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tomo_pomo
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Priests have cars. Who owns the car after he dies?
Some write books. Who owns the copyright after he dies?
Some write books. Who owns the copyright after he dies?
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Godfollower
Guest
It works exactly the same as with anyone else. If he left a will, it goes to whoever he said in the will. If he didn’t leave a will, then it goes through his state’s intestacy laws: if he leaves no spouse or kids, then to his parents; if no parents, then his siblings or their kids; etc.
A priest in an order typically takes a vow of poverty - that is, he does not own anything in his name. His salary is turned over to his order, who provides for his needs. So a priest taking a vow of poverty wouldn’t have any property to distribute on his death.
A diocesan priest, on the other hand, typically does not take a vow of poverty. So they receive a salary, can receive gifts, inheritance, etc. The flipside is that they also are responsible for saving for their retirement. A diocesan priest would need to have a will stipulating how he wants his property distributed. I know in my diocese it is required for all priests to have a will on file at the Chancery (along with detailed instructions on their funeral - who they want to officiate, preach the homily, etc.).
A diocesan priest, on the other hand, typically does not take a vow of poverty. So they receive a salary, can receive gifts, inheritance, etc. The flipside is that they also are responsible for saving for their retirement. A diocesan priest would need to have a will stipulating how he wants his property distributed. I know in my diocese it is required for all priests to have a will on file at the Chancery (along with detailed instructions on their funeral - who they want to officiate, preach the homily, etc.).
If we as Catholics don’t do eulogies for the deceased, why would it matter who gives the homily?
They want to have a priest they’re close to preach the homily. Nothing wrong with that, is there?
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Mintaka
Guest
There’s a difference between “things we have to do for sacraments and graces” and “things we can do and which don’t abuse the liturgy, because we are humans.” Nothing wrong with having human friends and relations within the Church, or having a priest who knew the deceased well.
Also, remember that if the priest knew the deceased, the priest will also be grieving. Why deprive him of the chance to do something kind for the deceased and his family? Let Father act like a father.
Also, remember that if the priest knew the deceased, the priest will also be grieving. Why deprive him of the chance to do something kind for the deceased and his family? Let Father act like a father.
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Usige
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We have a similar requirement for all members of the clergy in our diocese with regard to the funeral plans. The main difference is that it is explicitly stated that the Bishop will be the main celebrant and homilist.(along with detailed instructions on their funeral - who they want to officiate, preach the homily, etc.).
HomeschoolDad:
The Bishop has been the main celebrant at all priests’ funerals I’ve attended as well. I suspect that is fairly standard.
At a funeral for a priest friend about five years ago, the homilist as the Vicar General. He explained that the deceased had left detailed instructions as to who the homilist would be. He also said the deceased (who was a practical joker of the highest order) had stipulated that he wanted a fellow priest who is known for his off-key singing to do several solos.
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PetraG
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A homilist is going to care who the homilist will be at his funeral.
He doesn’t want to have to bang on the lid of the casket!
Well, he arranged to have a little company in Purgatory, that way.He also said the deceased (who was a practical joker of the highest order) had stipulated that he wanted a fellow priest who is known for his off-key singing to do several solos.
I’d think that depends very much on the bishop. Our archdiocese doesn’t have that requirement; at least, I know of a priest who had a deacon close to him deliver the homily.
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Usige
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I strongly suspect that our bishop polls pastors and deacons that knew the deceased well. Since the plans include the requested readings he often ties them to how the deceased (and by extension the people) lived out their call to minister throughout the world.At a funeral for a priest friend about five years ago, the homilist as the Vicar General. He explained that the deceased had left detailed instructions as to who the homilist would be. He also said the deceased (who was a practical joker of the highest order) had stipulated that he wanted a fellow priest who is known for his off-key singing to do several solos.
I both laugh and cry at the idea of some of our tone deaf clergy singing solos. The joker in me thinks of the laughter, but the musician in me cringes at the idea of how badly they might butcher Dies Irae at my funeral.
