

A Funeral Vigil service, however, may be celebrated in a funeral home chapel or another appropriate place for prayer and reflection. Any request to celebrate a Funeral Mass in a place other than a designated Catholic sacred place must be made to the Office of the Bishop, before a Funeral Mass may take place. The funerals of Catholics are governed by regulations contained within the Order of Christian Funerals (OCF) and Canon Law. A mausoleum chapel at a Catholic cemetery is considered to be a viable alternative to a parish church. No permission is granted for the Funeral Mass to be celebrated in a funeral home or funeral home chapel. In the Diocese of Dallas, the Funeral Mass must be celebrated in a properly designated parish church, parish chapel, or another sacred Catholic chapel or oratory.
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(The diocesan Office of Worship or the pastor can explain how to properly bury remains at sea, in an urn, coffin, or other container.) Diocesan Policy for Funerals Keeping cremated remains “at home, or in the home of a relative or friend is not the reverent disposition that the Church requires” (OCF, n. The practice of scattering cremated remains (ashes) on the sea, in the air, or on the ground is not permitted for a Catholic. The body or the cremated remains may be interred either in a grave, or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. In that case, a parish Funeral Mass is warranted.īurial of cremated remains or the body of the deceased should be in a sacred place, but the Church does not mandate a Catholic cemetery although this is the preference.

Recall, though, that the parish family may be the primary support for the deceased. This raises awareness that mourners can express their sorrow, begin the initial adjustment to loss, and possibly experience gradual reconciliation.Ĭircumstances may allow for a Funeral Liturgy Outside of Mass when a Catholic dies, especially if there are no other Catholic friends or relatives of the deceased. Regardless of the number of mourners expected, the Funeral Vigil, Funeral Mass, and Committal services should be offered. The parish should use its fullest resources to welcome and support a family in this difficult time. Planning a Catholic Funeral Mass with a family is a gift of pastoral care. The Funeral Mass is the central liturgical celebration for the deceased, and this Eucharistic celebration must be carried out in a sacred place. Typically, the parish church is the site for a Funeral Mass. The Funeral Mass must be held in a church or approved chapel (such as a chapel in a Catholic cemetery). A Vigil Service may be held in a funeral home, or in a church or chapel. The Funeral Vigil assists a family to begin the mourning process by gathering for a Service of the Word with features of prayer, remembrance, story-telling. The date, time, and minister must be confirmed before a commitment to the family is made. When a deceased person is identified as Catholic, funeral home directors should contact the parish office or pastor at the earliest possible convenience to determine the availability of the church, an appropriate minister (priest for Mass, priest, deacon, or others for Vigil Service) and the necessary parish staff, particularly the music director. About the Vigil Service, Funeral Mass & Burial A Catholic may be buried in a non- Catholic cemetery, when the ground is blessed for burial. Ideally, a baptized person is buried in a Catholic cemetery, or parish cemetery or columbarium.

Part III Rite of Committal (Burial or Interment) The central celebration of the family, friends, and the Christian community is the Funeral Mass, although when Mass cannot be celebrated, a Funeral liturgy Outside of Mass can take place. Part II Funeral Liturgy (Mass, or Outside of Mass) Generally a Service of the Word, with sacred scripture readings, accompanied by prayer, reflection, time for recalling the life of the deceased, and possibly a rosary. For that reason, we recommend following the complete structure and making use of each liturgical “moment” offered to a family. The Catholic Funeral Liturgy is divided into three distinct parts, each with its own purpose. 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.” - Order of Christian Funerals (OCF), n. “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 its confident belief that death is not the end.
