Liturgy of the funeral rite
For Catholics it is important that when someone dies, specific A service held shortly after a person has died, to mark the end of that person's life. A celebration of the life of someone after they have died. rites are carried out. This means there are certain acts or ceremonies that should be performed. These rites help celebrate and remember the person. For Catholics they are part of the process of the deceased person continuing to the next life.
Rites practised at home
When someone dies, some Catholics hold a Staying awake to keep watch over the sick, to pray or protest during hours usually given to sleep. at home. This is a special candlelit service that remembers the person who has died. The vigil can also be held at a church.
Rites practised at church
The body of the deceased person is taken to church in a procession of People who conduct religious services, especially in the Christian church. and mourners. During the procession, the A prayer cycle Catholics often use when someone has died. is recited. When the coffin is put down in the church, a A large candle that represents the light of Christ entering the world. is put by its head. A A special Eucharist service to remember someone who has died. may be sung, and the coffin is sprinkled with Water that has been blessed by a priest or member of the clergy..
Rites practised at the cemetery
Catholic tradition is to choose a burial instead of Reducing a corpse to ashes by burning., as many Catholics believe that their body will need to be intact to be resurrected after death at the Final Judgement. The coffin is taken to holy ground, referred to as Land that is made sacred in Christianity in which to bury the dead., where it is then buried. A gravestone is usually laid to mark where the person has been buried.
Preparing for a funeral
Organising a funeral can be an emotionally challenging task, with lots to remember. In order to aid this process, Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, has produced resources to direct Catholics. One of these is called ‘Guide for Preparing a Catholic Funeral’, which is a leaflet explaining the purpose of a Catholic funeral.
Another resource is called ‘Preparing for My Funeral’. This is a list of questions that help people to decide what they would like to happen at their own funeral so it can best reflect their Catholic beliefs.
What is the purpose of a funeral?
- Funerals can be an important part of the mourning process, as they help people say goodbye to the person who has died.
- They are an opportunity to celebrate and remember the life of the person who has died.
- The burial of the body shows the link between the Church on Earth and the Church in Heaven. The person’s body has been returned to the Earth.
- Funerals are important to the church community as they offer a chance to come together, reflect and unite in prayer.