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TheLittleLady
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Having been working for parishes and having seen the death of many priests, they all left a will.
Not a thing in the world.HomeschoolDad:
They want to have a priest they’re close to preach the homily. Nothing wrong with that, is there?
Makes sense.
I have left explicit instructions in my will for the Traditional Latin Requiem Mass celebrated by a priest of the FSSP.HomeschoolDad:
A homilist is going to care who the homilist will be at his funeral.
He doesn’t want to have to bang on the lid of the casket!
If anyone countermands this, once the will is probated, they will have to roll me back out of the file cabinet (I would have preferred green burial, but I had to defer to family sensibilities and agree to pre-need mausoleum arrangements), and do the funeral over.
If Our Lord would permit a miracle, banging could indeed take place.
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PetraG
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It unnecessarily complicates things not to, and priests tend to exercise prudence.
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Pitcairn17
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Surely you must realize that a liturgically appropriate funeral homily can - and virtually always does - contain some personal reference to the life of the deceased, without turning into a “eulogy.” Why would you question that a priest, having given his life in service to God and the Church, can choose who his funeral homilist would be?
No, I did not realize that. I have lived a bit of a liturgically sheltered life in recent years. The last Novus Ordo “Masses of Christian Burial” that I attended were over 40 years ago, and I don’t recall whether they had eulogies, pseudo-eulogies, or no eulogy at all. That was during the 1970s and “anything goes” was the order of the day in many places. The last Catholic funeral of any kind that I attended was a Traditional Latin Requiem Mass, and I don’t believe there was a eulogy. I have never attended a funeral for a priest.
If it is acceptable to a priest’s bishop for a homilist to be designated, and even to deliver a “eulogy-but-not-really-a-eulogy”, then that’s fine by me. He’s the boss.
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mythbuster1
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No, but former military chaplains can have substantial pensions, as they are paid the same as any other officer of the same rank and eligible for retirement at 50% pay after 20 years. While active duty chaplains are under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of the Military Services, they are paid by the US Government, not the Archdiocese. Not sure how it works in other countries.
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Anne1964
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Our diocesan priests have a retirement plan through the Diocese. Not sure if it is enough for them to live on in retirement, though.
Our bishop celebrates funeral Masses for priests but is usually not the homilist.
Our bishop celebrates funeral Masses for priests but is usually not the homilist.
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dochawk
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The last priest’s funeral I attended had several bishops . . . I think we had all four fo ours plus a couple of emeritus, a couple from other churches, and the local RC bishop, who also spoke (Fr. Francis was the chancellor for the local RC dioceses for some time, and built/opened a couple of their parishes.He quipped something to the effect off "Frances, you’re finally quiet! --which was met with laughter from, well, everyone who had ever met him :crazy_face:
)They managed to get many of the concelebrants into the Holy Place, but I don’t think all of them. All in all, there were dozens upon dozens of priests, and probably the largest KofC honor guard I’ve ever seen (unless you count televised national conventions). [Fr. Francis was the state chaplain for years]. One of the priests, on the way out, leaned over to me to comment that the much preferred my regalia to the new-fangled outfit (which looks like third world paratrooper uniforms, but . . .)
I’ve been asked more than once about joining choirs and/or being a cantor. I’ve been baffled by this, as I’m the next thing from tone deaf–enough so that I can tell that I can’t carry a tune (unless I sing so low that the notes can’t be distinguished . . .).
It seems to have something to do with how well my voice carries (I was the only professor at my campus that didn’t use a microphone in the auditorium classroom)–but I’d think that my lack of tune would show at the same time . . .
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PetraG
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I call it “a voice that only ordination could have made into a soloist.”
Few of them don’t know it; bless them for the courage to do what it is their duty to do, even though they know they’ll get no praise for it.
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christofirst
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I knew one parish priest who was the only child from a wealthy family. He always lived modestly in the parish rectory, but before he died, he set up a foundation from his considerable inheritance to help fund Catholic education, which was made known to us after his death.
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