Church Funeral Upstairs

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Our Priest mentioned, a few days ago, to pray for a mother in the Parish -
She had twins. Seven months ago one twin died. Two days ago the other died.
The morning mass gathering let out a surprised gasp - they were 19 and 20 years old.
Well, today, as I arrived early for morning mass - downstairs -
Upstairs had the funeral mass in progress for the other twin.
Pastor was saying some wonderful things to the people -

I was tempted to go upstairs and look on for a moment.
Would that - had been bad - by me - to do ?
I listened for 5 minutes -the Pastor’s homily of comfort -
in the downstairs hallway -
even then I felt eaves dropping -

What’s your take ?

Have you ever gone to a strangers funeral ?
 
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I have attended funerals of people I don’t know on a handful of occasions, usually because we were asked to by the priest presiding over it. This happened in the case of a funeral that, for whatever reason, would otherwise not be attended by anyone.

Except under very exceptional circumstances, funerals are not private events. I once accidentally walked in on one in progress and elected to stay until the end.

All that said, I would be uncomfortable deliberately “looking on for a moment” and then leaving while the funeral was still in progress.

Praying for this family. God bless.
 
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Burying the dead is a corporal work of mercy. Being at the funeral to pray and support the family is laudable.
 
from my understanding and like a wedding or any other mass the church has a open door policy towards masses weather it is a wedding or a funeral. we come togather to pray and support the people involed god bless
 
I’m surprised that another Mass was taking place elsewhere in the building at the same time. Around here, if there’s a funeral, it’s either at another time or replaces the daily Mass - and the parish community is encouraged to attend.
 
Funerals are 10 am - upstairs church.
Daily mass is noon time.
Not - at the same time.
Who knows though…
Maybe, at some time, in the future, if over-population occurs ?
 
Was it a funeral Mass, anyone can attend if it is open. I sing with the choir at strangers funerals. You can even join the funeral ministry of your church, to help the bereaved.
 
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Open door policy. That makes sense.
Though there’s usually ushers at the door - dressed handsome.
I’d hate to insinuate - that I’m attending the mass - just to hear the homily.
Death is a hard thing to sympathize over - with another.

I think of people who go to court - to watch the judge preside over cases.
 
In my Parish , Funeral Masses are advertised. We go to support the bereaved and pray for their dead. Sometimes, people have died very lonely , so if we don’t go, there is no one at the funeral. We had one recently where the Priest told everyone at a few Masses it was on, and that the deceased had no one, so if we could spare the time, come to the funeral.

Its what community is all about.

So if the Mass is advertised, and its an open Mass, you are free to go. Yes, dress in clothing normal for a funeral.
 
Yes indeed, if we knew them, or knew they existed. that’s one problem, people become invisible.

There is also another problem, people can live to such a great old age they outlive everyone they ever knew as family or friends.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
I’m surprised that another Mass was taking place elsewhere in the building at the same time.
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I’ve seen it happen due to large crowd sizes. For example, one local parish held two Good Friday liturgies - both at 3 PM of course - one in the church proper upstairs and one in the church basement (not technically a Mass but same principle)…even so, those of us upstairs were overflowing into the atrium.
 
A funeral on Good Friday? I can see having certain “holy day” (I know, Good Friday, but still…) liturgies like that, where the crowd is likely going to be unusually big, but I’m referring to having a funeral on a typical weekday. It’s either incorporated/replacing daily Mass - or it’s a separate time altogether.

For example, we had a local celebrity of international renown pass away in our Archdiocese recently, and she was a member of a local parish that I frequented for daily Mass as a lector on a previous work schedule. (Racing fans may know who I’m referring to…) Her funeral Mass drew a huge crowd, and plenty of non-Catholics and other visitors; it simply replaced the normal daily Mass time, though, just as any other funeral typically does in that parish.
 
True. Separating the funeral in that sense is odd. In the case I referred to, the same regular Good Friday liturgy was being celebrated by two different priests in two different parts of the church due to the vast crowd… not a normal liturgy and a funeral liturgy.
 
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