GUIDELINES FOR CATHOLIC FUNERALS 

Catholic Funeral Guidelines

Diocese of Wilmington

Catholic Funeral Guidelines

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Perpetual Light shine upon them.
May their souls
and the souls
of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.

May 2012

My Dear Friends in Christ,

The Catholic Church has a long history and experience of helping people to prepare spiritually for death and assisting families dealing with the sickness, death, burial and bereavement of a loved one.

Gathering the wisdom of the Church’s long experience, I offer these words to priests, permanent deacons, lay ministers, funeral providers, grieving Catholic families and all Catholics in the Diocese of Wilmington.

There is a trend among some of our Catholic people to omit the traditional Catholic funeral rites when they experience the death of their loved ones in favor of a prayer service at the funeral home or a private graveside service. In many cases it is because the children of the deceased have not been active participants in the sacramental life of the Church. Nothing is more heart breaking than to hear about a life-long devoted Catholic was laid to rest without the benefits of a Funeral Mass.

While our dedicated priests, permanent deacons and lay ministers will minister to people in their time of need, regardless of a family’s decisions, I want to encourage Catholic priests, permanent deacons, lay ministers funeral providers and grieving Catholic families to promote together the use of the Catholic funeral ritual. 

Three separate and sequential rites are proposed as the most fitting way to celebrate this pilgrimage of the deceased Christian: The Vigil for the Deceased (often referred to as the Wake), the Funeral Liturgy (or Mass of Christian Burial), and the Rite of Committal. The physical movement or procession from one place to another for the celebration of these rites can add to the sense of journey or pilgrimage and contribute to the experience of separation through which mourners must pass before they are able to re-center their lives after the death of a family member or friend.

We must work together to educate and counsel our Catholic families so that they understand and appreciate the spiritual and emotional support derived from a full and active participation in the Catholic funeral ritual.

I appeal to Catholic family members making decisions about funeral arrangements for their relatives. Please consider the deepest hopes and desires of your loved ones in their best days and make the right choice to celebrate our Catholic funeral liturgy. The Eucharist helps to heal the sorrow that comes from the loss of a loved one. This may very well be a special moment of grace for you and your family. The celebration of the Catholic funeral rites promotes a healthy grieving process that can lead to deep levels of personal conversion and spiritual growth. In contrast, the avoidance of these funeral rites may short-circuit grief and healing.

Our Catholic tradition urges the Church today to face death with honest rituals that preserve its Christian and human values. Since, in rising to new life, Christ won victory over death for His followers, faith impels the Church to celebrate that victory in its funeral liturgies. I also commend to you the use of our Catholic cemeteries which are a visible sign of our Catholic beliefs about death, eternal life and the communion of saints.

I thank you all in advance for your cooperation and zeal in promoting the consistent use of our Catholic funeral rites. Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend W. Francis Malooly

Bishop of Wilmington 

Norms for Catholic Burial Diocese of Wilmington

The Catholic Understanding of Death

“In the face of death, the church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity. Christ ‘achieved his task of redeeming humanity and giving perfect glory to God, principally by the paschal mystery of his blessed passion, resurrection from the dead, and glorious ascension’.” (Order of Christian Funerals [OCF, 1])

“At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of her confident belief that death is not the end nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting Word of God and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.” (OCF, 4)

Through the celebration of the funeral rites, particularly the Vigil for the Deceased, the Funeral Liturgy, and the Rite of Committal the Church calls for the active participation of all.

I. General Principles and Norms

1. In the Diocese of Wilmington the Order of Christian Funerals (1989) is to be used as the normative liturgical ritual for the celebration of the funeral rites.

2. The three separate and sequential rituals in the funeral rites are: the Vigil and Related Rites and Prayers, the Funeral Liturgy (or Mass of Christian Burial) and the Rite of Committal. While there are distinct rituals, the funeral rites as a whole are a single movement of prayer which need to be celebrated integrally. The General Introduction and the Introduction to each rite or group of rites, set forth guiding principles for the proper liturgical celebration of these various rites.

3. It is the responsibility of each pastor to ensure that these liturgical principles are respected, understood, and used with pastoral sensitivity by all those, namely, priests, deacons, and lay persons, who participate in the ministry of consolation: to care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn.

4. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the Pastor to both inform the funeral service providers of the proper order and liturgical expression of the funeral rites as set forth in the Order of Christian Funerals and to ensure that they are followed according to the desire of the Church.

5. The Church encourages the full celebration of the funeral rites, especially the Funeral Mass, for her faithful deceased members. No one should be denied the Church’s funeral rites because of the neglect of the practice of the faith of their family members. It is the responsibility of the Pastor to ensure that the funeral rites are available for these persons.

