Funeral for non-catholic held in catholic cathedral

[blaskoman]

A funeral was recently held at Our Lady of Angels Cathedral for a LA City fireman who died in the line of duty. The individual was protestant. I didnt realize that a non-catholic could have their funeral in a catholic church. Is this permissible? As a catholic i wouldnt want my funeral held in a protestant church.

 

[twopekinguys]

A funeral was recently held at Our Lady of Angels Cathedral for a LA City fireman who died in the line of duty. The individual was protestant. I didnt realize that a non-catholic could have their funeral in a catholic church. Is this permissible? As a catholic i wouldnt want my funeral held in a protestant church.

There may be circumstances that we are unaware of.

For example, if the individual was currently enrolled in the RCIA process, and had gone through the Rite of Acceptance, then he/she would be permitted a Catholic funeral, and burial in a Catholic Cemetery.

 

[Phemie]

Was it a Catholic funeral?

Was the Cathedral used because of the size?

I know that we’ve had Catholic (as well as Anglican and Moravian) funerals celebrated at the local Pentecostal Church simply because it is the biggest church in our town and necessary to accommodate all the mourners.

 

[1ke]

A funeral was recently held at Our Lady of Angels Cathedral for a LA City fireman who died in the line of duty. The individual was protestant. I didnt realize that a non-catholic could have their funeral in a catholic church. Is this permissible? As a catholic i wouldnt want my funeral held in a protestant church.

Can. 1183 §1. When it concerns funerals, catechumens must be counted among the Christian faithful.

§2. The local ordinary can permit children whom the parents intended to baptize but who died before baptism to be given ecclesiastical funerals.

§3. In the prudent judgment of the local ordinary, ecclesiastical funerals can be granted to baptized persons who are enrolled in a non-Catholic Church or ecclesial community unless their intention is evidently to the contrary and provided that their own minister is not available.

 

[Oldtimer_7]

As a former firefighter (volunteer) who has had friends die in the line of duty, I can tell you there are no small funerals for firefighters. Even the parking lot needs to be big, since a number of departments will send equipment to be in the cortege. My guess is that it had more to do with the expected size of the funeral than the religious affiliation. As a private individual, I would prefer to have a Lutheran funeral in a Lutheran church, but the service is for the mourners, not for my comfort. That I will have already gotten, and much more than man could give. Or not. God’s mercy is not constrained, only His judgment.

 

[Bob_Crowley]

Personally I don’t see what difference it makes, as the church is not a building.

I do remember attending a wedding between a Presbyterian bloke I knew, and a Moslem girl (i think her family was Iranian). My old pastor was dead by then, but I remember his widow commenting, “Well, I wish them luck”. But for all I know they may still be very happily married, as I’ve haven’t kept contact. It was a Christian wedding.

However the wedding was either held in St. Stephens Cathedral (Catholic) or St. Johns Cathedral (Anglican). it’s so long ago I can’t remember which, and I was Presbyterian myself at the time, so which Cathedral was which back then didn’t matter much to me.

Oddly enough it wasn’t held in the Presbyterian main church (St. Pauls). I suspect either the groom and bride weren’t even interested in it being held there, or the assembly with a few hard line boys wouldn’t allow it.

But as far as I’m concerned, the building doesn’t make the church.

 

[jbuck919]

All I can contribute to this is the following:

About ten years ago, when I taught at a Catholic high school of an archdiocese whose archbishop was a cardinal, a non-Catholic but Christian student died and was given a Mass of Christian Burial (the only funeral service he had) at the school. It was explained to us that this was perfectly permissible without stretching or breaking any rule. The Mass was according to the books, with no “funny stuff.” I do not know any more about the rules that applied, but there it is.

 

[puzzleannie]

missing facts
was it a CAtholic funeral, either Mass of Christian Burial, or a funeral w/o Mass according to the rite for funerals?

More likely it was a funeral conducted in the largest space available, because funerals for police and fire fighters are huge

I am quite sure his family would have objected had it been against their own religous conscience.