Graveside Service Suggestions?

[Theca]

Hello! Last time I was on here, I was getting ready to go on a Catholic Answers Cruise with my parents almost 2 years ago. Funny how things change.

My mother got acute leukemia and died on New Years Day after fighting for four months. We had her body cremated and had a funeral mass with the cremains. The graveside service will be in mid-June several hundred miles away. It is actually a protestant cemetery, I guess.

We will have about 20+ people, we found a nice semi retired priest to be there, but I don’t really know what a Catholic graveside service with cremains is like. The priest is talking to my dad and has the lengthy obituary I wrote but didn’t give any suggestions yet.

Do some of you have suggestions for me? I see there is a Rite of Committal, I didn’t find out much except it is short. Do people bring flowers? Any nice touches you might suggest? We’re all traveling there just for this service. None of us are singers, but we could bring a jambox and some music. What would you suggest if this was your mom’s graveside service?

 

[otjm]

Hello! Last time I was on here, I was getting ready to go on a Catholic Answers Cruise with my parents almost 2 years ago. Funny how things change.

My mother got acute leukemia and died on New Years Day after fighting for four months. We had her body cremated and had a funeral mass with the cremains. The graveside service will be in mid-June several hundred miles away. It is actually a protestant cemetery, I guess.

We will have about 20+ people, we found a nice semi retired priest to be there, but I don’t really know what a Catholic graveside service with cremains is like. The priest is talking to my dad and has the lengthy obituary I wrote but didn’t give any suggestions yet.

Do some of you have suggestions for me? I see there is a Rite of Committal, I didn’t find out much except it is short. Do people bring flowers? Any nice touches you might suggest? We’re all traveling there just for this service. None of us are singers, but we could bring a jambox and some music. What would you suggest if this was your mom’s graveside service?

I am very sorry to hear of your loss.

I jut attended a funeral Mass and burial Monday. As there was a casket, the six pall bearers carried the casket from the hearse to the grave; since you do not have a casket, someone has to be the person who will carry the urn to the place of repose; that can be a family member or some person special to the family.

Because the person being buried loved white roses, the mortician had long stem white roses for everyone attending, with the exception of the pall bearers, who had boutonieres of a white rose. The priest used the Rite of Committal; then the pall bearers placed their boutoniere on the casket; and then those attending placed their rose on the casket.

That was the end of the service; however, most elected to remain while the casket was lowered into the grave, and then several tossed a handful of dirt into the grave. At that point, the service was finished.

Although there is no particular place to have music (as noted, the Rite is short, with a blessing of the casket or urn with holy Water), it certainly would not be considered inappropriate.

Some may choose to have a wake after the ceremony.

May your mother rest in peace with the Lord, and may you and your family be consoled.