6. Every Catholic, unless specifically excluded according to the norms of Church law, is entitled to the Church’s ministry at the time of death.

II. Special Pastoral Concerns 

1. Cremation

Respect for the human body is envisioned in the funeral rites of the Church.

“The body of the deceased Catholic Christian is also the body once washed in Baptism, anointed with the oil of salvation, and fed with the Bread of Life. Thus, the Church’s reverence of the sacredness of the human body grows out of a reverence and concern both natural and supernatural for the human person. The body of the deceased brings forcefully to mind the Church’s conviction that the human body is in Christ a temple of the Holy Spirit and is destined for future glory at the resurrection of the dead.” (OCF, 412)

“Although cremation is now permitted by the Church, it does not enjoy the same value as burial of the body. The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites.” (OCF, 413)

“When extraordinary circumstances make the cremation of the body the only feasible choice, pastoral sensitivity must be exercised by priests, deacons, and others who minister to the family of the deceased.” (OCF, 415)

“The cremated remains of a body must be treated with the same respect given to the human body from which they come. This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the cremated remains, the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and the final disposition. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practices of dividing, commingling and scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased is not permitted. Whenever possible, appropriate means for recording with dignity the memory of the deceased should be adopted, such as a plaque or stone which records the name of the deceased.” (OCF, 417)

Therefore, in the Diocese of Wilmington the following norms are to be observed:

1. When the choice has been made to cremate a body, it is strongly recommended that the cremation take place after the Funeral Liturgy followed by the proper disposition of the remains according to the norms of the Church, that is, burial in a grave, or entombment in a mausoleum or columbarium. The Rite of Committal is conducted at the time of burial or entombment.

2. If cremation takes place before the Funeral Liturgy the following protocols are in order during the Celebration of the Funeral Mass:

a. The introductory rites are held including the blessing of the urn. The celebrant greets the family at the doors of the church or in the gathering area, it is suggested that you provide a table where the urn can be placed during the introductory rites and blessing. The urn is then brought to the front of the church and placed on a table at its customary place in front of the paschal candle. Placing cremated remains within a casket to give the false impression of a full body is strictly prohibited.

The Order of Christian Funerals recognizes the need to reflect on the life of the loved one who has just died by providing an invitation in the Vigil for the Deceased to a member or friend of the family to speak in remembrance of the deceased person just before the concluding rite. The same invitation may be offered before the opening prayer of the Funeral Mass or after the Prayer after Communion of the Funeral Mass.

Therefore, in the Diocese of Wilmington the following norms are to be observed:

1. In the Diocese of Wilmington, it is recommended that the Vigil (Wake) is the most appropriate time for members of the family and friends to share memories of the deceased or to pay tribute to the deceased through vocal remembrances, photographs, favorite songs, etc.

2. The reception after the burial is another appropriate time for the remembrances because there is less of an emotional burden and the context is looking toward the future in a more positive manner.

3. If a family member wishes to express appreciation or say something in remembrance at Mass, the following are to be observed:

• Only one family member or friend is to speak.

• The words to be shared must be in writing and approved in advance by the celebrant.

• Because of the intensity of emotions at the time of a funeral, the person who will speak is to be brief, that is, no more than five minutes.

• This faith-remembrance is to take place prior to the opening prayer or after the Prayer after Communion.

• Because this is not part of the Liturgy of the Word, this remembrance is not to take place at the ambo, but at another appropriate place of the celebrant’s choosing.

4. Mass of Christian Burial in a Funeral Home or Cemetery Chapel

These guidelines reflect the usual practice of the Rite of Christian Burial being conducted in three places: the home of the deceased (to which the funeral home is equated), the parish church where the deceased received the sacraments, and the cemetery. Where special circumstances are involved (handicapped survivors, deceased from another diocese with no local parish affiliation) permission from the respective pastor is to be requested and not presumed for Mass outside of the church.

5. Catholic Cemeteries

1. The preferred place of burial or entombment for the earthly remains of a deceased Catholic is a Catholic Cemetery. These sacred places are reliquaries of the Saints. Regularly scheduled Masses of Remembrance and special liturgical celebrations throughout the year affirm the sacred nature of the Catholic Cemetery. In the event that a deceased Catholic is interred or entombed in a non-sectarian or military cemetery the grave or crypt should be individually blessed at the time of the committal. Members of Catholic families belonging to other religious denominations may be buried in Catholic Cemeteries. In the spirit of ecumenism, other Christian denominations without comparable facilities of their own may also be buried in Catholic Cemeteries.

Office of Worship Diocese of Wilmington

June 2008