Non-Baptized Catholic Funeral

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So my grandma is a funeral planner at a local parish and mentioned that there is a man they are planning a funeral for who recently died. The person was an adult, never baptized, had no desire to be baptized, but the wife was/is catholic, all the kids were catholic, and the kids went to catholic schools. The wife requested that her husband have a ‘catholic funeral.’ The priest is allowing it but there will be no sprinkling of the casket or draping it in white to symbolize baptism. I know the canon law answer for the question for those who are baptized but not catholic and want a catholic funeral but have not been able to find an answer regarding a non-baptized person. Thoughts?
 
One can certainly have Mass said for a person’s soul with the body present, regardless of Baptism or not.
 
A Mass said for a person’s soul is one thing. A funeral Mass is another thing. It’s called the Rite of Christian Burial for a reason, and by my understanding, that man would not be considered a Christian. It would be one thing if he was a catechumen and intended to convert. Canon law specifically states that catechumens, despite not being baptized, may be given the Rite of Christian Burial. Presumably, then, an obsinate un-baptized person does not have that right, and while I don’t want to sound insensitive, I’m not even sure it should be done.
 
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Are they having a Mass or just a funeral service conducted by the priest?

As I understand it, the funeral service without a Mass is permissible, would be the more likely thing to be done, and might be allowed to be done in the church or otherwise could definitely be done in the funeral home.
 
AndrewAxland said:
My thoughts are that a decision has been made and that any further discussion would be fruitless. It’s his decision to make, and the only person he has to answer to is his bishop.
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That’s the case for 90 percent of the stuff on here, but people on this forum dearly love to second-guess priests.
 
Once a person dies their fate is sealed. The type of funeral is irrelevant. Having a “catholic” funeral or not is of no consequence to the deceased.
 
KevinK said:
Having a “catholic” funeral or not is of no consequence to the deceased.
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Funerals can be very important for those of us left behind, also.
The Church takes this into account when making the rules.
In the case where a deceased person had an entire practicing Catholic family, it makes sense that they would like to pray and receive comfort in their own faith tradition from their own priest.

Also, practicing Catholics believe that the Catholic funeral may well provide some additional spiritual benefit to the deceased - for example, by helping them get out of purgatory quicker if they are there.
 
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Canon Law:

THOSE TO WHOM ECCLESIASTICAL FUNERALS MUST BE GRANTED OR DENIED

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.

Can. 1184 §1. Unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals:

1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics;

2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith;

3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.

§2. If any doubt occurs, the local ordinary is to be consulted, and his judgment must be followed.

Can. 1185 Any funeral Mass must also be denied a person who is excluded from ecclesiastical funerals.
 
The problem with that is it doesn’t specifically address the case of a person who was not opposed to the Catholic Church and may have even had some contact with it via Catholic immediate family, but was never baptized.

I found one source addressing this case:

catholicherald.org

Funeral Mass for non-baptized? When to call a priest? - Catholic Herald

Q. I am a baptized Catholic who was married in a Catholic Church with a Mass. My husband and I […]
catholicherald.org catholicherald.org

Also, it is stated in a number of places that where the deceased is an unbaptized baby, a funeral Mass is permitted.
 
I think you have a very merciful and loving pastor. The funeral is for those who remain.
 
But it of GREAT consequence to the bereaved, who were all Catholics.

Mercy, It’s apparently lost on many rule totin’ Catholics.
 
Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering how to respond to my grandma who thinks anyone and everyone should be ‘loved and accepted and not judged’ by the church…
 
The Church doesn’t ever judge.
But we are called to mercy. And burying the dead and praying for sinners are corporal works of mercy/
God bless.
 
RunMan said:
I was just wondering how to respond to my grandma who thinks anyone and everyone should be ‘loved and accepted and not judged’ by the church…
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Is it really necessary to respond to her?
She is the funeral planner, not you.
Presumably she also works with the pastor at the parish, who is the one driving the bus on the decisions, not your grandma and not you.

I can understand you being interested in the topic and putting it up for discussion, but there is no need to 'respond to" your grandma.
Also, she sounds very compassionate, which is a wonderful trait for someone involved in planning funerals at a church.

There are people who have up and left the Catholic Church because they perceived some insensitivity over the handling of a funeral. We really need folks like your grandma.
 
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In real life, it boils down to if the person was not a “manifest, grave sinner or hostile to the Church” the Bishop has the leeway to allow the funeral to a non-Catholic or even non-Christian.
 
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