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March 6, 2025When Catholics die, what comes next?
Not what’s next in terms of the deceased’s destination, but what’s next here on earth.
Ideally, the Catholic funeral Mass is primary. Sadly, some Catholics don’t understand the need for a Mass, or their loved one’s wishes to have a Mass are not being observed.
But within the Church, the funeral isn’t simply a time for sharing fond memories, but something far more serious and holy as a loved one leaves this life and enters the next.
The Sooner Catholic spoke to two priests in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City about the importance of the funeral Mass, some history behind the Mass and some key elements involved.
Father John Paul Lewis
In an e-mail exchange with the Father Lewis, senior pastor at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Oklahoma City, he explained that “(T)he funeral liturgy is a beautiful one, and much of the symbolism in it is intimately connected to baptism.
“Because it's in baptism that we receive from the Lord the promise of eternal life in heaven, we call to mind that grace, and the role it has played in the deceased person's life. At the beginning, the casket is sprinkled with holy water, a reminder of the person's baptism.
“After this, a large white cloth called a pall is placed over the casket, reminiscent of the white garment given to us at our baptism. In procession, the casket is then brought to the front of the church to take its place in front of the Paschal Candle, recalling for a third time the Sacrament of Baptism. For us, the funeral Mass is a powerful moment of intercessory prayer, in which we lift up the soul of the deceased to the Lord and remind him of the promises he made to them in Baptism. Promises like, ‘I will not lose anything of what he gave me, but raise it up on the last day (John 6:39),’ and ‘He who believes in the Son has eternal life (John 3:36).’
“We call to mind these promises made by the Lord, and we ask him to make good on those promises for the deceased person. We ask, too, in the funeral liturgy for consolation and peace for those of us left behind to mourn the dead. Every person, created in the image of God, is good and we are reminded of the goodness of God through them.
“So when a good person dies, it is as if a light has gone out in the world, and we experience some darkness. This is normal and proper. What we ask of the Lord is that we may be consoled in our grief and sorrow, and led into hope, knowing that the Lord will bring us ultimately to live with him in heaven, where there will be no tears or grief, because we will see him face-to-face and enjoy his friendship forever.”
MISCONCEPTIONS
“One of the biggest misconceptions people have about the funeral liturgy is the purpose,” Father Lewis said. “In the culture in which we live, funerals have become more and more replaced with ‘celebrations of life’ in which we praise the deceased person for all the good they've done.
“This, it seems to me, does two things. First, it refuses to recognize and embrace the suffering and grief that come with death, and the recognition that we are all (including the deceased) in need of a savior. We need to grieve and pray for the salvation of the deceased person. We must experience the desolation of the cross in order to experience the joy of the resurrection.
“Second, we praise the person who has died, rather than praising the one by whom all those good things were done. The funeral is a time to grieve and to thank the Lord for the gift that the deceased person was for us. We must remember that all the good we experienced from that person was a gift first and foremost from the Lord, and we can look to him with gratitude. This increases our faith and hope in his goodness, which helps us to strive more eagerly for the life of heaven.”
CULTURAL
Father Joseph Irwin, pastor of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Norman, said there are three liturgies for a funeral Mass. And yet, the culture, not the Church, is often the guide.
“It’s not part of the modern cultural mindset of what you do,” he said. “We don’t have a Catholic cultural mindset in Oklahoma.”
However, Father Irwin said that while such an approach is not common in the parish in Norman where he serves, when he was a priest in Enid a few years ago, it was more common for parishioners to be familiar with the funeral Mass process.
THE PROCESS
There are three steps in the funeral process.
First is the vigil service.
Second, the funeral Mass.
And third is the burial or “committal.”
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the first step – the vigil service, or “wake” – is when the “Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ’s presence.”
This is usually the period of time when a visitation and viewing at the funeral home takes place. It is when one can “remember the life of the deceased and to commend him/her to God.”
Again, at this time, one prays for God’s consolation amidst our mourning and grief as friends and family support one another. This is also the time when eulogies are encouraged.
Vigil Service (Wake)
The Vigil Service can take the form of a Service of the Word with readings from Sacred Scripture accompanied by reflection and prayers. It can also take the form of one of the prayers of the Office for the Dead from the Liturgy of the Hours. The clergy and funeral director can assist in planning such a service.
It is most appropriate, when family and friends are gathered together for visitation, to offer time for recalling the life of the deceased. For this reason, eulogies are usually encouraged to be done at the funeral home during visitation or at the Vigil Service.
Funeral Liturgy
The funeral liturgy is the central liturgical celebration of the Christian community for the deceased. When one of its members dies, the Church encourages the celebration of the funeral liturgy at a Mass. When Mass cannot be celebrated, a funeral liturgy outside Mass can be celebrated at the church or in the funeral home.
At the funeral liturgy, the Church gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ's victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God's tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery. The funeral liturgy, therefore, is an act of worship, and not merely an expression of grief.
Rite of Committal (Burial or Interment)
The Rite of Committal, the conclusion of the funeral rite, is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. It should normally be celebrated at the place of committal, that is, beside the open grave or place of interment.
In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that, with all those who have gone before their loved ones marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection.
The Rite of Committal is an expression of the communion that exists between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven: the deceased passes with the farewell prayers of the community of believers into the welcoming company of those who need faith no longer, but see God face-to-face, the UCCB website states.
Andrew W. Griffin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: Resurrection Memorial Cemetery in Oklahoma City. Photo Avery Holt/Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
