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Who can have a Catholic funeral?
Deacon's Bench ^ | August 27, 2009 | DEACON GREG KANDRA

Posted on 08/27/2009 5:30:19 AM PDT by NYer

Some people might be wondering -- especially in light of the death of Ted Kennedy.

My understanding has always been that every baptized Catholic, with few exceptions, has the right to a Catholic burial. But, of course, there are nuances and gray areas. And exceptions can often be a matter of personal opinion or prudential judgment.

Zenit, as fate would have it, posted this primer from Canon Law just a few days ago:

The Church is usually generous toward the deceased, within limits.

First, we must distinguish between offering a funeral Mass and celebrating a Mass whose intention is the eternal repose of a particular soul.

Since the latter is basically the private intention of the priest, albeit offered at the request of a particular person, and since there are practically no limitations as to whom we may pray for, almost any intention can be admitted. In cases that might cause scandal, especially if the person were denied a funeral Mass, it would not be prudent to make this intention public.

A funeral Mass on the other hand is basically a public act in which the Church intercedes for the deceased by name. A funeral Mass is one which uses the formulas found in the Roman Missal and the ritual for funerals. Some of these formulas may be used even if the deceased's body is not present.

Because of its public nature the Church's public intercession for a departed soul is more limited. A funeral Mass can be celebrated for most Catholics, but there are some specific cases in which canon law requires the denial of a funeral Mass.

Canons 1184-1185 say:
"Canon 1184 §1. Unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals:
1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics;
2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith;
3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.

"§2. If any doubt occurs, the local ordinary is to be consulted, and his judgment must be followed.

"Canon 1185. Any funeral Mass must also be denied a person who is excluded from ecclesiastical funerals."
In fact, these strictures are rarely applied. In part, this is because many sinners do show signs of repentance before death.

Likewise, the canons are open to some interpretation. In No. 1184 §1 notorious would mean publicly known. Therefore someone who had abandoned the faith and joined some other group would be denied a funeral; someone who harbored private doubts or disagreements would not.

Cases of those who choose cremation for reasons contrary to the faith are extremely rare and are hard to prove (see the follow-up in our column of Nov. 29, 2005).

The most delicate cases are those in No. 1184 §1.3. Many canonists say that for denial of a funeral the person must be both widely known to be living in a state of grave sin and that holding a Church funeral would cause scandal.

About a year ago in Italy the Church denied an ecclesiastical funeral for a nationally known campaigner for euthanasia who requested and obtained the removal of his life-support system. In this case the request for a funeral for someone who was only nominally Catholic was in itself a publicity stunt for the organization behind the campaign. Likewise, someone subject to excommunication or interdict (for example, a Catholic abortionist) would be denied a funeral.

Given the severity of the requirements for denial of an ecclesiastical funeral, people in irregular marriages and suicides should not usually be denied a funeral. In such cases denial of the funeral is more likely than not to be counterproductive and cause unnecessary misunderstanding and bitterness. The Church intercedes for the soul and leaves final judgment to God.
I'm sure that doesn't cover everything. But it's a very good start for those curious about this sort of thing.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; funeral; kennedy
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1 posted on 08/27/2009 5:30:19 AM PDT by NYer
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To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
The Church intercedes for the soul and leaves final judgment to God.
2 posted on 08/27/2009 5:30:49 AM PDT by NYer ( "One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
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To: NYer
I would enjoy watching another Yasser Arafat style funeral...

Fly the body in, shoot up the helicopter blades, fire into the air while dragging the body through the streets, watching people keel over wounded from the bullets raining back down and conclude by throwing the body into a hole in the street and covering it up as quickly as possible.

3 posted on 08/27/2009 5:40:13 AM PDT by Deaf Smith
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To: NYer

It is my understanding that you can have a Catholic burial as long as you haven’t been formally excommunicated by the Church and didn’t have the excommunication revoked. As in Post #2, the priest performs a Mass of Catholic burial because no one knows what reparations the deceased made before dying except God or his/her confessor.


4 posted on 08/27/2009 5:43:48 AM PDT by murron (Proud Marine Mom)
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To: NYer
Of course if a person is a pro-abortion "Catholic",
they are given a Catholic burial anyway.
5 posted on 08/27/2009 5:47:08 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: NYer

“Cases of those who choose cremation for reasons contrary to the faith “

Wonder what that is. The Catholic Church allows cremations now, so how does this fit in?


6 posted on 08/27/2009 6:26:35 AM PDT by cowtowney
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To: cowtowney

“Cases of those who choose cremation for reasons contrary to the faith “

“Wonder what that is. The Catholic Church allows cremations now, so how does this fit in?”

Pouring gasoline on yourself and lighting a match...


7 posted on 08/27/2009 6:29:38 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla
I suspect the real reason Ted Kennedy's funeral Mass is being help in Massachusetts is that the Bishop of DC may have insisted on a low-key funeral Mass that had no Obama eulogy.
8 posted on 08/27/2009 6:43:21 AM PDT by utahagen
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To: NYer
If New Jersey mobsters get Catholic funerals, I'm sure Teddy is right there in the mix. Besides, all the “catholics” in Mass vote for Bwarney Fwank and Kerry every time their tickets need punched. They overwhelmingly voted for Obama even knowing the only bill he ever got passed was to kill babies after their birth if mommy didn't want them.

