The Catholic funeral service draws its origins from the ancient Jewish burial practices. It is not the end of life but the beginning of the afterlife, as the soul is blessed and returned to God at the funeral memorial Mass. This article would be going over about everything you need to know about a Catholic service, and also to help prepare you for one.
Catholic funerals all have a Requiem Mass. Some parishes celebrate funerals at a regular weekday Mass as part of the parish’s weekly services, and the actual funeral itself will be held elsewhere. A practising Catholic may likely ask that their Catholic memorial service have a funeral mass in their church, officiated by their favoured pastor or priest.
Cremation is permitted in a Catholic service, as long as the Christian values of the deceased are still upheld. Cremations must keep the ashes contained in a sealed urn or container, and not be openly spread across land or sea. The remains need to be shown proper respect and be buried in a cemetery grave or stored in a columbarium niche or mausoleum. The cremated remains of the deceased can not be stored in a mantel place at home without a priest's blessing.
Burial at sea can also be permitted in a Catholic service, as long as the body or ashes remain sealed in a container. Some religious leaders view organ donation as a final act of charity. While others may view this as sacrilege as the deceased's body is no longer whole, and they believe that this would prevent the soul's resurrection.
Additionally, graves and urns need to be marked in some fitting manner to remember the deceased by. Traditionally, a cross symbol with the deceased’s name is used to both marks and identify the grave or urn.
Catholic funeral services prefer to celebrate the funeral Mass in the presence of the deceased’s body. To express love for the deceased, prayers and hymns are asking for their souls to be guided into heaven, and for the embrace of the God almighty.
Open caskets, reception of the body, and prayer vigils are an opportunity for family and friends of the deceased to come together. To console one another and pay their last respects before the funeral. Usually, receptions and prayer vigils occur the evening before to the funeral.
The body is prepared with respectful and appropriate attire. Consideration is also given to display some Christian symbols on the casket during the time of the gathering. Symbols such as a Bible, crucifix or a rosary may sometimes go with the deceased. The reception or prayer vigils can also be conducted at the church the evening before the burial or at the family's home or funeral home.
The origins of these memorial wakes come from the Christian celebrations of vigils, often associated with feasts and major events. These used to be social events that allowed for the friends and family to mourn together and share memories of the deceased. Everybody can console one another, recall fond memories, and relive moments they have all shared with the dearly departed.
Some wakes are sombre events, while others are lively, festive, and upbeat. Everything would be up to the family to decide. After all, the wake is their final chance to give their loved ones the send-off that they deserve and would appreciate.
During November, the church traditionally sets aside the month to pray for the dead. You may want to consider honouring your deceased loved ones on their birthday, anniversary, or the day of their death every year. This can be done through prayer, and by visiting their place of rest.
If you are looking to organize the funeral, remember that you need not deal with the stress of it yourself. You are allowed to grieve and ask for a helping hand in dealing with the proceedings. It is more recommendable to find affordable funeral services instead.
The burial is often held a few days following the deceased’s passing, while a cremation can be delayed for a few extra days. If an open casket viewing is to be held, it would be best to not leave it too long either way. Another thing to consider is that more and more families are opting for cremation these days to reduce the costs of funeral expenses. Other costs to consider would be flower decorations and the cost of the casket. Finally, you should pick their favourite attire for them to be buried in, as well as the music and text they would like.
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