Christian Funerals

Rites to be used at the place of final committal.

Unlike weddings, funerals rarely take place after extensive planning. Often the deceased is not someone the pastor has known well, and preparations for the service of death and resurrection take place in the midst of pastoral care of the grieving, writing the funeral sermon, and the pastor’s regular duties. These circumstances make it especially hard to plan an appropriate and meaningful order of worship for the funeral service. Christian Funerals will help pastors as they attend to this crucial ministry of the church. Drawing on the books of worship from a number of denominations and traditions, it provides several options for each of the elements of the funeral service, from gathering texts to opening prayers to scripture lessons to final prayers. The book is bound in a way that makes it suitable for use at church services and at the grave side.

Throughout this work, Fr. Stephen S. Wilbricht, csc, emphasizes the link between Baptism and death, assisting Christians in grasping who we are called to be in this life as disciples and who we are promised to become in eternal life as saints. As the author points out the centrality of baptismal identity to the funeral liturgy, he makes apparent that the union established at Baptism continues until all reach Christ. Such an appreciation for life in the Body of Christ will help the community recognize both their responsibilities at the death of a member and the union that remains with that member as all journey to the divine. Wilbricht explores the Church’s theology of Baptism and death, and provides pastoral suggestions that will encourage communities to carry out their commitment to care for the grieving and bury the dead.

Since liturgical celebration involves the whole person, it requires attentiveness to all that affects the senses. The readings and prayers, psalms and songs should be proclaimed with understanding, conviction and reverence. The ritual gestures, processions and postures should express and foster an attitude of reverence and reflective ness in those taking part in the funeral rites. This Committal rite should be celebrated in an atmosphere of simple beauty, in a setting that encourages participation. Care must be taken that the choice of signs and symbols are in accord with the culture of the people. With these words, this important new publication is introduced. Various texts for committal are printed along with rubrics and including also the rite of committal at a crematorium. This new version of the Rite of Committal now includes the Roman Lectionary relating to Funeral Rites but now excludes the Rite of Committal for children.

Father Rutherford has thoroughly revised The Death of a Christian, his popular study, to reflect the Order of Christian Funerals (1989). Pastors, educators, seminarians, and divinity school students will find this a major work for study and pastoral guidance in the exercise of their ministries.

Reviews the beliefs, customs, and rituals associated with Christian funerals; discusses the growing acceptance of cremation and memorial services; and explains how to plan a spiritually meaningful funeral service.

Beginning from a discussion of the mystery of Christian death and moving to a renewed understanding of the role of the entire community in the Funeral Rites, this book gives practical, concrete, step-by-step instructions for beginning a parish Ministry of Consolation centered around the Order of Christian Funeral.