The Roman Catholic Funeral Rite

Question 1

• Largest Christian religion
• Believe Jesus Christ was the founder since he is the one who brought salvation into the world.
• Believe the Church has preserved the teachings of Christ and that the Holy Spirit guides the church through its ministry.

Answer 1

Roman Catholic

Question 2

The head of the Catholic Church and is the Bishop of Rome.

Answer 2

Pope

Question 3

Serves directly under the Pope and take care of administrative duties of the Church, as well as electing a new Pope when it becomes necessary.

Answer 3

College of Cardinals

Question 4

Serve as heads of archdioceses.

Answer 4

Archbishops

Question 5

Geographical groupings of the many dioceses across the world.

Answer 5

Archdioceses

Question 6

Preside over geographical groupings of the hundreds of parishes.

Answer 6

Individual Bishops

Question 7

Serve each parish.

Answer 7

Monsignor or Priest

Question 8

• All Catholics should be buried from the Church with a mass.
• No actual charge for being buried from the Church
• Honorarium is customarily given to the celebrant
• Appropriate place is the church where individuals have received Sacraments during their lifetime.
• Belief is based on the words of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine.

Answer 8

Funeral Rites of the Roman Catholic Church

Question 9

• Was commonplace at one time, not today.
• Family’s relationship with the clergy, time and place of death determine the family’s decision to notify.
• Priests want to participate in the decision making process- ask the family if they have contacted clergy when scheduling the Mass.

Answer 9

Notification of the Clergy

Question 10

• No church restrictions
• May be delays if the person was a clergy or a member of a religious order due to a desire for special prayers by members of the order prior to the removal.

Answer 10

Removal of the Remains

Question 11

• No specific restriction for laypersons.
• Religious articles should be removed, recorded, and replaced after preparation and family should be asked if they are to be left on the body or removed and returned to the family.
• If a clergyman or a member of a religious order, there may be restrictions.
  
  • Embalming may be done in monastery, covnent, or rectory
  • Church is considered the family- should be asked about preparation.

Answer 11

Preparation of the Remains

Question 12

• Layperson is dressed according to the family.
• Clergy will be dressed in robes of the station of their priesthood.
• Members of religious orders should be attired in the robes of their position.
• Role of dressing and casketing the clergy and members of a religious order ma ybe the responsibility of designated members of the specific order.
• Religious objects may be placed in the hands
• Rosary beads placed in deceased’s hands
• Crucifix, sacred heart, or other objects of religious significance may be placed in the head panel, foot panel, on or near the casket.

Answer 12

Dressing and Casketing the Remains

Question 13

• Viewing- the remains are placed in the funeral home stateroom or chapel, the church, or some other appropriate placed.
• Vigil candles are normally placed at each end of the casket.
• Prie dieu is placed in front of the casket
• Crucifix behind the foot panel of the casket.
• Mass card stand is placed in front at a convenient position near the register stand or in the chapel.
• Prayer cards may be provided by funeral home.
• The playing of music and the displaying of flowers may or may not be used.

Answer 13

Pre-Service Considerations

Question 14

• Held in the funeral home, family home or church the evening before the funeral Mass.
• Provides the community the opportunity to share with the family a series of prayers.
• Offers a time of reflection on the meaning of life, death and eternal life.
• May be led by a priest, a layperson, a member of the family, or the funeral director. If priest, a time should be set only after direct communications have been made.
• Normally scheduled by the family
• Does not replace the funeral mass

Answer 14

The Wake or Rosary Service

Question 15

• Normally takes place at the church
• Family may meet at the funeral home prior to the Mass- may be led in a series of prayers prior to leaving for the Church.
• Family needs a final farewell after prayers and after their friends leave for church.
• After family returns to their cars, the funeral home staff can close the casket, placing the crucifix on top of the casket headpanel and prepare to m ove in procession to the church.
• If family does not meet at the funeral home, the funeral home staff normally arrives at the church shortly before the Mass is scheduled to begin.

Answer 15

Pre-Mass Considerations

Question 16

• Beginning the Mass
• Blessing of the casket and Pall
• Processional
• Placement of the casket
• Readings and Homily
• Communion
• Final commendation
• Recessional

Answer 16

The Funeral Mass

Question 17

Actually begins when the casket is moved into the narthex or vestibule of the church.

