Catholic tradition and customs in planning a funeral

Religion often provides customs and tradition on how funerals should be conducted and carried out. Australia more than 5 million people who identify as Catholics since the last census in 2016. Many of these Catholics will turn to their Catholic religion when it comes to making funeral arrangements. So what does a Catholic funeral look like?

How soon after death is a Catholic funeral?

Catholic funerals generally take place within two to four days after the death.

Rites and Holy Communion

If a person is in Palliative care, a hospice, a hospital or at home and death is seen to be imminent a priest is brought to the person and their rites and holy communion are given to the dying person. After death, a priest gives the necessary rites.

Catholic- friendly Funeral Home

Once death has occurred the next step is to find a funeral home which provides ‘Catholic’ funerals. Most Funeral Homes in Australia can accommodate and have experience in arranging Catholic funeral this will usually involve the funeral home contacted the Catholic Church

Three parts to a Catholic funeral:

1. A Vigil

A Prayer vigil may be held in a funeral home, a church or at the home of the family. A Vigil is similar to a viewing or a wake. During the Vigil mourners often pray and remember the deceased. There is often a priest or a Catholic church representative present at the vigil.

2. Funeral Mass – In a Catholic Church

A Prayer vigil may be held in a funeral home, a church or at the home of the family. A Vigil is similar to a viewing or a wake. During the Vigil mourners often pray and remember the deceased. There is often a priest or a Catholic church representative present at the vigil.

3. Rite of Committal – In a Catholic Cemetery

A mass is celebrated in a Catholic church by a priest. It may be a funeral mass or a funeral liturgy. If it is a Catholic funeral mass it will need to be held when the priest is available to the Eucharist prayer and the Holy Communion. A funeral liturgy will not include the Holy Communion.

Coffin & casket used for a Catholic funeral

A Catholic funeral does not specify any particular coffin or casket to be used however  Sydney coffins has religious themed coffins and specifically Christian themed coffins. Click here to view them.

Organ donation and Embalming

The Catholic church believes that at death the soul is separated from the body. Several topics surrounding organ donation can be discussed to outline the Catholic Church’s opinion on this matter. Such as when is a person ‘dead’ and will our physical body be reunited with our soul in the next life? On the resources which l have personally researched and read the vast majority in English from Catholic figures and institutes commends organ donation and praises the benefit it has on others, in addition, the connection it has to Catholic values and scripture.

Embalming is a subjective option for Catholics. It can be done if the family request an open cast funeral and it also doesn’t have to be done. The option is up to the deceased and the family.

 

In the Catholic Church can you be cremated?

Catholics usually do not choose a cremation funeral not because it is a forbidden practice but due to their beliefs. This is aligined to the belief of the body being resurrected after death and also, following the death of Jesus Christ who was buried and placed in a tomb. This being the main reasons why also many Christians follow this funeral custom. Regardless of this belief the attitude and beliefs towards cremation have changed in the last decade. The costs burial plots may have contributed to the change in beliefs towards cremation funerals.