Funeral Guidelines
Guidelines for the Order of Christian Funerals at St. Margaret Mary Parish
As the death of a loved one occurs or draws near, there may be questions you have concerning how to make sure your family member or friend is prayed for and buried within the Catholic Church. We hope the following information is helpful to you. It is not meant to take the place of talking with SMM staff. We invite you to call us to arrange a meeting, or, if distance prevents that, a phone conversation.
Once you have reviewed these guidelines, click here to be redirected to the Resources for Planning a Funeral Mass, including the Funeral/Memorial Mass Planning Form as well as music and reading options.
Required Elements of the Funeral Liturgy
"… When a member of Christ's Body dies, the faithful are called to a ministry of consolation to those who have suffered the loss of one whom they love... The Church calls each member of Christ's Body – priest, deacon, and layperson – to participate in the ministry of consolation: to care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn… The community's principal involvement in the ministry of consolation is expressed in its active participation in the celebration of the funeral rites, particularly the vigil for the deceased, the funeral liturgy, and the rite of committal.”
Thus the Funeral Liturgy of the Catholic Church is not the personal prayer of the family of the deceased. The Funeral Liturgy is an official, public prayer of the Church for the immortal soul of the deceased and for the consolation of those loved ones left behind.
In the celebration of the funeral rites, family and/or friends of the deceased may serve as gift bearers, readers, singers, and, if they are already commissioned to do so at SMM Parish, as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. In addition, the family is encouraged to assist the parish ministers in planning the funeral rites: in the choice of readings from the prescribed scriptural texts and in the selection of music appropriate for the rites.
As Catholics we believe the human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be reverently honored in death. The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burial be retained; but it does not forbid cremation, unless this is chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching" (Canon 1176.2.3). The cremains must be buried or entombed.
The Order of Christian Funerals is divided into three sequential rites which should occur at every Funeral:
The Vigil for the Deceased
The Funeral Liturgy
The Rite of Committal
In these three sequential rites the Church offers to those who are mourning a way to prepare themselves spiritually and emotionally, to say their goodbyes. More and more Catholics are eliminating one or more of these three rites. Except in extraordinary circumstances this should not be the case. The burial of the body or cremains should take place in a reasonable time after death has occurred. The prayer of the Church is seen as a timely way to say farewell and to offer prayers for the immortal soul of the deceased. To delay the Rites of Christian Burial simply for convenience is inappropriate.
Preference for the presence of the body
As Christians, the body of the deceased supports our belief that we are destined for future glory at the resurrection of the dead. Therefore "the Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for its funeral rites… Thus, the Roman Catholic Church's reverence and care for the body grows out of reverence and concerns for the person whom the Church now commends to the care of God. The longstanding practice of burying the body of the deceased in a grave or tomb continues to be encouraged as a sign of Christian faith."
Cremation and the Catholic Church
In recent years Catholic funeral practices have been impacted by the increasing popularity of cremation as a means of providing for the final disposition of the body. As a result a number of burial practices have been embraced by some Catholics which are not permitted according to the "Order of Christian Funerals." In order to help in funeral planning and allow you to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church, please review the following principles regarding Cremation in the Catholic Church.
On March 21, 1997, the Holy See granted permission to the U.S. Latin-rite bishops to allow the celebration of the funeral liturgy in the presence of cremated remains. This practice was never intended to be viewed as an "equally" good alternative to the traditional funeral rites of the Church which entail the burial of the body intact. Permission to cremate and to celebrate the funeral liturgy in the presence of cremated remains was intended to be granted on a case by case basis. At SMM Church, the Pastor will determine what is appropriate in each given situation.
Whenever a family chooses cremation over traditional burial, families should be made aware of the preference to honor the body during the funeral Mass before cremation. In the Diocese of Greensburg Pastors and Parochial Vicars, for pastoral reasons, may permit the funeral liturgy to be celebrated in the presence of the cremated remains.
Funeral Rites with Cremation
When cremation of the body is chosen, the Church still prefers that the body be cremated after the Funeral, thus allowing for the presence of the body at the Funeral Mass. When circumstances require it, however, cremation and committal may take place even before the Funeral liturgy. As mentioned above, most of the usual rites which are celebrated in the presence of the body of the deceased may also be celebrated in the presence of the cremated remains. The primary symbols of the Roman Catholic Funeral Liturgy are retained even when the funeral liturgy is celebrated in the presence of the cremated remains. The cremains may be carried in procession and/or placed on a table where the casket normally would be. Photographs and other mementos may be used at the vigil, in the narthex (entrance to the Church), and at the cemetery, but are not appropriate at the Mass.
The Disposition of Cremated Remains
The cremated remains of the deceased must be given the same respect as a body is given during the Rite of Committal. A worthy vessel must carry the cremated remains of the deceased to the place of internment. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practice of scattering ashes over the sea, on the ground, or from the air is not permitted for Catholics and is not considered to be the reverent disposition of the cremated remains.
