Liturgy Kathy Kuczka Liturgy Kathy Kuczka

Burying Our Dead

Whenever there is a national tragedy, such as the shooting in Las Vegas, symbols of affection and remembrance abound. Flowers, candles, letters of condolence, and other items are placed at or near the site of these tragedies. These tributes help to express feelings when words alone are not enough. These memorials fill several voids. They offer us the opportunity to do something when we feel powerless. They provide solace for the grieving and they honor the dead whose lives were dishonored by the harrowing ways in which they died. When dying in horrific ways seems to strip us of our dignity, rituals such as these remind us that our dignity was never lost.

Whenever there is a national tragedy, such as the shooting in Las Vegas, symbols of affection and remembrance abound. Flowers, candles, letters of condolence, and other items are placed at or near the site of these tragedies. These tributes help to express feelings when words alone are not enough. These memorials fill several voids. They offer us the opportunity to do something when we feel powerless. They provide solace for the grieving and they honor the dead whose lives were dishonored by the harrowing ways in which they died. When dying in horrific ways seems to strip us of our dignity, rituals such as these remind us that our dignity was never lost.

The Church’s rituals make paramount the dignity of the human person no matter how he or she died. At the beginning of the funeral rite, the body of the deceased is welcomed, sprinkled with holy water, and covered with a pall--symbols that serve to remind us that the dead were baptized into Christ and that they share in his life both then and now. Throughout the funeral liturgy, we pray for, we remember, and we bless the dead and their family. At the end of the funeral liturgy, we incense the body and we sing a song of farewell---a sign that we entrust our loved one to the love and mercy of God.

While the Church allows cremation, it does not share the same value as the presence of the body at the funeral liturgy:

“The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites.” Order of Christian Funerals #413

When cremains are present, they are treated with the same respect given to the body from which they come:

“This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the ashes, 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 practice of 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 are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires.”  Order of Christian Funerals #417

The Church sees interring the remains of the dead in the ground or in a columbarium as more dignified and respectful than keeping those remains at home. It is also safer because, should a house fire or burglary occur, cremains that are in the home could be lost. The guidelines help ensure the honor and dignity of the deceased, even long after they and we are gone.

Each year at St. Thomas Aquinas, a seminar is held designed to answer questions regarding end-of-life issues. As stated in this bulletin, this year’s seminar will be held on Saturday, November 4 at 9:00 am in rooms 201 and 202.

Read More
Liturgy, Catholic Funerals JTyAutry Consulting Liturgy, Catholic Funerals JTyAutry Consulting

Funeral Planning

November is the month when we the Church remember and honor our dead.  One of the Church’s Corporal Works of Mercy is to bury the dead.  At some point in our lives, we will be involved in planning a funeral liturgy either for a loved one or perhaps for ourselves. The Funeral Rites offer ritual prayers that encourage the Body of Christ to be present and to accompany the dead as they transition from this world. There are rites for use After Death, in the Presence of the Body, during the Transfer of the Body to the Church, the funeral Vigil, Morning and Evening Prayer for the Dead, the Funeral Liturgy, and the Rite of Committal.  These rites are also designed to comfort the family and friends from the time of the death of their loved one to the burial. The familiar rituals of the liturgies help to create order at a time when life is in disorder.

November is the month when we the Church remember and honor our dead.  One of the Church’s Corporal Works of Mercy is to bury the dead.  At some point in our lives, we will be involved in planning a funeral liturgy either for a loved one or perhaps for ourselves. The Funeral Rites offer ritual prayers that encourage the Body of Christ to be present and to accompany the dead as they transition from this world. There are rites for use After Death, in the Presence of the Body, during the Transfer of the Body to the Church, the funeral Vigil, Morning and Evening Prayer for the Dead, the Funeral Liturgy, and the Rite of Committal.  These rites are also designed to comfort the family and friends from the time of the death of their loved one to the burial. The familiar rituals of the liturgies help to create order at a time when life is in disorder.

Taking the time to plan a well-designed funeral liturgy is of utmost importance. The readings, songs, prayers, and rites that are chosen should not only reflect the life of the deceased, but should also be an expression of our Christian hope in eternal life. 

Because the Church honors the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Church prefers that the body, rather than the cremains, be present for the funeral liturgy. It is the body that we have known and loved so having the body present can also bring a sense of closure that can aid the grief process more so than the presence of the cremains.

The primary symbols of the funeral liturgy echo the symbols of the baptismal liturgy.  These symbols, the Paschal Candle, the sprinkling with holy water, the placing of the pall, and the procession into the church remind us that the foundation of our faith began at baptism. But the most powerful symbol is the human community journeying with the deceased thereby practicing a work of mercy by assuring the family of God’s eternal presence.


Read More