Catholic Funerals in "the old days"

[davy39]

My instructions for my funeral clearly state that they are to pray for my release from Purgatory, which I expect to need; not to celebrate my entry into Heaven, which I think can take care of itself.

Not to judge, but I do believe that most of us will need to be in Purgatory. My point was that the old Mass and the New Mass are very holy, but in different ways. When my mom died, the modern funeral Mass was instrumental in converting my wife to the Church, and bringing me back. My wife was so impressed with the hope (that my mom would be with Jesus) and the joy that she finished her race and remained with the Church and her family, that she expressed interest in the Church. We went to see a great priest, and the rest is history. I did not mean that the joy of the modern Mass meant that we all assumed she was in heaven. That would be judging, and of course, we can’t do that. As Mother Angelica said, we can all hope for Purgatory, because if we get there, we will end up in Heaven eventually. God Bless!