The death of a loved one is a time of sorrow and profound grief. It is also a time when our Christian faith in the Resurrection of Christ can offer great comfort and allow us to experience grace in the midst of sadness. The prayerful rituals of the Catholic Church at the time of death are meant to bring hope and consolation to family members and friends even as they commend the soul of the deceased person to the loving mercy of God.
The funeral Mass is the normal way the Catholic Church commemorates a person’s death. At the funeral Mass, family, friends, and parishioners gather to pray for the deceased and for the deceased person’s family and friends using scripture readings, prayers, and special rites. Funerals at the Cathedral, Saint Boniface and Saint Joseph may take place Monday-Saturday at 10 am.
The Church does permit cremation although it does not accord it the same value as burial of the body. And even in the case when cremation is going to take place, the Church has a strong and clear preference for bringing the body of the deceased to the Church for the funeral and delaying the cremation until afterwards. The reason for this is set forth in the Church’s Order for Christian Funerals: “The Christian faithful are unequivocally confronted by the mystery of life and death when they are faced with the presence of the body of one who has died... The body was once washed in the waters of baptism, anointed with the oil of salvation, and fed with the Bread of life. The presence of the body brings forcefully to mind the Church’s conviction that the human body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, destined for future glory at the resurrection of the dead.”
If the deceased has already been cremated, the cremated remains, enclosed in a worthy container or urn, are brought to the Church for the funeral. After the funeral, they are buried in the ground or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The Church does not allow the practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or of keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased. Such practices do not properly honor the dignity of the human body.
Normally, one of the priests of the Cathedral presides at the funeral Mass, and onf of our deacons presides at the Vigil. There are exceptions, however; for instance, if the family of the deceased has a priest or a deacon who is a relative or a very close friend, he might be asked to preside with the approval of the Rector. All clercs from outside the Diocese of Sioux City have to present a letter of good standing from their superior before they can preside or concelebrate at any Cathedral Parish liturgies.
Members of the family are encouraged to participate actively in the funeral. There are a number of ways for them to be involved. Some family members usually meet with one of the Cathedral priests to plan the funeral. Then, prior to the service, family members are present in the church to welcome friends to the celebration. They can also choose the pallbearers or even serve as pallbearers. They almost always place the funeral pall (a reminder of the white garment received at baptism) over the casket at the beginning of the liturgy. Family members can also proclaim the readings from the scriptures and present the gifts of bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist. In the case of a funeral when the cremated remains are present, a family member usually carries the urn in the procession.
A “memorial Mass” is a funeral celebrated in those exceptional cases when it is not possible for the remains of the deceased, whether in a casket or an urn, to be present. Please contact our office to organize Memoral Masses.