Transcript Catholic Funeral Rites - St Ann Catholic Church

Catholic Funeral Rites
The Order of Christian Funerals and Cremation
The Direction of Intention
My God, give me the grace
to perform this action with you
and through love for you.
In advance, I offer to you all the good
that I will do and accept all the
difficulty I may meet therein.
St. Ann, Pray for us.
St. Francis de Sales, Pray for us
Overview
Anointing of the Sick (Last Rites)
 The Funeral Home
 Overview of a Catholic Funeral Rites
 Cremation
 Planning the Funeral Mass
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◦ Mass or no Mass?
Committal – The Cemetery
 How to let you family know of your plans?
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Sacrament of the Sick
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What ever happened to Last Rites?
◦ Sacrament of the Sick
 Given to all who are ill, about to undergo surgery,
recovering for illness, advanced in age
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Last Rites was a Hollywood invention
Extreme Unction – The final Anointing
Today – Sacrament of the Sick
One should not wait until a person is
unconscious to call the priest!
 Sacraments work best when a person is awake!
The Funeral Home
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Once a loved one has died…
◦ Contact funeral home of choice, inform them
you are Catholic and which church you are
registered. Some parishes will NOT provide a
funeral Mass for non-parishioners
 Contacting the parish first to begin funeral
arrangements often adds a layer of confusion
 Funeral Director will contact parish to set up day and time
with priest
 Please DO NOT set a day and time without speaking to
parish priest.
Meeting with Priest / Parish Staff
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Following Meeting with Funeral Director
◦ Call to meet with priest or parish staff
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What happens in this meeting
◦ Comfort and sympathy from parish
◦ Begin the process of planning the Funeral
Rites
◦ Discuss options for Rites, Readings and
Participation of Family members, Music
selection
Vigil for the Deceased
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Wake or Visitation
◦ In home of deceased (in
the absence of a body)
funeral home,
or in Church
◦ Can be led by priest,
deacon, layperson
◦ Helps those mourning to express their sorrow and
to find strength and consolation through faith in
Christ and his resurrection
◦ The Rosary, Evening Prayer
◦ Prepared (written) eulogies of the deceased
are to be done during this service.
Vigil for the Deceased
Structure of the
Vigil:
Greeting
 Opening Prayer
 Liturgy of the Word
 Gospel
 Homily – Reflections –
eulogies
 Prayer of Intercession
 Lord’s Prayer
 Concluding Prayer
 Blessing
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Mass of Christian Burial/
Funeral Liturgy outside Mass
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Community gathers with family and friends of
deceased:
To give praise and thanks for Christ’s victory
over sin and death
To commend the deceased to God’s tender
mercy and compassion
To find strength in
the proclamation
of the Paschal
mystery
Mass of Christian Burial/
Funeral Liturgy outside Mass
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What the Funeral Mass is NOT
◦ Time for poetry readings, secular music,
lengthy eulogies, reading of condolence cards,
family singers or testimonials, or military
honors
Mass of Christian Burial/
Funeral Liturgy outside Mass
Introductory Rites:
 Greeting
 Sprinkling with Holy
Water
 Placing of the Pall
 Entrance Procession
 Placing of Christian
Symbols
 Opening Prayer
Mass of Christian Burial/
Funeral Liturgy outside Mass
Liturgy of the Word:
 Readings, Homily, General Intercessions
Liturgy of the Eucharist (Mass only)
Final Commendation
 Invitation to Prayer
 Silence
 Song of Farewell
 Prayer of Commendation
 Procession to the Place of Committal
Mass of Christian Burial/
Funeral Liturgy outside Mass
“In peace, let us take our brother/sister to his/her
place of rest.”
Rite of Committal
In committing the body to its resting place:
-Community expresses hope that, with all those who
have gone before marked with the sign of faith, the
deceased awaits the glory of the Resurrection
-Expresses the communion that exists between the
Church on Earth and the Church in Heaven
- A place for the community to
remember, pray and wait in hope
Rite of Committal
-Invitation and Scripture Verse
-Prayer Over the Place of Committal
-Committal
-Intercessions
-The Lord’s Prayer
-Concluding Prayer
-Prayer Over
the People
The Question of Cremation
-Symbols used in Funeral Mass with Body
remind faithful of the substantial connection
with the deceased’s baptism.
-Catholics have a strong belief in the body as
the temple of the Holy Spirit as well as a belief
in the Resurrection of the Body
-From early Church, cremation was viewed as a
pagan practice and was forbidden until 1963
-In the Code of Canon Law in 1983, “The
Church earnestly recommends that the pious
custom of burying the bodies of the dead be
observed; it does not, however, forbid cremation
unless it has been chosen for reasons which are
contrary to Christian teaching” (Canon 1176).
The Question of Cremation
Since 1997, the Church has
permitted Funeral masses with
cremated remains present.
-In this decision the Church
acknowledged that cremated
remains bear the imprint of
the first creation fashioned
from dust.
-“Remember that you are dust
and to dust you shall return.”
The Question of Cremation
Families who choose
cremation are strongly
encouraged to schedule the
cremation of the body after
the funeral liturgy.
• Why? So as not to lose the powerful
symbolism!
• Funeral homes now provide
families with a service by which
they may rent the casket in
which the body will be honored
before its cremation.
The Question of Cremation
•If cremation is chosen:
•The cremains should be placed in a worthy vessel.
•The cremains are placed near the Baptismal Font
during the Funeral Liturgy.
•The paschal candle should be placed in a
prominent position as it is when the body is present
for a funeral.
•The cremains may be incensed out of respect for
the cremated body.
•The cremains may be sprinkled with holy water.
•The cremains are taken to their place of rest
following the Funeral Liturgy.
The Question of Cremation
-The practice of scattering ashes over the sea, on the
ground, or from the air is not permitted for Catholics and is
not considered to be the reverent disposition of the
cremated remains.
-The cremated remains may be buried at sea as long as
they are placed in a worthy vessel that will carry the
remains to the bottom of the sea bed.
-Catholics should not retain the cremated remains in their
homes, places of work, etc. Neither should Catholics divide
and share the cremated remains of the deceased. The
Catholic Church considers these practices mistreatment
and disrespect of human remains. The Church requires
that the cremated remains be buried or placed in a
recognized area of reverence.
-Burial should take place immediate after Funeral Liturgy.
Planning your Funeral Rites
Wake, Funeral Mass, Committal
 Taking time to select readings and music
 Who should be involved
 Making sure your Parish and Family know
your plans.
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◦ Place funeral arrangements with other
important documents.
◦ Share information with family members