Recently, in our diocese, we've had some interesting celebrations of funerals for priests and other "high profile" members of the diocesan administration.
I've been regularly disappointed with the lack of knowledge by some of our diocesan leadership with the beautiful elements of the renewed rites of our Catholic Rite for Funerals.
This may be somewhat strange, but I think that it is very important to celebrate funerals well, with all of the symbols of our Catholic faith utilized to their fullest extent.
That means:
-Let's sing songs and hymns that shout our faith in the Resurrection! Let's not sing sappy, over-emotional songs that celebrate the deceased's nationality of origin.
-The funeral mass is for the living, not the deceased. I really don't care what the deceased wanted as a favorite song or reading. Let's look to what the Church today recommends as appropriate readings, intercessions or hymns.
-Funerals for priests should look very similar to funerals for lay persons. Why do we "gussy up" the rites for a priest, and not for lay people? Why do we need at least three "Eulogies" at a priest's funeral, yet we "FORBID" eulogies at the funerals for lay persons?
-Let's use the Rite for Christian Funerals as the main guide for our funeral celebrations.
-Bishops who forbid "eulogies" at Funeral Masses should attend to that policy when they celebrate, preach at, or preside at funerals for priests or other bishops! If a bishop doesn't know the difference between a homily and a eulogy at a funeral, then draw your own conclusion!
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