Readers at funerals

[a83192]

Who are usually chosen to do the readings at funerals?

On a side note what age do you have to be to be technically a reader at a Mass?

 

[1ke]

Who are usually chosen to do the readings at funerals?

That is typically up to the family. Family members who are regularly readers at Mass are usually the first choice. If the family is not Catholic, but the deceased is, or the family has mostly non-practicing members then the priest might select someone attending the funeral to do the readings or read them himself or have a deacon do them.

On a side note what age do you have to be to be technically a reader at a Mass?

In general, it would be a person who is confirmed, in good standing with the Church, who can speak and read well, and who has been trained in how to properly proclaim the readings.

 

[runningdude]

On a side note what age do you have to be to be technically a reader at a Mass?

I’ve done readings sporadically since the third grade. After I was confirmed while in high school, I was officially placed on the regular rotation of readers.

 

[puzzleannie]

Who are usually chosen to do the readings at funerals?

On a side note what age do you have to be to be technically a reader at a Mass?

if a family member or friend can do it they won’t be discouraged, but might be gently reminded that it can be a very emotional time, and that might get itn he way of a reader, or a soloist singing, for that matter.

To be a reader you have to be a Catholic in good standing and prepared for that ministry.

 

[Langdell]

In my experience, it’s usually up to the family. It’s nice when family members or friends of the deceased can participate in that way. I did the OT reading at my father’s funeral, even though I was not in good standing at the time (the person from my father’s parish who helped us plan the funeral said that was OK; I hope it was).

 

[MissBorgia]

as a commissioned lector at my parish, we usually try to get someone from the family to read first, and if no one wants to, or there isn’t anyone in the case of an elderly parishoner, one of us is scheduled.

 

[dorrbell]

Well in my parish its usually the family. But if no one from the family does it or doesn’t want to it is usually a member of the parish/bereavement committee.

And for the age question I would say around 13 and over.

 

[Joan_M]

I’ve done readings sporadically since the third grade. After I was confirmed while in high school, I was officially placed on the regular rotation of readers.

The fact that you did the readings from a young age does not mean that you should have.

 

[centurionguard]

In my experience, it’s usually up to the family. It’s nice when family members or friends of the deceased can participate in that way. I did the OT reading at my father’s funeral, even though I was not in good standing at the time (the person from my father’s parish who helped us plan the funeral said that was OK; I hope it was).

Same here in my father’s funeral. I did the OT reading. All the readings including the Gospel and music selections were entirely picked out by our family then verified and OK’ed by our Parish priest. It helped being being a member in a choir for many years and being a sacristan for almost ten years learning the intricacies of the liturgy for Funeral Requiem Masses, Baptisms, Weddings, etc.

 

[TheMc]

Technically? As far as I know, you only need to be baptized, and practicing catholic.

 

[DexUK]

In my experience of funerals (both family and those I’ve Served at at Mass), it’s usually family members who read, although I declined for myself when it was close family member as I was too raw for it.

Generally, what will happen is that a family member will be lined up, but a with-it priest may well have an ‘understudy’ on stand-by to come to the rescue if that family member just can’t manage it due to nerves or emotion or whatever.

Mind you, in once case, a priest I was serving for was definitely NOT with it, had made no arrangements with anyone at all, and I ended up serving, reading AND being an Extraordinary Minister. I wasn’t best pleased with him! That was not a successful funeral, at least in technical terms: nobody had even instructed the funeral directors in the positioning of the casket - it ended up sideways across the altar. Mind you, you’d have thought a funeral director really ought to know better…

(In the priest’s defence, he WAS brand new in his position, having been there only a few days).

 

[John_Lilburne]

Who are usually chosen to do the readings at funerals?
…

Funerals can be in a Mass or not in a Mass.

If the funeral is in Mass, who should read the Gospel reading? If there is a deacon he should. If there are two priests, the one not giving the homily should. Only an ordained minister can proclaim the Gospel in a Mass.

If the funeral is in Mass, who is permitted to proclaim the first reading? From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (G.I.R.M.) for the U.S.A. (at usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/roman-missal/general-instruction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-3.cfm ):
“101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other lay people may be deputed to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, people who are truly suited to carrying out this function and carefully prepared, so that by their hearing the readings from the sacred texts the faithful may conceive in their hearts a sweet and living affection for Sacred Scripture.[85]”.

So if there is a instituted lector, he should do the readings apart from the Gospel. If not, the choice of reader is up to the parish priest or rector of the church, from the G.I.R.M.:
“107. Liturgical functions that are not proper to the Priest or the Deacon and are mentioned above (nos. 100-106) may even be entrusted by means of a liturgical blessing or a temporary deputation to suitable lay persons chosen by the pastor or the rector of the church. [footnote 88: Cf. Pontifical Commission for the Interpretation of Legal Texts, response to dubium regarding can. 230 §2: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 86 (1994), p. 541.]”

Funerals can be outside a Mass, as described in the liturgical book Order of Christian Funerals, section 9. “303. … Depending upon pastoral circumstances, either one or two readings may be read before the gospel reading.” (The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 1030.) There are not the same explicit instructions about ordained ministers and instituted lectors. But it seems appropriate that what should happen in a Mass should also happen in this ceremony. If there is a priest, then a minister without ordination should not read the Gospel. If there is an instituted lector, then another person should not proclaim the first reading.

 

[centurionguard]

Funerals can be in a Mass or not in a Mass.

If the funeral is in Mass, who should read the Gospel reading? If there is a deacon he should. If there are two priests, the one not giving the homily should. Only an ordained minister can proclaim the Gospel in a Mass.

If the funeral is in Mass, who is permitted to proclaim the first reading? From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (G.I.R.M.) for the U.S.A. (at usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/roman-missal/general-instruction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-3.cfm ):
“101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other lay people may be deputed to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, people who are truly suited to carrying out this function and carefully prepared, so that by their hearing the readings from the sacred texts the faithful may conceive in their hearts a sweet and living affection for Sacred Scripture.[85]”.

So if there is a instituted lector, he should do the readings apart from the Gospel. If not, the choice of reader is up to the parish priest or rector of the church, from the G.I.R.M.:
“107. Liturgical functions that are not proper to the Priest or the Deacon and are mentioned above (nos. 100-106) may even be entrusted by means of a liturgical blessing or a temporary deputation to suitable lay persons chosen by the pastor or the rector of the church. [footnote 88: Cf. Pontifical Commission for the Interpretation of Legal Texts, response to dubium regarding can. 230 §2: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 86 (1994), p. 541.]”

Funerals can be outside a Mass, as described in the liturgical book Order of Christian Funerals, section 9. “303. … Depending upon pastoral circumstances, either one or two readings may be read before the gospel reading.” (The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 1030.) There are not the same explicit instructions about ordained ministers and instituted lectors. But it seems appropriate that what should happen in a Mass should also happen in this ceremony. If there is a priest, then a minister without ordination should not read the Gospel. If there is an instituted lector, then another person should not proclaim the first reading.

In all my years as a Catholic and the almost ten years I served as sacristan in times setting up for Funerals (Requiem Masses) I’ve never witnessed a Catholic Funeral Service in the Church without a Mass. I am aware that a priest is often called out to funeral homes chapels at the family requests where funerals are not said at the parish. Usually he’s called out to do a committal.

I guess I never really looked into studying about funerals without Masses.