Writing about funerals at the beginning of this new year may seem a bit depressing, but it has been on my mind for some time now to address general issues surrounding funerals in the church, issues which often come up in conversations with parishioners. In a question and answer format, I would like to attempt to answer some of the most commonly asked queries about funerals and the Church.
Q. Is it okay to have a loved ones body cremated immediately after death, and then bring the cremated remains (in an urn) to the church for a funeral?
A. First of all, a liturgy (with or without mass) where only ashes are present is not considered a funeral. A funeral is celebrated when the body is present. A liturgy without a body or with only the urn of ashes present is called a Memorial Mass or a Memorial Service. The Church prefers and asks Catholics to have a funeral Mass with the body present. There is a great deal of difference between the way we treat the body (which was the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit since baptism) and the way we approach the idea of an urn with ashes. Proof of this is in the fact that we wouldn’t even consider having a casket sitting in our living room for a year or two with a loved one inside, yet many people have urns with the ashes of their loved ones in them on their mantles, basements or in a closet at home. It’s just not the same. For this reason, the Church prefers that even if the family wishes that their deceased loved one be cremated, or if it was the wishes of the deceased to be cremated, the body should be cremated after the funeral liturgy has taken place.
Q. If I do choose to be cremated, does it matter what is done with the ashes?
A. Yes. The Church asks that her children be buried, whether it be ashes or a body in a casket, in consecrated ground. Catholic cemeteries now increasingly offer places of repose for cremation urns that are both dignified and also offer the living loved ones a ‘place’ to go and visit, pray and remember their loved one in the midst of the vast family of Catholic faithful who have gone before them and await resurrection. Rather than being places of morbid sadness, cemeteries are open shrines to our faith in the Resurrection of the dead.
Q. How does a Memorial Mass with ashes present differ from a Funeral Mass with the body present?
A. At a Funeral Mass with the body present,
The casket is brought into the church and is greeted by the celebrant, servers and congregation recalling how the beloved deceased first came into the Church through baptism, recalling our hope in prayer that God will now fulfill his promise of eternal life to the one who has died. The sprinkling of the casket with Holy Water recalls the deceased person’s death and resurrection in Christ through baptism.
The casket is covered with a white pall which symbolizes our baptismal garment, when we were “clothed with the garment of salvation”. It also serves to remind us through its presence throughout the Funeral Liturgy that in the eyes of God we are all the same and does not focus on expensive or economical caskets.
The casket is taken to the foot of the sanctuary and is given a prime place throughout the liturgy. Everyone in attendance at the Mass can participate in the Mass with a remembering eye to the loved one who has died.
At the end of the liturgy, prayers of commendation are said before the casket and Holy Water is sprinkled and the body is incensed by the priest.
Following the conclusion of the Mass and commendation prayers, the casket is taken out of the church in procession and is sprinkled with Holy Water once again after the pall has been removed.
At a Memorial Mass with ashes in an urn,
■ The urn is brought into the church and placed on a suitable table at the front of the church and to the right or left of the sanctuary before the Memorial Mass . There is no greeting of the body, sprinkling with Holy Water, Incense, nor is a pall used. The urn is not to be placed in the center aisle.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT ......
A few times each month of Parish Bulletin will feature an insert entitled "SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT ......",they will feature some facts on the faith which we may have forgotten or can learn for the first time. These are meant not to scold, but encourage. I truly hope they are received in the light in which they are shared - to help us grow in our lives of faith.
"But Father, I get bored at Mass"
I once attended a cricket match in Waterloo. Many people gathered dressed in their finest summer whites and straw hats. The players took their places in the lower field and we, the spectators, sat comfortably in our folding chairs. The games began and I had no clue what was going on. When people cheered, I cheered. I did not know why I was cheering, but I knew that it was the thing to do. Often this can be our experience at Mass. We sometimes know when to sit, when to stand, and when to say "and also with you," but we may not know why we do what we do.
To cure the boredom, one understands what we are engaging in and why we do what we do. It is understanding who is the Eucharist. Some practical things we can do to engage in the Mass are:
1) Pick up a Sunday missal: (The readings are the same all across the world!) It has all the readings for the year and read them before going to Mass. The readings are also found on our website www.stmaryhespeler.ca. Prepare before hand to get the most out of it when you are there.
2) Move from the back pew to the front pew, or at least plan to move one pew forward each Mass. (To have a better "view from the pew, you can know what to do"). Arriving a tad early also gives you time to focus, reflect and pray.
3) Read over and meditate on the Eucharistic prayers: these are the prayers the priest prays over the bread and wine, they are so rich and can help us with our faith lives. Listen for key words that touch you...that way you are not “listening” but “praying”.
4) Check our the religious articles displays at Church, or go to the local Christian bookstore and pick up some reading. There are several books on understanding the Mass. Surf the net and find some articles (i.e. www.vatican.va) Our own website has a number of links also - check it out.
5) Ask Father - sometimes a simple clarification of “why” we do something helps clear things up.
