Sacrilege or not?

[Loud-living-dogma]

Yes I am in agreement. How is it that the “sensus fidelium” is so divided on this? I asked my kids if they thought it was okay to have Buddhist chant during a Catholic funeral, and all three said the equivalent of “no way”. They are teens. I don’t understand how some people do think it’s okay, or indeed how the pastor thinks it was okay. I’m also wondering how common stuff like this is at funerals?

 

[Lost4words]

At the end of the funeral mass. Before the coffin was moved from the altar. As i mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

[OddBird]

I asked my kids if they thought it was okay to have Buddhist chant during a Catholic funeral

You have to qualify that bit a little if you want an unbiased answer. For example, is it ok to have Buddhist chant at the very end of the Catholic funeral of a person whose close relative is Buddhist ?

If there is no Buddhist connection in the family, it would of course be completely absurd to have Buddhist chant at the end of (not during) a Catholic funeral.

I’m also wondering how common stuff like this is at funerals?

In my experience, it is extremely rare. In 20 years of being active and involved in my church, first as an organist (playing for funerals), then as a minister (officiating for funerals), I have personally known of one such example, where a Muslim prayer was said after the final blessing.

Because, as I said somewhere earlier in the thread, when it’s done, it’s done out of charity and pastoral care for very particular families with very particular circumstances.

I just don’t know any priest or pastor in their right mind who would agree to include Buddhist chanting just for fun, or to be seen as “progressive”. I know some probably exist. But from what the OP explained, it sounds like the priest knew his job.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Your kids are smart cookies! Their sensus Fidei is right on!

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

I am thankful they have had many years of high-quality Catholic school!

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

Loud-living-dogma:

I asked my kids if they thought it was okay to have Buddhist chant during a Catholic funeral

You have to qualify that bit a little if you want an unbiased answer. For example, is it ok to have Buddhist chant at the very end of the Catholic funeral of a person whose close relative is Buddhist ?

If there is no Buddhist connection in the family, it would of course be completely absurd to have Buddhist chant at the end of (not during) a Catholic funeral.

I’m also wondering how common stuff like this is at funerals?

In my experience, it is extremely rare. In 20 years of being active and involved in my church, first as an organist (playing for funerals), then as a minister (officiating for funerals), I have personally known of one such example, where a Muslim prayer was said after the final blessing.

I guess I’m an old fuddy-duddy, but I don’t know why it’s a thing to include other religions’ chant in a Catholic funeral. Is it because the Buddhist in the family is super touchy, and will be a pain unless her religion is included in the funeral? Is it for the in-law who is completely opposed / hostile to Catholicism / Christianity? What personal characteristic or situation necessitates the use of non-Christian elements in a Christian funeral? Are you sure it’s not for a touch of “look how progressive we are!”?

 

[Lost4words]

No, she is a Buddhist but, as i stated earlier, she attends mass regularly with her children or on her own. She is from Thailand. She loves God very much indeed. She is also a very strong Buddhist as that is what she was brought up in since childhood in Thailand.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

You’re not “an old fuddy-duddy”. That would be me .

 

[QwertyGirl]

I guess I’m an old fuddy-duddy, but I don’t know why it’s a thing to include other religions’ chant in a Catholic funeral. Is it because the Buddhist in the family is super touchy, and will be a pain unless her religion is included in the funeral? Is it for the in-law who is completely opposed / hostile to Catholicism / Christianity? What personal characteristic or situation necessitates the use of non-Christian elements in a Christian funeral? Are you sure it’s not for a touch of “look how progressive we are!”?

Human kindness. Empathy. Generosity of spirit. Inclusiveness. Love.

 

[Lost4words]

I agree but, that could be done outside of a Catholic service. Inside the church, Jesus is present in the Tabernacle.

 

[OddBird]

I guess I’m an old fuddy-duddy, but I don’t know why it’s a thing to include other religions’ chant in a Catholic funeral. Is it because the Buddhist in the family is super touchy, and will be a pain unless her religion is included in the funeral? Is it for the in-law who is completely opposed / hostile to Catholicism / Christianity? What personal characteristic or situation necessitates the use of non-Christian elements in a Christian funeral? Are you sure it’s not for a touch of “look how progressive we are!”?

There is no charity without truth. And there also is no truth without charity.

If someone is devastated by the death of a loved one, and if the funeral takes into account the particular needs of that person within reasonable limits, this is charity. The aim is to help the person grieve, and also to bear witness to the fact that Christ loves them and invites them to him ; that he tells them, “You are welcome here. I have been waiting for you. Come to me.”

Of course, that attitude isn’t possible without truth too. This is why a full Catholic funeral, with a chant at the very end, is a good solution to me because it balances truth and charity.

I don’t know what more to say. I guess really, I see these occasions of showing non-Christians how much our God loves them, cares for what they are going through, and what an amazing promise of eternal life He makes to them if they come to Him, as too rare and too precious to loose.

 

[Elf01]

I agree but, that could be done outside of a Catholic service. Inside the church, Jesus is present in the Tabernacle.

I hope (and assume) that he was removed, but it would have been difficult to do without being obvious.

 

[Lost4words]

The priest allowed the Buddhist to do his thing.

 

[OraLabora]

Jesus is present in the Tabernacle.

By that standard, we’d never let a non-Catholic to come to Mass. Nor allow a non-Catholic relative to sing Amazing Grace at a loved one’s funeral.

Buddhists are not “anti-Catholic”. They are just…Buddhists.

Honestly folks… you think Jesus, who was killed on the Cross in a most horrid manner, can’t take a little Buddhist chanting done in a spirit of charity???

 

[Lost4words]

There is a very big difference between welcoming non Christians, non Catholics into the house of God compared to allowing them to use the occassion to practice their only distinct pagan rituals in front of the altar and the Tabernacle!

 

[Glennon_P]

Whoops…I misread your post as “The Bishop allowed…”, not “The priest”. My bad.

 

[ReaderT]

Woah! This would not be allowed in an Orthodox church or anything close to it!

Maybe the chants were “nothing serious” (or maybe they were, we have no clue) - but the whole Buddhist system (which they represent) is incompatible with Catholicism. That doesn’t belong in a Catholic church any more than a friendly Druid blessing or a Wiccan high priestess.

 

[OraLabora]

There is a very big difference between welcoming non Christians, non Catholics into the house of God compared to allowing them to use the occassion to practice their only distinct pagan rituals in front of the altar and the Tabernacle!

The priest used his prudential judgement to allow it. It happened, it’s over. Perhaps it’s time to let it go.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

Time to let it go? But this is Catholic Arguing Forum! This is a pretty good thing to argue over!

If the priest said, “wow - - mistake in judgment. I shouldn’t have done that. I apologize for confusing everyone with that bit of pagan worship during a Christian liturgy” - - then it would probably be time to “let it go”. Otherwise, who knows when the next occasion of liturgical weirdness will be?

 

[OraLabora]

No wonder there are fewer vocations. Who wants to live a life of constant criticism, then come home to an empty rectory?

Give the guy a break, he acted in charity. That’s all that matters.