Funeral Rights (Originally published by National Catholic Register)

Catholics United for the Faith ^ | June 8-14, 2003 | Leon J. Suprenant, Jr.

[Salvation]

This should be a thought provoking discussion!

[Salvation]

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[Loyalist]

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A much-needed corrective for a sentimental yet cruel era.

Bring back black vestments and the Dies Irae, and save the eulogies for the wake.

[sinkspur]

The remembrance is a legitimate part of the funeral rites and it can provide an appropriate outlet for the expression of the mourning experienced by those who survive the deceased.

Consigning this legitimate part of the funeral rites to the funeral home the night before may be the preference of some; others prefer to reach the broader circle of friends at the funeral liturgy.

Interesting that no other American bishop has followed Myers' stricture.

[sinkspur]

Bring back black vestments and the Dies Irae, and save the eulogies for the wake.

At a Tridentine funeral liturgy, black vestments would be entirely in order.

If you can find any. Most parishes gave them to the dioceses to use on dead priests.

[Romulus]

others prefer to reach the broader circle of friends at the funeral liturgy.

No doubt, though as this article should make clear, there's no theological nor even pastoral basis for the hijacking of the liturgy for such purposes.

Liturgy is worship and sacrifice, not therapy.

[sinkspur]

Liturgy is worship and sacrifice, not therapy.

A eulogy before the committal rite, Romulus.

The liturgy of sacrifice and worship is, by then, essentially over.

[kstewskis]

Interesting that no other American bishop has followed Myers' stricture.

Surprisingly, in the L.A. Diocese it happened, in November 1999.

My step dad was buried at the Calvary Cemetary in Los Angeles. The priest (not a diocecan priest, one from a different order...can't remember which...) was arranged to say mass (as well as the previous night's wake).

Anyway, to the surprise of many of us, the entire mass was said in Latin. And, there was no eulogy during that mass...until at the very end (after it concluded)...my Brother in Law got up and delivered a beautiful one. There were many in attendance, who, not only were not Catholic, but didn't understand Latin.

Those who were not Catholic (or didn't understand Latin), at least, got to hear a rememberence. The rest, understood what was going on with the purpose of the mass.

[Romulus]

Being essentially an act of communal prayer, committal also is liturgy, even if not sacramental. It's altogether unfitting to interrupt prayers for mercy with the insertion of what're essentially commercials, commending the dear departed to the faithful as moral example, and lobbying God to do His duty toward the late Great Guy.

Eulogies are a protestant phenomenon; they derive from pietist views of the Christian life as moral culture. That they subvert the Catholic ecclesial understanding of life-in-communion is the greatest argument to resist eulogies.

If there must be one at all, the proper place for a eulogy is at the wake.

[kstewskis]

I have to add a p.s to my story:

It was my step dad's brother, who converted to a Protestant denomination, that made the funeral arrangements at Calvary. The priest was recommended by the funeral home (our regular one was out of town, and we couldn't get a hold of him), and was sent to us.

Divine intervention? ;)

[VermiciousKnid]

Bring back black vestments and the Dies Irae, and save the eulogies for the wake.

I couldn't agree with you more.

Regards,

[ninenot]

Not to be a jerk, but there's really no thought involved at all: the article is correct and points out the FACT that the funeral Rite is (inter alia) a mnemonic of the mystery of salvation.

The vestments should be BLACK, and the Dies Irae should be REQUIRED. That will help to drive home the points.

[ninenot]

Are you certain that Lincoln, NE., allows eulogies? I would be that he doesn't--but then, the modernist infection never got to Lincoln in the first place.

[ninenot]

Matter of fact, black is perfectly acceptable in the NO, too. Same with the Dies Irae. You can find it in the rubrics...

[ninenot]

before the committal rite

That would be at the cemetery, then. Or maybe in the car on the way???

[sinkspur]

That would be at the cemetery, then. Or maybe in the car on the way???

No. Before the blessing of the body, right after the final prayer. In the Church.

The rubrics say this is acceptable, John Myers notwithstanding.

[sinkspur]

You can find it in the rubrics...

The question is, can you find any black vestments?

[VermiciousKnid]

Sink,

You can do what I've planned to do (many years from now; I don't expect to need them for quite some time): PURCHASE the black vestments, and then tell them you expect them to be worn. Our family has always done this, and if the parish had no need of the black vestments, they were passed on to another that DID need them.

(You're right, though...I rarely see black vestments worn anymore outside of our family's funeral Masses.)

Regards,

[Salvation]

I am learning a lot here. Thanks for the wisdom.

[sinkspur]

Do you hire professional mourners for your family's funerals too?

To each his own, but I prefer the white vestments currently worn.