The world we live in now allows Pelosi to challenge the pope that abortion isn't settled theology. I'm still wondering why she wasn't put on the rack to explain catholic dogma to her.

9 posted on 08/27/2009 6:43:51 AM PDT by chuckles
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To: NYer
Who can have a Catholic funeral? = Answer:

History has proven that in RC it doesn't matter how corrupt or evil you are, or what you have done just so long as you or your relatives have the money to pay up and grease the skids and palms of those in power within the RC church. This also holds true for marriage annulments; just ask Teddy, or Al Capone... oh you can't, they are is still dead.

This also holds true for taking communion, you can be a powerful RC politician and kill (Teddy boy) or support the murder of unborn MILLIONS for years and "the church" will perpetually give you a pass and let you partake... just so long as they continue to get their cut and their influence. Just ask Kerry, Dean, Pelosi, etc...

10 posted on 08/27/2009 7:06:38 AM PDT by Jmouse007 (hank you)
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To: Jmouse007
Um, I don't think Al Capone had a Catholic funeral. Mobsters, nowadays, aren't really allowed. The NY mob actually has its own cemetery, St.John the Baptist, which isn't consecrated. Being buried in an unconsecrated cemetery is just as big an issue to Catholics as not having a Catholic funeral.

I certainly hope Teddy reconciled with God before his death and had a true general confession. That's between him and God. May God have mercy on his soul.

11 posted on 08/27/2009 7:14:18 AM PDT by Desdemona (True Christianity requires open hearts and open minds - not blind hatred.)
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To: Desdemona
"The memory of the righteous is blessed,

But the name of the wicked will rot." (Proverbs 10:7)

12 posted on 08/27/2009 7:20:31 AM PDT by Jmouse007 (hank you)
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To: NYer
The Church intercedes for the soul and leaves final judgment to God.

*******************

Amen.

13 posted on 08/27/2009 7:24:13 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: murron
the priest performs a Mass of Catholic burial because no one knows what reparations the deceased made before dying except God or his/her confessor.

You're correct. In the case of Ted Kennedy, we do know the name of his confessor.

14 posted on 08/27/2009 7:41:25 AM PDT by NYer ( "One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
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To: cowtowney
Wonder what that is. The Catholic Church allows cremations now, so how does this fit in?

Actually the Catholic Church dissuades cremation. However, in those instances where the individual has chosen cremation, the funeral mass is to take place before the cremation, not afterwards.

When is cremation allowed?

While the Church still prefers full body burial or entombment, after the manner of Christ's own burial, out of respect for the human body and belief in the Resurrection, cremation may be chosen in exceptional circumstances for "sufficient reason." Here are some general considerations to keep in mind when facing the question of cremation:


15 posted on 08/27/2009 7:48:42 AM PDT by NYer ( "One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
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To: utahagen

“I suspect the real reason Ted Kennedy’s funeral Mass is being help in Massachusetts is that the Bishop of DC may have insisted on a low-key funeral Mass that had no Obama eulogy.”

don’t know and don’t care...

for Kennedy’s sake, I hope he made a good Confession before he “checked out”...


16 posted on 08/27/2009 8:01:08 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: NYer

Maybe I missed it. Who is his confessor?


17 posted on 08/27/2009 8:10:10 AM PDT by murron (Proud Marine Mom)
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To: Desdemona
Um, I don't think Al Capone had a Catholic funeral. Mobsters, nowadays, aren't really allowed. The NY mob actually has its own cemetery, St.John the Baptist, which isn't consecrated. Being buried in an unconsecrated cemetery is just as big an issue to Catholics as not having a Catholic funeral.

So if I get cremated and sprinkled over the library and the college and the river....that's gonna put a kink in my "E ticket" to Heaven? Oh well, I'm positive I'll have plenty of years in Purgatory to get over it! I'll stop and say Hi and a few other things (which will of course add more Purgatory time) to Teddy when (if) I see him.

18 posted on 08/27/2009 8:16:42 AM PDT by blu (Graffiti the world, I've seen the writing on the wall...)
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To: murron; NYer
In addition to sacramental confessions, of which I know nothing -- and I doubt that anyone knows much -- we know that Obama hand-delivered a personal letter from Ted to the Pope.

We don't know if it expressed any contrition, and of course it falls short of a public repentance simply because it is private.

But, since Ted was not excommunicated, the question of a funeral Mass should not even arise.

We should pray for his soul.

19 posted on 08/27/2009 8:54:55 AM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: blu

In short, any attempt to use cremation as an expression of a disbelieve or even denial of the resurrection of the body is discouraged. That includes scattering the remains, or any other gestures of disrespect to the deceased or to God.

Historically, cremation was promoted often with such atheistic overtones, so the Church at the time was more strongly opposed to cremation than she is now, when cremation is typically chosen for economic reasons.


20 posted on 08/27/2009 9:01:05 AM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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