Archbishop Decrees an End to Eulogies at Ottawa-Area Catholic Funerals

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Yeah, it would be terrible if, at a Mass for the departed, we also took a couple of minutes to lighten his loved one’s grief by remembering why he was loved and why we are praying for him.
 
Good for him! A funeral mass is still a mass, centered on Christ, for it is in Christ that we and the departed have our hope. The trend is for funerals to become canonization ceremonies, and to have placed the departed in heaven by our wishful thinking. Jokes and humorous anecdotes are told. Would we be doing this at the foot of the cross? Not the purpose of the mass. Eulogies may be given at the reception.
 
Is he objecting to all eulogies or just eulogies during Mass?
 
VeritasLuxMea said:
Is he objecting to all eulogies or just eulogies during Mass?
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Unlike the US “Order of Christian Funeral”, the Canadian Rite does not provide a place for a eulogy during the Funeral Mass. It places the time when a family member or friend may speak in remembrance of the deceased within the Funeral Vigil liturgy.

In practice, however, eulogies have crept into the funeral liturgy, often driven by what Catholics experience when they attend funerals in other faith communities. In my parish this had become ridiculous to the point where at one funeral a tent was pitched in the sanctuary (blocking the Tabernacle which was relocated for the occasion) because the deceased was an avid outdoor enthusiast, power point presentations were common after the homily and multiple people spoke between Communion and the Final Commendation.

One of the worst examples of this was the funeral of our former Prime Minister, celebrated by an Archbishop, which included no less than 3 eulogies. It was described by one of our bishops, who had banned eulogies in his own diocese, as “Great theatre, bad liturgy.”

Our former pastor put an end to that in our parish when he insisted that, if the eulogy wasn’t done at the Vigil, it was to be done before the beginning of the funeral Mass with the Reception of the Body done afterward. I haven’t attended a funeral since our new pastor was installed so I’m not sure what he is doing or allowing.
 
Book_Worm said:
Yeah, it would be terrible if, at a Mass for the departed, we also took a couple of minutes to lighten his loved one’s grief by remembering why he was loved and why we are praying for him.
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The news article mentions a brief opportunity for something possibly like what you have in mind:
Acceding to what the Archbishop described as a “perceived need” among the faithful, the recent decree offers a compromise that allows Ottawa Catholics, in lieu of eulogies, to deliver brief “Words of Remembrance” within the traditional service.

The “words” should be read by only one person, should occupy no more than one page of text, must take approximately three to four minutes to read and should not be read from the same lectern from which the scriptures are proclaimed.
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It’s possible for a homily to do so in a way that respects the liturgy, the Church, and God–all while also respecting the congregation and the deceased.

catholic.com/quickquestions/are-eulogies-proper-for-funerals
According to the Order of Christian Funerals, there is never to be a eulogy at a funeral Mass (OCF 27), although the celebrant may express a few words of gratitude about the person’s life in his homily, or he may allow a relative or a friend to say a few words about the deceased during the concluding rite (GIRM 89).
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In particular, given what seems to be a common practice of “canonizing the dead,” I’d hope that celebrants in general do talk about “why we are praying”–or why we should be praying–instead of acting as if our loved ones, if they are any better than unrepentant serial killers, are already in heaven.

It’s also possible for loved ones to do so at greater length in another forum:
Relatives or friends who wish to speak of the deceased’s character and accomplishments can do so at a prayer service to be held in a home or funeral home or at the graveside following the rite of committal.
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OCF 27, though, only applies to the priest and instructs a homily and not a eulogy. I recall the priest actually voicing that very fact at the funeral of a school chum back 42 years ago when he was linking our friend having been an altar server to the Gospel reading.

But in the US version of the OCF there is a place for a friend or family member to speak of the deceased during the Funeral Mass. In Canada, that opportunity to speak of the deceased is incorporated into the Funeral Vigil.
 
As an example, he cited an instance where he attended the funeral home service of a young man who had died in a motorcycle accident. After a group of mourners had stepped forward to deliver memorial speeches, “the six of them clustered around the casket and cried uncontrollably,” he recalled.
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“I don’t want that scene at the end of a funeral liturgy.”
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He sounds disgusted by this. What I’m trying to figure out is whether he dislikes anyone doing this at all, or does he mean that it might be appropriate for a wake but not for a funeral Mass? If it’s the former, then it just seems weird to me for a Bishop to fault people for mourning and/or sharing kind words about their lost loved ones. 🤷
 
VeritasLuxMea said:
He sounds disgusted by this. What I’m trying to figure out is whether he dislikes anyone doing this at all, or does he mean that it might be appropriate for a wake but not for a funeral Mass? If it’s the former, then it just seems weird to me for a Bishop to fault people for mourning and/or sharing kind words about their lost loved ones. 🤷
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This is the Archbishop’s decree.
 
Book_Worm said:
Yeah, it would be terrible if, at a Mass for the departed, we also took a couple of minutes to lighten his loved one’s grief by remembering why he was loved and why we are praying for him.
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I think it would be yes, out of place.
 
I tend to agree with him about this, I have been to alot of funeral masses over the years and seems fairly recently, there has been a trend to celebrate the persons life versus realizing what we were actually there for…I think this came from non-religious funerals and somehow made its way into the catholic funeral process.
 
Oh…if only the dead could talk. Their supplications, I’m certain, would give us pause as they beg us to remember not their accomplishments as seen through worldly eyes, but rather to obtain mercy for them by our prayers as they take their place for eternity.
 
Tigg said:
Oh…if only the dead could talk. Their supplications, I’m certain, would give us pause as they beg us to remember not their accomplishments as seen through worldly eyes, but rather to obtain mercy for them by our prayers as they take their place for eternity.
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I’ve heard that the most likely place for anyone (unless he or she has managed a plenary indulgence right before death) is purgatory. So it does make sense to pray for them as much as possible. Get those indulgences ASAP. Confession, communion, the works.
 
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