And if you assume that it was just my perception... No, it was the same for everyone there. My brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles even the Priest - everyone.
I have seen MANY Catholic funerals -- and these were STARKLY DIFFERENT from a typical Christian's funeral. It is a night and day difference! A "dark" and "light" difference, by the way.
It's because Catholics define "hope" differently that God does.
Purgatory, saying Mass for the dead, lighting 50-cent candles and the rest of the mess are all contrivances that try to fill the surviving Catholics' empty hope after death.
You have this life alone to make a choice that brings real hope.
I tell you: Satan is at work in the "Holy Roman Catholic Church!!"
It is apparent that you have no conception of Catholicism at all...
At my mothers funeral, years ago, The grandkids all gave a little eulogy...Grandma, tube socks every year for Christmas, grandma, always took care of neighborhood kitties....etc, etc...when we went behind the church to the cemetery, they released helium baloons to represent her soul going to heaaven....very upbeat ceremony.