How to behave at a protestant funeral

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rob.pengilley

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Hi. My aunt was catholic. My uncle was protestant, though their two boys were raised as catholic. It’s my uncle’s funeral in a couple of weeks and, as a catholic myself and unfamiliar with protestant services, I am wondering how I should conduct myself. I won’t kneel on entering church I suppose, but should I still bow at the altar? I will make the sign of the cross as numerous prayers will be involved. I love my uncle dearly and have prayed for his soul, I just need to know how I should act… I’m guessing Christ is there with us due to the sheer number of christians attending, albeit he won’t be in a consecrated host.

Please help, it’s his funeral in 2 weeks.

God bless,
Rob
 
The word “Protestant” by itself is too vague. Lutheran? Baptist? Episcopalian? None of the above? Even within each of those categories you’ll find a wide range of subdivisions, to which the members of those churches commonly attach great importance. Did your uncle attend services regularly at one particular church? That would be the place to start.
 
They know you are Catholic, they have had Catholics in the family (your aunt), and it is a funeral.

Other than not receiving any kind of non-Catholic holy communion, I’d say just do what you feel comfortable doing.

I have been to three Protestant funeral services for family members in the past year where the only Catholic was myself at one of them, and at the other two it was myself and two other family members; all the rest were assorted Protestants. Nobody minded if I knelt or crossed myself or whatever. I don’t think anyone was even looking. Most people are going to be focused on grieving their loved one, not watching to see if a Catholic does something different from what Protestants do. And the same for a Catholic funeral where someone might be the only Protestant (as my husband was at my mom’s funeral).

God bless.
 
Rob - there’s a good chance that many of the people attending the funeral will be of different faiths (or no faiths).

My suggestion is to just enter the church and take a seat. Be respectful and quiet. And look to what others are doing and follow along as best you can.

As a member of a different faith tradition, you do not need to make the same gestures and so on (if there are any). Do as much or as little as you are comfortable doing. And don’t receive communion if it is offered.

Don’t stress about it. In my experience, churches aren’t going to be judging visitors on how much or how little they know about their style of service… Especially at a funeral.

God bless.
 
Hi folks, some really good responses - thank you so much. To help provide additional clarity, the church is High Anglican. Also, I suppose my question is less about me being seen to be different, and more about showing reverence to my God… still being respectful.
 
High Anglican worships the same God as us, including Jesus and the Trinity, so whatever reverence you show while in their church will not be misplaced.
Just don’t receive Communion there.
 
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