Last Updated on March 24, 2020 by web manager
We Catholics have several reasons for celebrating funerals. By our prayers and sacrifices, we offer spiritual aid to those who have died. We also honor the bodies of those who have died because they were Temples of the Holy Spirit. Finally, we offer comfort and hope to the living as they grieve for their loved ones. It is for these reasons that Catholic funerals have three distinct parts.
THREE FUNERAL PARTS
- The Visitation or Wake
- The Funeral Mass
- The Burial or Committal
Each of these parts has a vital purpose in aiding both the living and the dead and no part should be omitted without a serious reason:
- The first part of Catholic funerals is the Visitation or Wake. There mourners are able to visit in a less formal atmosphere. As loved ones and friends reconnect, condolences are given and received, stories are told, and prayers are said.
- The second part is the Funeral Mass. This is a solemn and sacred action where more prayers are offered for the deceased and for those who mourn. It begins with the body of the deceased being brought to the entrance of the Church. It was there at the parish Church that the deceased was baptized and first entered into the Catholic faith. It was also there that the deceased received the Sacraments. Now with reverence, the body is blessed one last time with holy water after which the funeral pall is draped over the casket. Both the holy water and the pall are symbols of baptism. Then the body of the deceased is brought to the front of the Church to stand before the altar for the remainder of the Mass. During Mass, prayers are offered for the deceased and for the living. At the end of Mass there is the last farewell as the body is incensed, a sign of reverence for what was once the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
- After Mass, the body is taken to the cemetery for the burial or committal. There the grave is blessed, prayers are said, and the deceased is laid to rest to await the resurrection on the last day. With the rites finished, closure can begin as the living must do just that and go on with life and with living.
FAMILY PARTICIPATION
When planning for a funeral, family members may participate in several ways:
- They may place the funeral pall on the casket.
- Family members may select music for the funeral. Click here to view a list of suggested hymns
- They may select the readings for Mass. Click here to view the readings
- They may serve as lectors at Mass (with the proviso that the lector is a practicing Catholic and preferably a lector in his or her parish).
- Family members may bring up the gifts.
- A family member may offer a eulogy at the end of Mass. This should not exceed five minutes and should be written out. Only one eulogist is permitted at the funeral, but others may speak at the funeral lunch or at the wake.
LUNCHEON AND STIPENDS
Registered parishioners may use the Church Hall for a luncheon after the Funeral. Parishioners will also help to prepare and serve the lunch. Families will be charged $3.50 a plate for the luncheon. Non-parishioners will need to make their own arrangements for luncheons.
The stipend for the organist is $125. It is customary (but not required) to make a donation to the Funeral committee to help cover the cost of incidentals. Finally, a donation to the Church of $150 is suggested (but not required).
PARISH CEMETERY
Saint Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery is consecrated ground. It is owned and maintained by Saint Luke’s Parish. For information on how to purchase a grave, contact one of the Cemetery Sextons.
MASS OFFERINGS
Having Masses said for the repose of the soul of departed loved ones or for the poor souls in Purgatory is a great act of charity. Mass is the greatest of prayers, and so, it offers the greatest satisfaction for sin which in turn decreases the time a soul must spend in Purgatory. Here it should be noted that our good works have a triple value in the sight of God.
First, they are meritorious. God will use the merit from our good works to measure the glory we will receive in heaven. The more we do, the greater will be our glory. Note also that our merit is inalienable and remains our property forever; merit belongs to the one who performed the work.
Second, they are impetratory, that is, they obtain some grace from God. These works can be of benefit to oneself or to others.
Third, they are satisfactory, that is, they can satisfy the temporal punishment due to sin that is required by divine justice. This satisfaction can be of benefit to oneself or to others and depends upon the intention of the one performing the work.
With regard to Mass offerings, one can make an offering that the fruits of the Mass be applied for a specific intention. For example, the repose of the soul of one who has died, healing, finding employment, and so on.
As of January 1st, 2020, in the Diocese of Duluth, the customary offering is $10. However, the priest who says the Mass can agree to accept less or even nothing at all. To arrange to have a Mass said for the repose of the soul of a departed loved one or for any other reason, call the parish office.
CREMATION
In imitation of Jesus Christ, we Catholics have always buried our dead. Our bodies rest in the grave there to await the resurrection on the last day. That is why our funeral rites all presume that the body is present. Our graveyards are generally aligned on an east to west grid with the bodies of the dead placed in the grave with the feet facing east to await the second coming of the Lord whom tradition says will come from the east. Cremation eliminates all of this symbolism. Cremation also makes the acceptance of death more difficult. With no body present to confirm a loved one has indeed died, some experience nagging doubts. It needs to be said that the practice of cremation is foreign to Catholic practice and tradition. Its increased acceptance, even among Catholics, represents the influence of the dominant pagan culture in which live. This explains why the Church, while it cannot prevent someone from being cremated, at best, tolerates the practice. However, in all cases the Church requires that cremated remains be buried in consecrated ground. It absolutely forbids that the cremains be scattered or mixed with those of a spouse. Failure to obey these requirements is a sin.
SOME FINAL COMMENTS
Deceased members of the Christian faithful have the right to a Church funeral and Christian burial. In addition, Church law directs that their funerals be celebrated in their parish church. For that reason, parishioners are strongly encouraged to have their funerals in the Church and not in a funeral home. However, if the deceased was not practicing his or her faith or if the family members are no longer practicing, it may be appropriate to have a funeral service in a funeral home or even a simple graveside service. In those cases, Mass can be offered for the deceased at another time.
Non-parishioners (those not registered in the parish) will be accommodated whenever possible, but they cannot expect the benefits of parishioners who have supported the parish over the years.
