Who Can Give the Eulogy At A Funeral Mass?

[steboyz]

The news report of the vice presidents mothers funeral indicated that a daughter gave the “eulogy”.At a relatives funeral we were told that a family member could not give a eulogy but could make a very brief statement about the relative.I emphasis " very brief" because that is the term used by the priest.

So does it depend on who the funeral mass is for or what?

ger

 

[benedictgal]

The news report of the vice presidents mothers funeral indicated that a daughter gave the “eulogy”.At a relatives funeral we were told that a family member could not give a eulogy but could make a very brief statement about the relative.I emphasis " very brief" because that is the term used by the priest.

So does it depend on who the funeral mass is for or what?

ger

The Rite of Christian Burial does not make any provisions for a “euology”, per se. A brief statement could be made, but, this should be done after the post-Communion prayer, or, even at the Vigil the night before or at the cemetery.

Please note what the GIRM says:

1. At the Funeral Mass there should, as a rule, be a short homily, but never a eulogy of any kind.

This is to say that a eulogy should never take the place of a homily. The homily needs to expound on the scriptures having just been proclaimed and on the teachings of the Church during this time of sorrow.

I have just come back from a funeral Mass that I helped plan. The family did not make any statement during the Mass, but, waited until after the rites at the cemetery in order to thank those who attended and make any remarks abour the deceased.

 

[PassingThru]

Hmmm, this is new information for me. There are no Eulogy’s in a Catholic Funeral? I guess I have never been to one. Plenty of Catholic Weddings, but no funerals.

At most every funeral service I have been to for family (quite a few over the years) family always stands up and talks about the deceased. They usually tell stories from years ago about their favorite memories, and there are always some very funny ones that elicits a great response from the congregation. I have always found the personal stories to be the most “therapeutic”, if you will, for the families. It seems to remind everyone of the best of the deceased, and why they were so important.

So, ramble aside, this does not happen in Catholic Funerals?

 

[PassingThru]

I guess Benedict answered my question. Is this accurate in practice?

 

[mikeghiorso]

At our parish, we usually ask if anyone would like to speak (or eulogize) in our preparations. We, then, explain that the best time for this is at the Vigil (usually the evening before the Funeral Mass). Sometimes many speak and sometimes no one speaks. Generally, we do not have eulogies at the Mass itself (except in very rare circumstances). That said … it seems like the “high profile” liturgies (especially of political leaders) always have a eulogy (after Communion).

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hmmm, this is new information for me. There are no Eulogy’s in a Catholic Funeral? I guess I have never been to one. Plenty of Catholic Weddings, but no funerals.

At most every funeral service I have been to for family (quite a few over the years) family always stands up and talks about the deceased. They usually tell stories from years ago about their favorite memories, and there are always some very funny ones that elicits a great response from the congregation. I have always found the personal stories to be the most “therapeutic”, if you will, for the families. It seems to remind everyone of the best of the deceased, and why they were so important.

So, ramble aside, this does not happen in Catholic Funerals?

It’s not supposed to happen at a Catholic funeral.

 

[Phemie]

Hmmm, this is new information for me. There are no Eulogy’s in a Catholic Funeral? I guess I have never been to one. Plenty of Catholic Weddings, but no funerals.

At most every funeral service I have been to for family (quite a few over the years) family always stands up and talks about the deceased. They usually tell stories from years ago about their favorite memories, and there are always some very funny ones that elicits a great response from the congregation. I have always found the personal stories to be the most “therapeutic”, if you will, for the families. It seems to remind everyone of the best of the deceased, and why they were so important.

So, ramble aside, this does not happen in Catholic Funerals?

It shouldn’t happen at the funeral although how strictly that rule is adhered to depends on the priest.

In our parish, because there are so many mixed marriages, it’s not unusual for families to come in expecting that the same thing will happen at a Catholic funeral as happens in every other church in town. In order to be pastoral, the priest allows the casket to be brought to the front and any secular song the family has requested to be sung as well as words by a family member or friend. Only after that is done is the reception of the body & placement of the pall done and the Mass begin.

There is no provision that I can find for anyone to speak within the funeral liturgy although there is such a provision at the Funeral Vigil.

 

[EasterJoy]

Excepting the general rule that the homily shall not be displaced if favor of a eulogy, I would except there are different policies in place in different dioceses.

