What is funeral mass

See more stories from the Estate Planning special feature. The concluding part of a funeral Mass is the Rite of Final Commendation. The presider leads the congregation in prayer to express their farewell, affection and respect to the deceased. All the symbols used in the celebration of a funeral Mass are reminders of the Christian faith journey to God.

The celebrations with cremated remains are detailed in the Supplement of OCF. Why is a funeral Mass an important part of the life of a Roman Catholic? As secularism becomes more prevalent, it seems more people, including Catholics, are moving away from the traditions of the faith and they may have different perspectives surrounding death and eternal life.

Many non-practising Catholics may also tend to associate the celebration of a funeral Mass to only those who practised their faith. But this is not so. It is important for us to know that in the Christian faith tradition, it is the responsibility of the members of a believing community to care for its people.

To help communicate the importance of the funeral as part of the Christian journey, the estate planning team of the archdiocesan Catholic Cemeteries has been promoting seminars about Catholic traditions around burials and funerals. Our Scriptures tell us whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord who has promised us eternal life through His death and resurrection.

At the Mass, as we commend the one who has died to God, we also pray that the hope of the Resurrection that sustained the baptized on Earth may be fulfilled in Christ in the heavenly Jerusalem. Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website.

We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help. For more than years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you. News International Canada. It may be held several days before the funeral and it usually takes place at night.

Some Catholic wakes last for days while others go on for just a few hours. There may be a Vigil Service, which is the Catholic religious term for a wake. The atmosphere at a Catholic funeral is typically somber and respectful, so people should dress accordingly.

For the Catholic church, that is interpreted as black, semi-formal clothing. Men should wear a suit and tie or at least a sports coat and tie. Women should wear a black skirt or dress or pantsuit. If black clothing is not available, attendees should aim for wearing the darkest semi-formal clothes they have.

It is no longer required that women wear hats, although some do. Men should absolutely not wear a hat in the church.

Sending flowers is always appreciated, but choose an arrangement that is fitting for a somber church atmosphere no stuffed animals or balloons. A funeral mass is held in a church, so a dark suit for men or dark dress or pantsuit for women is appropriate. Clothing should cover the shoulders and knees Clothing should cover the shoulders and knees and jewelry should be kept simple.

Funerals take place anywhere from two days to one week after death, but typically occur within three days or so. The final stage of a Catholic funeral is the Rite of Committal. It often takes place at the cemetery but may also be part of the funeral service at the It often takes place at the cemetery but may also be part of the funeral service at the church.

Either way, this is the final rite, where the priest officially commits the body to the earth and everyone says their final goodbyes. A Catholic funeral actually consists of three parts, each of which may occur at different times. The first part is the Vigil service, which takes place at The first part is the Vigil service, which takes place at the wake. Next is the Funeral Mass, which is the traditional funeral ceremony. Finally, there is the Rite of Committal. Reciting the Rosary, or a set of prayers, is a tradition that's performed at the wake.

Traditionally, Catholic funerals are not held on Sundays, although there can be exceptions. Sundays are meant to be reserved for regular church services. The following will review how the Funeral Mass unfolds and help as you make choices for the Mass. He continues in prayer while sprinkling the casket with Holy Water. The pall is then placed on the casket. Entrance Song As the funeral procession walks down the aisle led by the celebrant the Entrance Song begins.

Collect Opening Prayer The celebrant prays one of several choices of prayers. Gospel The priest celebrant or deacon reads the Gospel from the selections in the Order of Christian Funerals.