Funerals
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Vigil (Wake)
"At the vigil, the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ's presence" (Order of Christian Funerals, no. 56). The Vigil Service usually takes place during the period of visitation and viewing at the funeral home. It is a time to remember the life of the deceased and to commend him/her to God. In prayer we ask God to console us in our grief and give us strength to support one another. The rosary is prayed the evening of the vigil (wake)
It is most appropriate, when family and friends are gathered together for visitation, to offer time for recalling the life of the deceased. For this reason, eulogies are to be offered at the funeral home during visitation, at the Vigil Service, at the conclusion of the committal service or at the reception following the services if one will be held. Eulogies are not permitted within the celebration of the funeral Mass as it does not accommodate non-Liturgical aspects.
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Funeral Mass (Mass of Christian Burial)
At the funeral liturgy, the Church gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ's victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God's tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery. The funeral liturgy, therefore, is an act of worship, and not merely an expression of grief. Masses for the deceased are specifically celebrated for the repose of their soul thus giving the family the added comfort of knowing that their beloved deceased is united with Christ through the Sacrifice of the Mass emphasizing that death is not the end but truly the beginning of new and eternal life.
The funeral Mass is always celebrated in the Church. If the funeral service will not be the Mass of Christian Burial, if the family chooses, it will be held at the funeral home’s chapel (Chapel Service). If the family opts to have only the graveside service, that is permitted but not encouraged.
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Catholic Teaching on Cremation
Although cremation is permitted, Catholic teaching continues to stress the preference for burial or entombment of the body of the deceased. This is done in imitation of the burial of Jesus’ body. “This is the Body once washed in Baptism, anointed with the oil of salvation, and fed with the bread of life. Our identity and self-consciousness as a human person are expressed in and through the body… Thus, the Church’s reverence and care for the body grows out of a reverence and concern for the person whom the Church commends to the care of God. (Committee on the Liturgy, USCCB, 1997)
When cremation is chosen for serious reasons, the following guidelines have been promulgated by the Bishop of our diocese.
1. The body of the deceased should be present for its funeral rites;
2. When circumstances prevent the presence of the body at the funeral liturgy, it is appropriate that the cremated remains of the body be present for the full course of the funeral rites; placed in a worthy vessel on the spot usually occupied by the coffin.
3. As usual, the funeral liturgy should always be celebrated in a church.
4. The cremated remains should be reverently buried or entombed in a cemetery or mausoleum. (The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in home of a relative or friend is not in accord with Church practice.)
5. If at all possible, the place of entombment should be marked with a plaque or stone memorializing the deceased.
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Rite of Committal (Burial or Interment)
The Rite of Committal, the conclusion of the funeral rite, is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. It should normally be celebrated at the place of committal, that is, beside the open grave or place of interment. In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that, with all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. The Rite of Committal is an expression of the communion that exists between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven: the deceased passes with the farewell prayers of the community of believers into the welcoming company of those who need faith no longer, but see God face-to-face. The burial or interment is presided by a priest or a deacon.
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The Funeral Homes that serve our areas
Please note that this information is provided as a courtesy and should not be considered an endorsement by the Catholic Church. They are listed below in alphabetical order:
Myers Funeral Service & Crematory
248 North E Street
Porterville, CA 93257
Tel: (559) 784-5454
For website, click HERE
Porterville Funeral & Cremation Center
765 W. Henderson Ave.
Porterville, CA 93257
Tel: (559) 784-6485
For website, click HERE
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