How to Plan a Catholic Funeral

The death of a loved one is one the hardest experiences to endure. Planning a funeral in the midst of a very deep grieving period is an incredibly emotional experience. Catholics have specific rituals which need to be followed during this time. The first part is a vigil where the rosary is said. The second is the actual mass. And the third is the committal at the burial site. These make up the Catholic funeral rites which are usually followed by a gathering at the home of the deceased.

Instructions

1. Contact the priest or pastor of the deceased so that a funeral mass can be booked and planned. He will often come to the home to support the family and pray for the loved one.

2. Contact a funeral home. The funeral director will need clothes for the deceased to be buried in and a coffin will need to be chosen along with music and flowers for the funeral rites.

3. Book a time and place for the vigil to take place and call relatives and friends and let them know the details. The vigil is held between the time of death and funeral mass. It may take place in the church where the funeral is to be held or it may take place in a room provided by the funeral home. During a vigil, loved ones of the deceased gather to pray the rosary, a few words about the deceased may be spoken and some families choose to have a viewing of the deceased at this time.

4. Book a time with the priest to hold the funeral mass and then call relatives and friends to let them know the details. Some of the rituals that take place at the catholic funeral may include the sprinkling of the holy water over the casket, draping a white pall over the casket signifying baptism and placing the Easter candle at the foot of the casket.

5. Make arrangements with the funeral director for the body to be delivered to the deceased's chosen burial site during the rite of committal. During this rite, the priest or pastor reads scripture and prayers as the body is laid in it's final resting place.

6. Prepare the home for company following the rite of committal by cleaning and have light food and rinks available for guests. There is usually a gathering at the home of the deceased held by loved ones that follows the funeral rites, where relatives and friends may bring food and gather for a few hours to pay their respects to the family of the deceased.