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What Happens at a Catholic Funeral?
The Catholic funeral rite is divided into several stations, or parts, each with its own purpose.
Vigil Service (Wake)
This 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.
Funeral Liturgy (Mass)
This 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. 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. (Please refer to All Souls Covid Guidelines for Funeral Masses)
Rite of Committal (Burial or Interment)
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.
A Word About Cremation:
Due to the Catholic belief in the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, as well as faith in the resurrection of the body, the Church does not encourage cremation, but it does not prohibit it. The Church prefers that the body of the faithful member be present for the funeral Mass. Therefore, whenever possible cremation should take place after the funeral Mass. All remains are to be treated with reverence and to be buried or entombed. (Refer to the Funeral: Frequently Asked Questions or the Diocesan document "Cremation for Catholics in Florida", for more information.) -