This is what the policies say for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon:

Eulogies
“A brief homily on the readings is always given after the gospel reading at the funeral liturgy and may also be given after the readings at the vigil service; but there is never a eulogy. . . .The homilist should dwell on God’s compassionate love and on the paschal mystery of the Lord, as proclaimed in the Scripture readings. The homilist should also help the members of the assembly to understand that the mystery of God’s love and the mystery of Jesus’ victorious death and resurrection were present in the life and death of the deceased . . .” #27
From the Vigil for the Deceased: [After the concluding prayer] “A member or a friend of the family may speak in remembrance of the deceased.” #96
From the Funeral Liturgy outside of Mass and during Mass: “A member or friend of the family may speak in remembrance of the deceased before the final commendation begins.” # 170
The words of remembrance come after the communion rite. There is no mention as to whether more than one member or friend of the family may speak or the length of their comments. This would be a local pastoral decision.

We do have parishes that limit the number of speakers to three and the amount of time to fifteen minutes total, and preferably less. I’ve been to a lot of funerals at which it was mentioned in a minute or two of brief comments that there had been a eulogy at the vigil and would be a microphone open for those who wanted to offer memories of the deceased at the funeral luncheon. I think this was to explain to non-Catholics what had happened to the “expected” eulogy.

I’ve heard so many long maudlin eulogies at non-Catholic funerals that I have come to truly appreciate the way the Church does it.

 

[steboyz]

I should point out that this service took place in a Catholic Church here in Wilmington ,De.It was the funeral of VP Bidens 92 year mother.So I do not want to show disrespect for her or her family.

The paper did print this …

“** As Vice President Joe Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens delivered their mother’s eulogy, they reminded mourners that she will live on in the loyalty and pride she instilled in all who met her.”**

I do not know were the eulogys were placed in the mass so I can assume that they were brief statements.

As was pointed out maybe so many of the participants were not Catholics they might have expected such a thing.
ger:shrug:

 

[Phemie]

I should point out that this service took place in a Catholic Church here in Wilmington ,De.It was the funeral of VP Bidens 92 year mother.So I do not want to show disrespect for her or her family.

The paper did print this …

“** As Vice President Joe Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens delivered their mother’s eulogy, they reminded mourners that she will live on in the loyalty and pride she instilled in all who met her.”**

I do not know were the eulogys were placed in the mass so I can assume that they were brief statements.

As was pointed out maybe so many of the participants were not Catholics they might have expected such a thing.
ger:shrug:

Funerals for politicians (and sometimes their families) shouldn’t generally be looked upon as prime examples of ‘how to do Catholic funerals’. I’ve watched several presided over by bishops and cardinals where lots of things were done that flew in the face of the Funeral Rite, usually starting with the coffin wrapped in the flag followed by everyone receiving Communion, whether or not they are Catholic, and ending with multi eulogies that oftentimes sound more like canonizations. One political career I know was launched with one of those eulogies.

 

[plato3]

At our parish, we usually ask if anyone would like to speak (or eulogize) in our preparations. We, then, explain that the best time for this is at the Vigil (usually the evening before the Funeral Mass). Sometimes many speak and sometimes no one speaks. Generally, we do not have eulogies at the Mass itself (except in very rare circumstances). That said … it seems like the “high profile” liturgies (especially of political leaders) always have a eulogy (after Communion).

Our pastor also goes to great lengths to have the memories or eulogies done at the vigil. He explained that it is not proper to have them at the Mass. However, the last funeral we had, there was no vigil. After communion, there were some memories read and one person spoke at the grave blessing.

 

[Melissa]

At most every funeral service I have been to for family (quite a few over the years) family always stands up and talks about the deceased. They usually tell stories from years ago about their favorite memories, and there are always some very funny ones that elicits a great response from the congregation. I have always found the personal stories to be the most “therapeutic”, if you will, for the families. It seems to remind everyone of the best of the deceased, and why they were so important.

So, ramble aside, this does not happen in Catholic Funerals?

It is not supposed to happen at the funeral. The stories/favorite memories should be saved for the dinner after.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

The funeral homily should not be a eulogy.

HOWEVER, the Rite of Christian Funerals does allow for a member of the family or a friend to speak in remembrance of the deceased. This is what the secular world normally calls “the eulogy.”