• The casketbearers and family members accompany the casket into the narthex to await the celebrant and the altar attendants.
• Procession is led by the crucifer and two altar attendants, one who carries the Holy Water and one who carries the inscense. The celebrant is last in the procession.

Answer 17

Beginning the Mass and Procession to Meet the Body

Question 18

• Blessed with Holy water by the celebrant
• If a casket piece covers the casket, it is removed and set aside nd the casket is covered with a pall.
• If the casket is covered with a United States flag, determination should be made during the funeral arrangements conference whether a U.S. flag or the pall is to be used. If pall, flag is folded and set aside.

Answer 18

Blessing of the Casket

Question 19

• Led by the crucifer followed by:
• altar attendants
• Priest
• Casketbearers either alongside the casket or ahead of the casket immediately following the priest.
• Family

Answer 19

Processional Down Aisle

Question 20

• Family is seated by the funeral director according to the pre-determined customs of that particular parish.
• Casket is placed at right angles to the altar
• Deceased laypersons and nuns are placed with their feet toward the altar and paschal candle
• Deceased priests are placed with their head toward the altar.
• Since the casket is usually moved down the aisle feet first, the funeral directors must turn the casket around before moving back down the aisle if the deceased was a priest.

Answer 20

Positioning the Casket

Question 21

• Celebrant conducts several Bible readings, consisting of the Psalms and the Gospel.
• Homily is said by the celebrant, may include a eulogy said by celebrant or family member or friend.

Answer 21

Scriptures and Reading of Homily

Question 22

After completing the scipture reading and homily, the celebrant will partake and offer this. The family as well as other members of the Catholic faith may participate.

Answer 22

Communion

Question 23

Follows the communion. The celebrant decends from the chancel to say this, again blessing the casket with inscense and holy water.

Answer 23

Final Commendation

Question 24

• As the celebrant moves toward the crossbearer, the funeral directors will return to each end of the casket.
• If room permits, casket is turned making the sign of the cross.
• After casket is turned, casket is placed in the center of the aisle.
• The recessional makes it way out of the church the same order as the processional will be followed.
• At the narthex the pall is removed from the casket and placed at the back of the church.
• As the casket exits the priest makes the sign of the cross.
• The aspersion is eliminated because it was used at the meeting of the body at the door of the church.
• The incensation was given at the offertory.

Answer 24

Recessional

Question 25

• If interment, the sexton or another cemetery employee will generally lead the procession to the gravesite, insuring the correct placement of the casket on the lowering device and assisting with this placement if needed.
• Priest leads the casket being carried by casketbearers (or placed on a device by them).
• Family and friends follow.
• Consists of a psalm, scripture reading, invocations and prayer reflecting the reunion of the deceasd with Christ forever.
• Less emphasis on sorrow and more on true joy the death brings to the deceased.
• Promise of “heavenly reunion” of survivors later.
• Crucifix may be removed from the casket and given to the family. (may be blesssed by priest)

Answer 25

The Committal Service

Question 26

The Church through the centuries has followed the practice of burial or entombment after the manner of Christ’s own burial/entombment- out of respect for the human body and faith in the resurrection.

• It is still the express will of the church that this hallowed and traditional practice be maintained.
• Allows cremation in certain circumstances- instruction issued in 1963

Answer 26

Guidelines for Cremation

Question 27

As long as this is not chosed out of any anti-christian motive or antagonism.

• Church as exceptions as to how cremation will fit into the scheme of the Catholic Funeral Liturgy.
• Church presumes that cremation is a process that takes place after the funeral mass and final commendation. It is an alternate option to burial or entombment.

Answer 27

Cremation is no Long Prohibited by the Church

Question 28

1. Wake service (with the body present)
2. Funeral Mass (with the body present)
3. Final Commendation to take place at:
   
   1. Cemetery for earth burial
   2. Mausoleum for entombment
   3. Cemetery for cremation
   4. Church for cremation
   5. Crematory chapel for cremation

Answer 28

Order of Christian Funerals

Question 29

The remains (cremains/ashes) are to be buried or entombed in consecrated ground or a columbarium.

• Under no circumstances are they to be left with the funeral home or crematory, taken home or scattered.
• Are to be given the dignity of a christian burial.
• Mass is discouraged if cremation is done first. It is not permitted to bring the ashes to the Church.
• May have a Post cremation Memorial Mass.

Answer 29

Cremation’s 4th Step for the Order of Christian Funerals