Why Have a Christian Funeral? │ by Deacon Marc
Why Have a Christian Funeral?
Unfortunately, in the world today too many of our children and grandchildren have left the Catholic faith. The pressures of this modern world on our young people are enormous. It is important for all to regularly pray and ask for St. Monica’s intercession to help bring these family members back to the Church. We have a great opportunity at funerals to help family members who have left the Church, come back to the Church when they experience the beauty in the Order of Christian Funerals. At the same time, I all too often have conversations with individuals who have lost a parent that do not want to have a Catholic Mass for their mother or father. At times, they do not want any part of the Order of Christian Funerals. Often they tell me that they are no longer Catholic and don’t feel like they need the Mass or other services. It is at that point I need to remind them of the reasons we have funerals. I need to further remind them that the funeral is not just for the living, but for the loved one who passed away.
While there are many reasons we have funerals, there are four primary reasons the Church has funerals. First, we have funerals to praise God. In this time of need, we come back to the Creator and praise Him for creating us and our loved one with love. Secondly, we thank God for His mercy and love. It is His mercy and love that gives us hope in ever lasting life. At the funeral, we are reminded of God’s mercy and love by giving thanks for this love and the life of our deceased loved one. Third, we pray for our deceased loved ones’ 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 on 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 both for the graces the deceased receives and the opportunity to pray for the loved one who passed away. Finally, we have funerals to fill the void of loss with faith. When we lose an someone we love, there is a void in our life. Too often we try to fill that void in unhealthy and potentially harmful ways. The funeral allows us to come together as a community and fill that void with the love of God.
While there are many other reasons we have funerals, this is why it is important to have a Catholic Funeral. While many experience the disappointment and pain of their children leaving the faith, it is important for us to make it clear to our children, family, and friends, that we want a Catholic funeral for the graces and gifts it provides to ourselves and those attending our funeral. One way to do this is to pre-plan your funeral arrangements in advance. Your parish and the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services can help you in planning the various aspects of your funeral and cemetery services. This is a beautiful gift you can give your family to help them fill the void of loss with faith.
Deacon Marc Nestorick
Outreach Manager
Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
For more information, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/services/funeral/
