The Rite of Christian Funerals

We’re all going to die. That’s something we can’t avoid.

So why not be prepared?

Image courtesy Archdiocese of Omaha.

The Archdiocese of Omaha is in the midst of a year-long campaign, which began Nov. 2, to help educate Catholics about death, dying and the Rite of Christian Funerals so they can make informed decisions when the time comes.

“We want people to talk about it and think about it and then to be engaged in planning and preparing for their own death,” said Christian Brother William Woeger, director of the archdiocesan Worship Office.

Priests, deacons, musicians, parish lay ministers, funeral directors and those who do ongoing work with the bereaved will be invited to guided sessions where the teachings and rites of the church can be more greatly appreciated. Priests and deacons will be provided with preaching material this fall.

Brother William said the archdiocese is addressing the issue now to counter a youth-orientated culture, an expedient culture, where people don’t like to deal with death.

And with more and more Catholics choosing cremation, which is accepted by the church as long as the ashes are interred in a mausoleum, he said the archdiocese wants to make sure people understand the importance of still having a vigil service, funeral Mass and committal service.

“If cremation is chosen, certainly the preference would be that cremation happen after the funeral, instead of the body going directly to the cemetery,” he said.

Another issue the church often faces is that when a longtime Catholic dies, sometimes the survivors aren’t practicing Catholics and aren’t aware of what happens when a Catholic dies, Brother William said.

Funeral rites can have a positive effect on the grieving process for the survivors, but the reason we have funerals is not for the living, Catholics have funerals for the deceased, he said.

“The work of grieving takes time and the rite of Christian funerals is structured so that it is meant to be a metaphor for a person’s life, a journey,” Brother William said. “It speaks of hope and at the same time it acknowledges sadness.”

While death is a mystery, the church understands that a person is making his or her way to God, “and just as we accompanied them in life with our support and prayers and love, we accompany them in death with our support, prayers and love,” he said. “The community of the living and the community of the dead are one.”

The archdiocese invites people who have cremains of a Catholic loved one to have them interred at a Catholic cemetery, Brother William said. On Memorial Day, Catholics are encouraged to visit the graves of loved ones and tell stories about the deceased person, he said.

“There’s something very powerful about being able to go to a place where your loved one’s remains are kept,” he said. “It helps you stay connected to that person. And as human beings, we work through our senses.”

Emphasis on death, dying and Christian funerals is always an appropriate topic, primarily because no one knows when God is going to call a person home, said Deacon Bill Hill, director of Catholic Cemeteries for the archdiocese, a campaign partner with the archdiocese along with the archdiocesan Family Life Office.

“We spend our entire earthly life preparing for our eternal life, so shouldn’t we do this in the best possible way?” he said. “Our experience has shown that individuals and families who preplan their final arrangements will most likely include the various aspects of the Order of Christian Funerals, which includes the vigil service, funeral liturgy and committal service, in their wishes.”

Deacon Hill said he frequently encounters situations where the family will plan for the interment of a loved one without any consideration to the vigil and funeral liturgy.

“They are only concerned with having their loved one interred in a cemetery,” he said. “In other words, it is often a logistical process without any consideration toward spirituality.”

Deacon Hill said he hopes that through this campaign, which ends on All Souls Day, Nov. 2, people will realize the beauty of the rites associated with the Order of Christian Funerals.

“Specifically the beauty of celebrating our loved one’s own resurrection into their heavenly eternal home,” he said. “I hope they will realize the beauty of having one’s final resting place within the blessed and consecrated grounds of a Catholic cemetery where one will be with others who have shared in the same faith life.”

Rite of Christian Funeral Events

• Clergy conference will focus on the topic – Feb. 10-11, St. Benedict Center, Schuyler.
• Funeral director workshops – March 6, Norfolk; March 13 and 27, Omaha; March 20, Columbus.
• Convocation with musicians, bereavement ministers, deacons – April 26, Norfolk; May 3, Omaha.
• Memorial Day Remembrance – May 26, across archdiocese.
• Public awareness – this fall with literature on the subject, website information, Sunday homilies Oct. 24-25 and Nov. 1-2.
• Memorial concert – Nov. 2.

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, senior writer/reporter.