Are Catholics required to have a wake/vigil?

[Lauren517]

Hello. Many of my family members have already made the decision that they would all love to have a funeral mass when they die, but they do not want to have a wake/vigil. I know that the wake/vigil is considered to be one of the funeral guidelines for Catholics, but is it required?

Thank You,
Lauren

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

While the deceased always have the right to the funeral rites of the Church (including the wake) there could be circumstances that make certain parts of the funeral rites impractical and the Church is understanding of this.
When planning our own funerals, we should always keep in mind that the funeral rites are also for the living. The process of a wake, funeral Mass, and burial help the mourners to bring closure to their loss and connect their faith to the passing of their loved one. However, a wake is not absolutely required in the sense that a funeral Mass and burial would be refused if there wasn’t a wake.