Funeral mass in case of suicides

[johngiftshort]

Does anyone know if or what conditions there are in obtaining a funeral mass for someone who has committed suicide?

 

[Verbum]

HI John,

Here’s canon law on who should be denied a church funeral:

Can. 1184 §1 Church funeral rites are to be denied to the following, unless they gave some signs of repentance before death:

1° notorious apostates, heretics and schismatics;

2° those who for anti-christian motives chose that their bodies be cremated;

3° other manifest sinners to whom a Church funeral could not be granted without public scandal to the faithful.

Someone who committed suicide would not be denied a church funeral unless there were circumstances that made the suicide scandalous. This could be the case if for example, the person publicly stated his/her intention of committing suicide to make a point against Church doctrine or to support the “right to suicide”.

At any rate, the local bishop is the ultimate authority on the question.

Verbum

 

[katherine2]

formerly, the assumption was given that suicides did so for sinful purposes.

Since the Vatican Council, the presumption is that suicides are mentally ill or distressed and not in a position to fully understand their actions.

Along with the general renewal of the Church following the Council, there has been a change in what the Church holds as the “default” position, if you will.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Zenit News From Rome…
http://www.zenit.org/english/default.htm

Funeral Masses for a Suiciide

ROME, NOV. 15, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Q: What is the current stand of the Church regarding the possibility of funeral Masses “in corpore presente” of persons who are said to have committed suicide? Is it true that there already are mitigating circumstances, like the possibility of irrationality at the moment of taking one’s life (even if there was no note), whereby it would be possible to suppose that the person was not in his right mind, and that therefore it is licit to let the funeral entourage to enter a church and a funeral Mass be said? – E.C.M., Manila, Philippines

To read the rest of the article, go to:

http://www.zenit.org/english/default.htm

 

[puzzleannie]

katherine2:

formerly, the assumption was given that suicides did so for sinful purposes.

Since the Vatican Council, the presumption is that suicides are mentally ill or distressed and not in a position to fully understand their actions.

Along with the general renewal of the Church following the Council, there has been a change in what the Church holds as the “default” position, if you will.

actually the change came about in the revised Canon Law, not as a direct response to any action or document of V2

the presumption is that the person committed suicide while in a state of mental illness that makes full consent of the will to the mortal sin impossible or unlikely, or at least that the definite judgement on their state of mind is not possible, therefore they are given the benefit of the doubt and the funeral is permitted. We recently had a highly publicized case of a county official, member of my former parish, I had several of his children in CCD, both were very active in the parish. he was buried from this parish with a full funeral Mass. His death was ruled a suicide at the time, but lately more facts have become known and the investigation has been reopened. Just goes to show we cannot judge in such cases.

 

[Joseph_Kopsho]

Any Catholic who commits suicide should be denied a Funeral Mass because when someone commits suicide they go to Hell. So what is the sense of having a Funeral Mass for someone who commits suicide if they are in Hell?

 

[BarbaraTherese]

puzzleannie:

actually the change came about in the revised Canon Law, not as a direct response to any action or document of V2

the presumption is that the person committed suicide while in a state of mental illness that makes full consent of the will to the mortal sin impossible or unlikely, or at least that the definite judgement on their state of mind is not possible, therefore they are given the benefit of the doubt and the funeral is permitted. We recently had a highly publicized case of a county official, member of my former parish, I had several of his children in CCD, both were very active in the parish. he was buried from this parish with a full funeral Mass. His death was ruled a suicide at the time, but lately more facts have become known and the investigation has been reopened. Just goes to show we cannot judge in such cases.

Thanks for the clarificiation Puzzleannie…and for the final comment drawn from your example:" Just goes to show we cannot judge in such cases. "

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Barb