I am not dying;
I am entering life.
The death of people near and dear to us can be an extremely difficult and confusing experience. Nevertheless, sickness, suffering and death are fundamental experiences of human life. At some point, they will affect each one of us.
As Catholics, we believe that, in death, “life is changed, not ended” (Preface of the Dead, Funeral Mass). We look forward to eternal life, offered to us by the Lord Jesus.
The funeral rites of the Catholic Church serve two main purposes. First and most important, they are opportunities for us to pray for the eternal repose of our deceased loved ones. Second, the funeral rites bring comfort and solace to those who grieve the loss of a loved one.
Step One | Get in Contact
First up, reach out to the Parish Office to arrange a Funeral Planning Meeting with the parish priest. You will also need to engage a Funeral Director. The Funeral Director will liaise with the parish to book the church and celebrant for the funeral.
Step Two | Funeral Rites
There are three main Catholic funeral rites available for your deceased loved one. You may choose from among these options:
Vigil for the Deceased
The night before the funeral, family and friends may come together for a “Vigil”. It is customary to pray a Rosary at the Vigil for the Deceased, but there are other options available. The Vigil may be held in the Parish Church or at a Funeral Parlour. It may be possible to arrange for the body of the deceased to be viewed during the Vigil.
Requiem Mass or Funeral Service
In the Catholic Church, you may choose between two types of ‘funeral service’. It is most common for the funeral to be a Requiem (Funeral) Mass. The Mass is the greatest prayer of the Church and so is the most common form of Catholic funeral. It is also possible to have a Funeral Service, which includes readings from Sacred Scripture but does not include the Consecration or Holy Communion. This form of funeral may be appropriate if many people attending the funeral are unfamiliar with the Church’s liturgy or if the deceased was not actively practising their faith. The normal venue for a Catholic funeral is a Catholic church.
The Rite of Committal
The final rite of the funeral process is the Rite of Committal. This takes place at the grave, tomb or crematorium, where the priest leads a series of prayers and blesses the place of burial or internment. If cremation occurs privately, the priest may lead the prayers of Committal at the hearse before it leaves the church.
Important Note: Liturgical Norms
Catholic funerals, whether they take the form of the Requiem Mass or Funeral Service, are prayers of both the individual deceased and their family, as well as the whole Church. Therefore, the structure and form of Catholic funerals follow norms stipulated by the Pope and bishops. These norms are designed to support the mourners but also to ensure that the funeral is a prayerful act of the whole Church. Observance of these norms is required at funerals in Corio Lara Catholic Parish.
Important Note: Burial or Cremation
The Catholic Church strongly encourages burial of the deceased’s body in a cemetery or mausoleum. The Church does also permit cremation, however cremation must occur after the funeral. Moreover, the cremated remains must be interred in a dedicated place such as a niche at a cemetery or church. Under no circumstances should the cremated remains of a Catholic be scattered, divided or kept at home. The reason the Church’s insistance on burial or internment of cremated ashes has to do with our reverence for the body. The human body is an integral and consitutive part (along with the soul) of the human person. Through the body, the grace of God passes from the sacraments to the soul. Moreover, it is a matter of Catholic faith that the dead will receive their bodies in a glorified form at the General Judgment.
Step Three | Readings and Prayers of the Faithful
Catholic funerals – whether a Requiem Mass or Service – always include readings from Sacred Scripture (the Bible). The Funeral Mass and Service include a First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading (optional at Mass, not required at Service), Gospel Acclamation and Gospel. In addition, the Mass or Service will feature Prayers of the Faithful which are a series of short prayers for the deceased and their family. Selections are to be made from the options contained in this file:
Step Four | Music & Musicians
Music that features in Catholic funerals must be “sacred,” that is, composed specifically for use in the Church’s liturgical worship of God. Pop and secular music is not permitted at any point during the funeral or within the church building. There is, nevertheless, a great variety of beautiful and familiar sacred music that may be chosen.
Music at Catholic funerals ought be performed live rather than recorded. Our parish has an extensive contact list of musicians whom we can recommend to you. Any musicians recommended by funeral directors or families must be approved by the parish priest before being engaged for the funeral.
The music for a Catholic funeral is to be selected under the guidance of the priest celebrant. At a Requiem (Funeral) Mass, you will need to select four hymns or pieces of sacred music – one for the Entrance, Offertory, Communion and Recessional. At a Funeral Service, you will need to select two hymns or pieces of sacred music – one for the Entrance and one for the Recessional. Approved options are listed below. Click the title of each hymn to hear the track on Spotify.
4. Recessional Hymn
Step Five | Words of Remembrance & Audiovisual Presentations
Although people commonly think of a eulogy as part of the funeral service, the Catholic Church does not envision a eulogy as being part of the Catholic funeral. The funeral rites are not a celebration of the life of the deceased, but a prayer that the life and death of the deceased may be joined to Christ in heaven. Extended reflections on the life of the deceased can be presented at the Vigil or during refreshments following the funeral.
Even so, the Church does allow for a few words of remembrance for the pastoral good of those assembled. This is not a full eulogy, but a brief remembrance (5 minutes or 500 words) of the life of the deceased by one person only. In Corio Lara Catholic Parish, the Words of Remembrance occur first, with the Requiem Mass (or Funeral Service) following. Words of Remembrance should be typed and submitted to the priest celebrant for review at least 24 hours prior to the funeral.
Although audiovisual presentations have become increasingly common at funerals in recent years, they are not part of the Catholic funeral rites. Audiovisual presentations should be presented at another moment, such as during refreshments after the funeral.
Step Six | Booklets
We encourage families to provide booklets for the funeral of your deceased loved one as a means to helping those attending enter more deeply into the funeral liturgy. Booklets can be particularly useful if some of your guests are unfamiliar with Catholic worship. The priest celebrant or funeral director can provide you with a booklet template. Before printing the booklet, send a final draft to the priest for his proofing. He knows the structure of the funeral well and will make sure your booklet is accurate.
Please Note: In 2010, the Archbishop of Melbourne clarified that the Catholic funeral is not to be designated as a ‘Celebration of Life’. Please ensure that any printed or digital material refers to the funeral as “Requiem Mass for the Eternal Repose of the Soul of…” or “Funeral Mass for the Eternal Repose of…” or “Funeral Prayers for the Eternal Repose of …”
Step Seven | Donations
Corio Lara Catholic Parish follows the guidelines of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and suggests a donation be made to the priest celebrant and a donation be made to the particular church where the funeral occurs. The amount recommended by the Archdiocese are listed below. For further details about the recommended donation amounts, or for any queries or concerns you may have about providing a donation, please do not hesitate to contact the Parish Office or the priest celebrant. Your funeral director will also be able to guide you in this area.
To the priest
$250 | Requiem Mass or Funeral Service
$150 | Cemetery Attendance for Burial or Cremation
To the church
$150 | Vigil (if held at church)
$200 | Requiem Mass or Funeral Service