Funerals at Mass

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Rosebud77

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I mentioned this briefly once before but do nto come online often.

I am not sure if this is an Irish thing; until recently I have lived in rural areas but now I attend mass in a larger Cathedral town.

Several times on weekdays ( I am disabled and go to the quieter mid-week masses with full permission because of aspects of my illness) I have arrived at the Cathedral to see a hearse at the door and have not felt it right to intrude on a family occasion.

Today being too ill to be anywhere but my bed I tuned in to Mass live on the internet from the Cathedral; such a blessing this is to me!

The Palm Sunday gospel was followed not by a homily but a eulogy from the priest for the person whose funeral mass this was.

I found it a great distraction. Especially today at the start of Holy Week… It was a lengthy and detailed eulogy by the way

While I understand that maybe it ti thought good for the church community to be there , I feel as if invading a deeply private ceremony. The congregation is not a close one ie few know each other.

In fact I closed down to catch a later Mass

Wondering how prevalent this is?
 
I don’t know how prevalent it is, but anyone can attend anyone’s funeral. It is a great blessing to everyone concerned to have the faithful gather for a funeral Mass. It is really not much different from any other Mass, except for the readings may be selected by the priest and family, but you still receive Eucharist and you SHOULD.
Almost my entire parish turns out for funerals, regardless of whether we know the person or not. They are part of the parish family. Our family. We pray for them.
Please don’t shy away from a Mass just because it’s someone’s funeral.
Go.
 
Funerals at a weekday Mass are not rare, depending on the parish and how many priests are there. Since priests are usually to celebrate only one Mass a day during the week, they may opt to either celebrate the funeral Mass at the usual time for weekday Mass or cancel the regular Mass and celebrate only the funeral Mass at another time.

OTOH, we don’t celebrate funerals on Sunday at all so we would not be in the situation you describe. Not to mention that there is not supposed to be a eulogy by the priest in any way, shape or form. It’s to be a homily perhaps connecting some aspects to the deceased’s life. I cannot fathom opting to have a funeral at the Palm/Passion Sunday Mass.

Funerals and weddings are public celebrations. Never let either keep you from attending a Mass you feel well enough to attend.
 
Don’t worry about why.
If the deceased priest was quite beloved, and the pastor didn’t want to let the day with the best Mass attendance pass without mention of the priest, I can see why he might say a few words.
It’s not the norm, no.
But neither should it be a big worry for any of us. We go for the Word and the Eucharist.
When our beloved Monsignor passed, Father John most definitely talked about him for many weeks, as he remembered the beautiful ways he served our parish for literally decades. I didn’t consider them “eulogies” but homily starters. Examples of the Gospel message.
Take care.
 
When our church was under renovation, for a year, weekday funerals had to be held at the 8:00am Mass because the workmen arrived at 9:00. It was disturbing at first to be in on a family’s grief, but the congregation was there for support and it gave me someone to pray for. To bury the dead is a Corporal Work of Mercy.
 
I have never seen a funeral at a Sunday Mass.

That said, like Catholic1954, I understood attending funerals to be associated with the Corporal Work of Mercy of burying the dead.

My mother apparently shared that understanding because she and some of her friends would make it a point to attend funeral Masses. In many cases she did at least know of the deceased person. But that was not always the case.

Attending the funeral of someone who has died is an act of mercy for the deceased and the family.
 
I really don’t know what prescription or proscriptions may be in effect for the Novus Ordo, but traditionally a Requiem is never offered on a Sunday or Solemn Feast Day, nor on Good Friday or Holy Saturday.

In the OP I see no mention of a casket being present, which leads to think it might have been an in memoriam situation. Any Mass, including Sundays and Solemn Feast Days, may be offered in memoriam for a departed person. It’s not usual, but in such cases the sermon, or a part of it, may concern the departed, particularly if it happens to be an anniversary Mass.

As for a eulogy, that is, as has been mentioned already in this thread, totally improper in any circumstances, even at a Requiem, but unfortunately I’ve seen the lines between sermon and eulogy blurred.
 
I think maybe we should give the priest the benefit of he doubt.
Any mention of the other deceased priest may have been misconstrued as a “eulogy”.
It may have simply been a notification of the priest’s passing (with personal remarks by a grieving brother) and pertinent to the congregation.
 
pianistclare said:
I think maybe we should give the priest the benefit of he doubt.
Any mention of the other deceased priest may have been misconstrued as a “eulogy”.
It may have simply been a notification of the priest’s passing (with personal remarks by a grieving brother) and pertinent to the congregation.
Click to expand...
I went back to read the post and there is no mention that the deceased was a priest.
 
It depends on the parish. Some parishes schedule funerals as a separate Mass and other just make them the day’s Mass. If the deceased doesn’t have any family or doesn’t have a large family it’s kind of nice to have parishioners there to pray for the person.
 
Yes there was a coffin and I checked later on our death notice site, It felt like desecration and a,long eulogy of a person between Gospel and Consecration took the whole focus off the Mass. And no I will not intrude on a family grief. If the masses have to coincide then why have the eulogy etc AFTER mass? Rather than in that sacred place and on that day? I was shocked and saddened… at least resiting the eulogy would give the Mass a deeper focus. I have seen this done happily at eg weddings when the wedding service is immediately followed by the Nuptial Mass .If I see a hearse at the door I will not go in. I need to focus on Jesus alone at mass; people afterwards.
 
pianistclare said:
I think maybe we should give the priest the benefit of he doubt.
Any mention of the other deceased priest may have been misconstrued as a “eulogy”.
It may have simply been a notification of the priest’s passing (with personal remarks by a grieving brother) and pertinent to the congregation.
Click to expand...
It was not a priest and it was a very long and detailled eulogy and biography… Thankfully the Holy Spirit guided my finger and I accidentally closed the page down. I have been in the cathedral before a funeral and talked with family then but not stayed for mass. I remain shocked and saddened and will now check the rip ie site when I am planning to Mass.
 
SMHW said:
I have never seen a funeral at a Sunday Mass.

That said, like Catholic1954, I understood attending funerals to be associated with the Corporal Work of Mercy of burying the dead.

My mother apparently shared that understanding because she and some of her friends would make it a point to attend funeral Masses. In many cases she did at least know of the deceased person. But that was not always the case.

Attending the funeral of someone who has died is an act of mercy for the deceased and the family.
Click to expand...
Agree with this but not in the way it was done. After that Palm Sunday gospel…
 
All I can say is that I felt a desecration. My heart and soul were in that gospel and I longed for the consecration and the eucharist then suddenly was slapped in the soul with great details on the deceased married life etc. I am adding my my Living Will that that is not to happen, that my death and funeral will never be allowed to upstage Jesus. Nothing before Him… up to me now to check the lists
 
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