In our society, it sometimes happens that the surviving family members of a deceased
Catholic are not Catholics themselves or practice no religion at all. Our experience is that
sometimes these non-Catholics come to us assuming they are free to "create" their own
funeral service. When this is the case, family members need to understand some basic
things about what a Catholic funeral is and how a Catholic funeral must proceed.
A Catholic funeral is an act of worship offered by the local Catholic community in union with
the universal Church. Catholic funerals normally take place within a Catholic church
building, since it is a place set aside for prayer and worship.
Our non-Catholic friends should be aware of the following: Since a Catholic funeral is an act
of worship, God is always the central focus of our actions. We always listen to God's word in
the Bible. We always pray to God through his Son, Jesus Christ, who is Lord and Savior. We
always use sacred music. We always try to use musicians and singers (rather than CD
players), because the funeral, like all forms of Catholic worship, is a "work" of the Catholic
community. The service is always lead by a priest or a deacon. We always pray for God's
help and blessing. We always pray for the deceased person. These actions and dispositions
are proper marks of true worship.
Since a Catholic funeral is an act of worship, it goes without saying that the funeral is not
meant to be a form of entertainment. It is not meant to be a vehicle for the expression of
personal interests. It is not meant to provide a "stage" for friends and family members. It is
not meant to be a vehicle for the expression of personalized religious beliefs.
The Catholic Church has a two-thousand year history. Truth, wisdom, and tradition are
aspects of the great treasure of the Catholic Faith. From her great storehouse of wisdom
and experience, the Church provides directions about how funerals are to be conducted. The
Church directs what is to take place during a funeral service. The Church provides the texts
and prayers that are to be used. These directives and texts are mandatory. It is always the
duty of the priest or deacon to see to it that the Church's norms are followed. For Catholic
funerals, the priest or deacon has authority to determine what is acceptable and what is
not, and he will be happy to offer guidance and suggestions.
One more thing should be noted. Catholics know that there are Christians who are not
Catholic. We view baptized Christians as our brothers and sisters, and we respect them as
such, but we have not yet achieved the unity of faith that all Christians hope for. Non-
Catholic Christians have beliefs and practices that differ from those of Catholic Christians. It
is important to understand that at Catholic funerals, it is the Catholic faith that will be
celebrated, expressed, and vocalized. Of course, non-Catholics are always welcome at
Catholic funeral services. They simply need to be aware that the funeral will take place in a
Catholic setting and follow a ritual that is based on Catholic beliefs.
When Catholic clergy are called upon to provide funeral services, they will assume that the
person making the request seeks to have a funeral that is celebrated according to Catholic
beliefs and norms. They will also assume that, even if friends and family members of the
deceased do not hold the Catholic Faith, they are willing to give due respect to Catholic
practices and authority.