What Makes a Funeral Catholic
Funeral services for a Catholic often requires the involvement of a priest. If you are tasked with the funeral arrangements and unfamiliar with the religious beliefs of this faith, you can inquire from the church of which the deceased is a member for guidelines. Note that the deceased had to be baptized as a Catholic and the manner of death is not recognized to be among those unfit for a Catholic burial, among other things.
1. Burial is preferred over cremation. If your loved one was a Catholic, you are likely to be picking caskets over cremation urns. While the latter option is not prohibited, Catholics still lean towards having a traditional burial.
2. A wake is scheduled. Catholics often hold a couple days’ worth of vigil for people to pour in, attend the prayers and view the body. If you are planning to attend one, you can honor the family and the memory of the deceased by avoiding bright colored clothing.
3. A Requiem Mass is held before the burial. The casket is brought into a Catholic Church where a slightly altered Masswill be said.
4. Blessing of the grave. The priest will need to bless the burial ground where the casket will be lowered into. A short prayer will also be said.
