Attending a Funeral Mass

[Thunderbird]

I’ll be attending my first Funeral Mass on Saturday… seeing as how I wasn’t raised Catholic and didn’t know many people that were Catholic when I was growing up, I haven’t the foggiest idea on how one is done, what I should expect, etc.

I’m presuming that Eucharist isn’t offered at a Funeral Mass? I’m going to the Vigil the night before as well, I’m told that will be a Rosary and maybe a Eulogy?

I’d rather not look completely clueless come Saturday. Help?

 

[pismopal]

I’ll be attending my first Funeral Mass on Saturday… seeing as how I wasn’t raised Catholic and didn’t know many people that were Catholic when I was growing up, I haven’t the foggiest idea on how one is done, what I should expect, etc.

I’m presuming that Eucharist isn’t offered at a Funeral Mass? I’m going to the Vigil the night before as well, I’m told that will be a Rosary and maybe a Eulogy?

I’d rather not look completely clueless come Saturday. Help?

At a Mass you will or can take Holy Communion… If you are Catholic you can take it or not but you didn’t say so…go and everything will be natural. Condolences…Bless you

 

[orgel_maestro]

Usually, there is a wake at the funeral home or at the home of the family where the casket is open and friends and family may come to pray the rosary in front of the body and pay their resepcts.

The following day, there is the funeral mass. There isn’t supposed to be eulogies at Mass, so if there are they are probably done the night before at the wake or something. There will be Eucharist as the phrase “Funeral mass” implies this. Then after the Mass, the priest will perform the absolution of the body (sprinkling holy water and incensing body) then the procession to the burial site takes place where the priest will bless the grave and the body is buried.

If you have not been practicing Catholic, you should not receive Holy Communion. Only Catholics in a state of grace may receive the Holy Eucharist.

 

[Thunderbird]

At a Mass you will or can take Holy Communion… If you are Catholic you can take it or not but you didn’t say so…go and everything will be natural. Condolences…Bless you

Yes’m, I am a Catholic as of earlier this year. I’m kind of at odds with myself, I’m sad because this lady was one of the church fixtures if you know what I mean… we spoke quite a bit during the time I’ve had the pleasure to know her… but I’m also kind of excited to see a funeral mass at the same time. Curiosity is getting the better of me.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’ll be attending my first Funeral Mass on Saturday… seeing as how I wasn’t raised Catholic and didn’t know many people that were Catholic when I was growing up, I haven’t the foggiest idea on how one is done, what I should expect, etc.

I’m presuming that Eucharist isn’t offered at a Funeral Mass? I’m going to the Vigil the night before as well, I’m told that will be a Rosary and maybe a Eulogy?

I’d rather not look completely clueless come Saturday. Help?

I guess the remaining question is are you a practicing Catholic now?

By deffinition a funeral Mass will have Holy Communion. If you are a Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church you would receive Holy Communion just like you do every Sunday.

The Funeral Mass is the same Mass with some additional Prayers and Rites.

It is possible it could be a funeral liturgy , but not a Funeral Mass.

You don’t need a Rosary to pray the Rosary at the Vigil service.

 

[Thunderbird]

I guess the remaining question is are you a practicing Catholic now?

By deffinition a funeral Mass will have Holy Communion. If you are a Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church you would receive Holy Communion just like you do every Sunday.

The Funeral Mass is the same Mass with some additional Prayers and Rites.

It is possible it could be a funeral liturgy , but not a Funeral Mass.

You don’t need a Rosary to pray the Rosary at the Vigil service.

points one post up Yessir, I am very much a practicing Catholic. Converted earlier this year and have been going to Mass + Confession ever since.

Thanks for the insight everyone, seems like I won’t encounter anything TOO new at this so I won’t be totally awkward.

 

[benedictgal]

The only change in the funeral Mass is that there is no penitential Rite, nor is there a Gloria. The celebrant receives the body at the front of the church (or the outside) and then the procession begins. As soon as the priest reaches the altar and stands at the chair, he will begin the Mass with the opening prayer.

As other posters have indicated, there really is no eulogy at the Mass. The homily, itself, is not supposed to expound on the virtues of the deceased. It is supposed to explain the Gospel.

Now, there are instances when the funeral Mass is not celebrated. If the service is led by a deacon, it will be a Liturgy of the Word with the distribution of Holy Communion. But, the same concerns regarding the eulogy apply here.

Of course, for a papal funeral, things are vastly different. I seem to remember that there may have been a penitential rite and a Gloria involved, especially since there was obviously no procession for Pope John Paul II from a funeral home to the basilica.