Hey Deacon!

I was recently talking with a Catholic priest who was visiting from Minnesota.  Most of our conversation centered on parish life, our Catholic youth, and the young adults that cease to practice their faith upon leaving home.  That led to another important topic regarding how important a Catholic funeral Mass is vital to our faith and how to convey that importance to family members who have walked away.
 
There have been many times I have been contacted by adult children and asked to visit their home and pray for their parent who is close to death. Later I ask if I could assist them in planning their parent’s Catholic funeral.   Often their answer is no.  They have no desire in having a Catholic liturgy since they no longer consider themselves Catholic and do not feel a need for a Mass or other services.
 
It is important to remember why we have funerals and that they are not just for the loved one who passed away and the family. They are also for the living – the deceased friends, extended family and the parish community.  
 
While there are many reasons we have funerals, here are four primary reasons the Church has funerals.
 
First, we have funerals to praise God. In this time of need we return to the Creator and praise him for creating us and our loved ones with love.
 
Second, we thank God for His mercy and love. It is His mercy and love that gives us hope in everlasting life. At the funeral, we are reminded of God’s mercy and love through our thanksgiving for the life of our deceased loved one.
 
Third, we pray for our deceased loved one’s soul. Christ is very clear in the Gospels that not everyone will go to Heaven. As a Church, we believe that our prayers assist people in their purification in purgatory and their journey to the Heavenly Father. A significant reason we have a Mass, and the other stages of the Order of Christian Funerals is to pray for the soul of the loved one who passed away, which brings significant graces to them.
 
Finally, we have funerals to fill the void of loss with faith. When we lose someone we love, there is a void in our life. Too often this void is filled with unhealthy and potentially harmful behavior. The funeral allows us to come together as a community and fill that void with the love of God. The beauty of the Catholic funeral is often a catalyst that helps family members who have left the Church to reflect and return to the faith.
 
If you are the last Catholic ‘standing” within your family circle, be sure to make known your desire for a Catholic funeral. There is no greater example of love than Jesus’ dying on the cross for each of us.  The funeral Mass is our final opportunity to participate in this mystery of our faith.  It is a moment to thank God for His mercy and love which provides hope in everlasting life. It is the final opportunity to receive God’s grace this side of heaven.
Author Bio:
 Deacon Dan Vaughn