selections, if they have not been pre-selected. View the Archdiocese's Catholic End of Life Guide for more information.
- Contact a funeral home. It is important to not hand over all the responsibility for the Vigil, Funeral and Burial to the funeral director alone. Consult with your priest. After major decisions have taken place by the family with the priest, the funeral director can confirm all the plans.
- Cemeteries - if your loved one has not pre-purchased their committal space, you need to select a burial location based on the type of committal (full body or cremation). You will also select and review any memorialization (marker, headstone, plaque, lettering, etc.) you would like to include on your loved one's burial location. Memorialization can be selected at a later time. At the cemetery you will also confirm the committal service dates and times.
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Reach Out
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jhaugarchkck.orgPastor
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Parts of a Catholic Funeral
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Vigil Service
"At the vigil, the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ's presence" (Order of Christian Funerals, no. 56). The Vigil Service usually takes place during the period of visitation and viewing at the funeral home. It is a time to remember the life of the deceased and to commend him/her to God. In prayer we ask God to console us in our grief and give us strength to support one another.
The Vigil Service can take the form of a Service of the Word with readings from Sacred Scripture accompanied by reflection and prayers. It can also take the form of one of the prayers of the Office for the Dead from the Liturgy of the Hours. The clergy and your funeral director can assist in planning such service.
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Funeral Liturgy
The funeral liturgy is the central liturgical celebration of the Christian community for the deceased. When one of its members dies, the Church encourages the celebration of the funeral liturgy at a Mass. When Mass cannot be celebrated, a funeral liturgy outside Mass can be celebrated at the church or in the funeral home.
At the funeral liturgy, the Church gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ's victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God's tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery. The funeral liturgy, therefore, is an act of worship, and not merely an expression of grief.
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Rite of Committal (Burial)
The Rite of Committal, the conclusion of the funeral rite, is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. It should normally be celebrated at the place of committal, that is, beside the open grave or place of interment. In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that, with all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. The Rite of Committal is an expression of the communion that exists between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven: the deceased passes with the farewell prayers of the community of believers into the welcoming company of those who need faith no longer, but see God face-to-face.
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