Funerals Explained: Catholic Service

A Catholic service might be a little different from other funeral services you have been to, especially if you are not a Catholic yourself. But, this doesn’t mean you cannot go. You will be welcomed and embraced as a friend or loved one of the deceased. It can be easier to go to a funeral knowing what to expect. Here is a quick rundown of what happens at Catholic Services.

The Body is Received

Known as the Prayer Vigil or the Reception of the Body, the process begins on the eve of the funeral. The coffin is carried into the church, at this point mourners gather and say prayers. This is actually a tradition that crosses many cultures as well as the Catholic Church. It is seen as an essential part of the releasing process. This allows the family to gather and spend some time in reflection together. It could be that readings are given and music is played. People may be encouraged to share memories and stories of the person. Some families choose to have the Prayer Vigil at the family home. The coffin will sit there until the funeral the next day, or the funeral home can be used as the venue if preferred.

The Service at Church

How the funeral service is carried out will be down to the family and any last wishes of the person. Traditionally there is either a service with Mass or one without. It would be up to the family to decide. It is likely that if the person were a practising Catholic, there would be a Mass. There will be readings from the bible which would by family members or friends. Then the priest would read from the Gospel, then delivers his homily. They would talk about the meanings of the readings and reflect on the life of the person. The Eucharist and Holy Communion follows on. This is where family and friends may break bread and take wine together. After this, you would expect a final commendation. At this point, the priest will sprinkle the holy water and incenses over the coffin.

The Committal

The location of the Committal will depend on whether the deceased is to be buried or cremated. For a burial the mourners will move to the graveyard and the service will continue there. The priest will continue to lead this part of the service and read from the bible, say prayers and make a blessing. This rite finishes with the gather mourners saying the Lord’s Prayer together. If the deceased is to be cremated, then there may be another short service at the crematorium. In this case, the Committal is not seen as complete until later. The ashes will be returned to the family and can then be buried. At this point, a Catholic liturgy is held as the ashes are buried.

After the services, there would usually be some accompanying wake. This would be held in a hall, pub or the family home.

Funeral Order of Service

Some families like to have a printed funeral order of service. Fitting Farewell have created thousands of funeral order of service with many different themes. We work directly with families and also funeral directors. We have the expertise and skills to create the funeral order of service you want for your loved one. We can create a bespoke design, print and deliver within 3 working days. You work directly with a designer, not from online templates, to create something very special.

Call us on 0800 612 6484, which is free from a landline, or email us via our contact form.