Since the liturgy has its own structure and
rhythm 'it should not be interrupted to add in our extras', the bishop said
The funeral
Mass is an important moment of prayer and faith after the death of a loved one
– but it is not the appropriate time for eulogies, which are better suited for
the funeral reception, said Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell, Scotland.
“The funeral
liturgy in the Catholic Church brings great consolation and hope to those who
have lost a loved one because we proclaim the Resurrection of the Lord and our
hope of eternal life,” Toal said in a letter to priests and deacons.
“Its
strength is in the faith of the Church and the words of the liturgy that
express that faith. We need to accept therefore that it is what the Church
offers us that counts most of all, rather than our own words.”
His April 3
letter on the celebration of funeral liturgies aimed to help clergy and lay
faithful in arranging funerals.
“Since the
liturgy has its own structure and rhythm, especially the Requiem Mass, it
should not be interrupted to add in our extras,” he said. The homily during the
funeral Mass is “not a time therefore for anyone else to be getting up to talk
about the deceased, whoever they may be.”
The bishop
suggested “a few words of tribute could be offered” before a funeral Mass or
service begins. “These words though should be written down and shown to the
celebrant beforehand and should not be prolonged,” he added.
“Often what
families want to hear and share can be offered in a more appropriate and less
formal manner at the reception afterwards,” Toal continued. “Those closest to
the deceased gather for this part of the funeral and it may well be better to
share there their happy memories about the deceased in this setting.”
The
Motherwell diocese has 66 parishes in Lanarkshire and parts of Glasgow. As of
2015, it served an estimated 162,000 Catholics, the diocese website reports.
“The
important point though is the full celebration of the Catholic funeral rites
and our intercession that the deceased’s sins may be forgiven and that they
will be worthy to share in eternal life with God,” he said. The homily is just
one part of the Mass or funeral service, and its role is “reflecting on the
Word of God which has been proclaimed and leading into the celebration of the
mysteries in which we place our faith.”
The bishop
said that Church instruction for funerals clearly state that the priest or
deacon who celebrates the funeral should “preach a homily as on other occasions
on the Word of God, emphasizing at a funeral the hope of resurrection in Our
Lord Jesus Christ.”
“The
instruction specifically says the homily should not be a eulogy,” he added. “It
is a homily therefore spoken by the priest or deacon.”
It is also
not appropriate to add a final tribute to the deceased before or during the
close of the funeral Mass, known as the Final Commendation.
Bishop Toal
said it is fitting for the preacher to integrate some details about the
deceased person’s life into the homily “so that it is personal and recognizes
the family’s wish to recall their loved one in a sensitive way.” This requires
some skill and “an effort to find out something about the deceased from their
family.”
“Clearly the
homilist is not there to give a blow-by-blow account of the deceased’s life but
rather to use some of what he knows in a fitting manner through the course of
the homily,” he said, adding “whatever is said about the deceased should be
accurate and prepared.”
The bishop
said the faithful should keep in mind that not all celebrants have the same
ability to integrate the personal and the spiritual. He also offered guidance
for family participation in the funeral liturgy.
While
families sometimes want to do particular tasks during funerals, “it may be
better to leave liturgical tasks to those who do them normally in the parish,”
Toal said.
Discussing
in particular lectors and those who say the prayers of the faithful, the bishop
noted, “It is an ordeal for people to come forward to read if they are not used
to doing so, or perhaps are not even regular attenders in church.”
He
encouraged family members of the deceased person to look to the priest or
deacon for guidance, given their responsibility to decide on these roles.
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