Order of Christian Funerals (Part 1 of 3)
Understanding the Catholic Approach to the Funeral Rites
In 1989, the English translation of the Order of Christian Funerals (OCF) was promulgated for use in the United States. We will be taking a look at the funeral rites, the Catholic approach to cremation, and the Church’s ministry of consolation to support the grieving family.
The term “Funeral Rites” is a general name for all the liturgical celebrations that are possible at the time of death. The funeral rites commend the dead to God, bring to our immediate awareness our faith in the resurrection of the dead, and provide hope, support and consolation to the bereaved.
The Funeral Rites have three principle times of prayer for the family and community: the Vigil, the Funeral Liturgy, and the Rite of Committal.
The Vigil
The Vigil may be celebrated in the funeral home or in the Church. (Some cultures celebrate the Vigil in the home of the deceased.) When it is celebrated in the Church, we try to arrange a time well enough before the funeral liturgy so that the funeral itself does not become too lengthy or feel repetitious.
Usually the visitation time before the Vigil is the first opportunity the community at large has to come and offer condolences, lend support, and share in telling the stories of the life events of the one who has died. Such remembering is an important part of the grieving process. Time is set aside during such visitation for prayer together as a community to support the bereaved and to pray on behalf of the one who has died.
The Word of God is the central prayer of the Vigil. The format of the Vigil is usually Scripture readings, intercessions, the Our Father, concluding prayers and blessings. Depending on where and when the Vigil occurs, adaptations to this basic format are made.
The Funeral Liturgy
The funeral liturgy is the community’s central liturgical celebration for the deceased. The community gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to take heart from the Word of God, to give thanks and praise to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death, and to be nourished in the reception of Holy Communion. The participants in the funeral liturgy have a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that awaits them (OCF, 128, 129, 154).
The symbols and symbolic actions of the funeral liturgy are:
- The welcoming of the body into the Church—calls to mind the welcome into the Church which first occurred at Baptism.
- The sprinkling with holy water—reminds us of the saving waters of Baptism.
- The Easter candle—sign of Christ’s presence and his victory over sin and death.
- The funeral pall—draping the white cloth over the casket signifies the white garment all Christians received at their Baptisms. It is a sign of Christian dignity.
- The presence of the Christian community—by their prayer and song they bring support and consolation and give witness to our hope in the resurrection.
- The proclamation of the Word of God—reveals God’s loving presence; the Word gives strength, provides consolation and hope in the resurrection.
- The Eucharistic sacrifice—the thanking for, the offering of and the sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ is a foretaste of the eternal banquet of Heaven.
- Words of Remembrance—this is optional; it is a time for family or friends to give witness to the Christian life that the deceased had lived; it is different from a eulogy.
- The final commendation—this last act of farewell acknowledges the reality of separation and affirms that the community and the deceased share the same destiny, that is, resurrection on the last day.
- Blessing with incense—the incensation of the body or cremated remains signifies respect and honor for the body. The rising incense is a sign of the community’s prayers for the deceased rising to God.
- There is also the option of placing Christian symbols on the coffin, once the white pall has been draped over it. The two most common symbols are the Bible and the cross.
Rite of Committal
The Rite of Committal is the final act of the community in caring for the body of its deceased member. This prayer is all about bringing the earthly remains of our loved one to his/her final place of rest. This rite may be celebrated at the grave, tomb, or crematorium. This rite may be used also for burial at sea (OCF, 204).
The Rite of Committal is composed of Scripture, a prayer over the place of committal, intercessions, the Lord’s Prayer, concluding prayer and a prayer over the people.
A gesture or sign of leave-taking—often the sprinkling with holy water—concludes the rite. This final time of prayer is important and needs to be celebrated so that we may have the courage and
energy to say our final good-byes to the bodily presence of our loved ones, believing that their spiritual presence is always with us.
Part 2: Cremation
Part 3: The Community’s Ministry of Consolation