The cremated remains may be buried at sea as long as they are intact and placed in a worthy vessel that will carry the remains to the bottom of the sea bed. Burial of cremated remains at sea should observe all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.
PLEASE NOTE - Catholics should never retain the cremated remains in their homes, places of work, or any other personal space. Neither should Catholics divide and share the cremated remains of the deceased. The Church requires that the cremated remains be buried or placed in a recognized area of reverence for the dead. If the final disposition of the cremated remains does not take place according to the teaching of the Church with reverence and in a sacred place, the remains will not be permitted to be brought into the Church for the Funeral Liturgy.
Readings at all Funeral Liturgies
Readings are provided in The Order of Christian Funerals to give grieving families an opportunity to hear God speak to them in their fears and in their sorrows, offering hope in the midst of their pain. The Word proclaimed is God's way of speaking to us and can never be replaced by conventional wisdom or poetry.
If the family wishes to use additional readings that are not contained within The Order of Christian Funerals, they can do so at the conclusion of the Vigil for the Deceased, at the conclusion of the Rite of Committal, or during the funeral meal.
Two readings may be selected for use during the Funeral Liturgy. These readings are to be chosen from The Order of Christian Funerals. The first reading is taken from the Old Testament and the second is selected from the New Testament options. The responsorial psalm is sung. The Gospel is generally selected by the Presider, however, if the family has a request for the Gospel, that should be mentioned to him. Priests or deacons in good standing, who have been granted faculties by the Diocese of Greensburg may celebrate, concelebrate, or preach at a funeral at SMM. Readings may be accessed from the USCCB website here.
The General Intercessions
The General Intercessions are taken from The Order of Christian Funerals, but there may be an addition of one or two personal petitions to the prescribed set if approved by the priest prior to the day of the funeral.
Music at the Funeral Liturgy
Sacred music is an integral part of the celebration of the funeral liturgy. The Resurrection Choir will be present to foster the full and active participation of the assembly in the Funeral Mass. While popular, secular music may warm the hearts of those who are left behind, it must never replace sacred music. Every effort must be made to accompany the funeral rites with appropriate hymns, responses, and acclamations. The Director of Music will assist and guide the family in appropriate musical selections for the Liturgy. You can listen to a sampling of musical selections here.
No recorded music of any kind is to be used during any of the three formal parts of the "Order of Christian Funerals." In particular, if bag pipes are requested they may be played outside the church, in the funeral home, at the cemetery after the service, or at the wake meal. They may not be used as accompaniment for the Liturgy.
Family Remarks (Eulogies)
In order to allow for a moment of personal sharing, a family member or a friend may speak in remembrance of the deceased. Kindly keep in mind these guidelines:
Only one person should give the remarks
The remarks may be made at the funeral home during the viewing, at the Vigil service, during the parting prayers prior to bringing the body to church, at the Mass following Holy Communion, at the cemetery during the prayers of commendation, or at the mercy meal (if there is one) following the service.
If remarks are made at one of the above listed times, then the content of the remarks should be about the deceased and need to be respectfully presented. The speaker needs to be mindful that the setting is to be reverent, and only content which is appropriate to that setting should be presented. Nothing contrary to the views of the Catholic Church should ever be presented.
The remarks should be personal. Additional readings from Sacred Scripture, secular writings, poetry, book excerpts, etc., should not normally be used at this time. If the presentation of a poem or other scriptural or literary piece is desired, it is suggested that this piece might be presented after the formal service at the Cemetery, at the wake meal, included in the "Thank You" notes, or even handed out to the congregation at the end of the services.
The Family Remarks should be limited to three to five (3-5) minutes.
When Death Occurs through Stillbirth or Miscarriage
When a child dies through miscarriage or stillbirth, families can be grief stricken and not know where to turn with their grief. Well-meaning friends and family may not understand your needs at this time. Pastoral care is available for you and funeral and burial rites are available for your child. We want to help you find healing and comfort. To understand a little more about how the Church can help provide for you at this time, you may find the article below meaningful:
Solace and Strength in the Sorrow of Miscarriage
For confidential, pastoral care, please contact the parish office.
Support for You
The Staff and Parishioners of SMM are here to help you as you present your loved one for a Catholic funeral. Please reach out to us at the Parish office at 724-335-2336 or by email to mmurphy@smmlb.org. Whether your loved one has just died, is near to death, or whether you want to prepare ahead of time for your own or a family member’s funeral, we are here to assist you in the process.
If a loved one has died a while ago but never received a Catholic funeral or Memorial Mass, please contact us. We can help you honor them with a Memorial Mass. If a family member has been cremated and the cremains have never had a proper burial, we can assist you with this process as well. If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, even after months or years of their passing, and would like to receive pastoral care, please contact us.