There are many other ways to delve into the mystery of the Holy Mass.
"But Father, I get bored at Mass"
I once attended a cricket match in Waterloo. Many people gathered dressed in their finest summer whites and straw hats. The players took their places in the lower field and we, the spectators, sat comfortably in our folding chairs. The games began and I had no clue what was going on. When people cheered, I cheered. I did not know why I was cheering, but I knew that it was the thing to do. Often this can be our experience at Mass. We sometimes know when to sit, when to stand, and when to say "and also with you," but we may not know why we do what we do.
To cure the boredom, one understands what we are engaging in and why we do what we do. It is understanding who is the Eucharist. Some practical things we can do to engage in the Mass are:
1) Pick up a Sunday missal: (The readings are the same all across the world!) It has all the readings for the year and read them before going to Mass. The readings are also found on our website www.stmaryhespeler.ca. Prepare before hand to get the most out of it when you are there.
2) Move from the back pew to the front pew, or at least plan to move one pew forward each Mass. (To have a better "view from the pew, you can know what to do"). Arriving a tad early also gives you time to focus, reflect and pray.
3) Read over and meditate on the Eucharistic prayers: these are the prayers the priest prays over the bread and wine, they are so rich and can help us with our faith lives. Listen for key words that touch you...that way you are not “listening” but “praying”.
4) Check our the religious articles displays at Church, or go to the local Christian bookstore and pick up some reading. There are several books on understanding the Mass. Surf the net and find some articles (i.e. www.vatican.va) Our own website has a number of links also - check it out.
5) Ask Father - sometimes a simple clarification of “why” we do something helps clear things up.
There are many other ways to delve into the mystery of the Holy Mass.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Haiti - One Year Late - an Update
An Update on Haiti Relief Efforts - one year later
One year ago the eyes of the world were focussed upon the destruction that a 7.0 scale earthquake caused in the island nation of Haiti, and especially its hard-hit capital, Port-au-Prince. In many areas nothing was left but widespread devastation. During the year since that event, as a parish family, we aided, thru the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese. Our own parish was able to send during 2010 a total of $ 23,023.23 in donations to help with direct aid, and also sent 2,348 Haiti Health Kits to the area which were used in Port-au-Prince University Hospital and The Hospital of Peace, Delmas where the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese have for over twenty years been directly involved in the lives of the Haitian people.
Our parish Children’s Ministry and Kids Klub, each, for over three years sponsored children in Haiti thru our parish child sponsorship initiative. We continued this past year to correspond and financially aid Darby, James and Franceska as we sought to effect these lives directly. This time last year, the prayer below was our focus - may we pray it again this week as Haiti continues to rebuild.
Prayer for the People of Haiti
Loving God,
through your Son Jesus,
we are joined with the trials and sufferings of all.
Be with those who endure
the effects of the earthquake in Haiti.
Protect those in the path of danger.
Open the pathway of evacuations.
Help loved ones find one another in the chaos.
Provide assistance to those who need help.
Ease the fears of all
and make your presence known
in the stillness of your peace;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
One year ago the eyes of the world were focussed upon the destruction that a 7.0 scale earthquake caused in the island nation of Haiti, and especially its hard-hit capital, Port-au-Prince. In many areas nothing was left but widespread devastation. During the year since that event, as a parish family, we aided, thru the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese. Our own parish was able to send during 2010 a total of $ 23,023.23 in donations to help with direct aid, and also sent 2,348 Haiti Health Kits to the area which were used in Port-au-Prince University Hospital and The Hospital of Peace, Delmas where the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese have for over twenty years been directly involved in the lives of the Haitian people.
Our parish Children’s Ministry and Kids Klub, each, for over three years sponsored children in Haiti thru our parish child sponsorship initiative. We continued this past year to correspond and financially aid Darby, James and Franceska as we sought to effect these lives directly. This time last year, the prayer below was our focus - may we pray it again this week as Haiti continues to rebuild.
Prayer for the People of Haiti
Loving God,
through your Son Jesus,
we are joined with the trials and sufferings of all.
Be with those who endure
the effects of the earthquake in Haiti.
Protect those in the path of danger.
Open the pathway of evacuations.
Help loved ones find one another in the chaos.
Provide assistance to those who need help.
Ease the fears of all
and make your presence known
in the stillness of your peace;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Pastoral Letter for 2011
Most recently I met with a young couple who were presenting their child for Baptism. They had both been raised Catholic, had attended Catholic school, received the Sacraments but, they admitted, had not been to church in sometime. They wanted to pass on the faith to their child, but they stated, “we don’t know it”. I was touched by their honesty, but also saddened by the reality which they were presenting - “we don’t know it”. We all know people like the young couple. In spite of the genuine and sometimes heroic efforts on the part of parents, teachers and parish religious education programs, we all have to admit that sometimes the first time around, the message simply isn’t heard.
Today, however, there are many opportunities for people to hear again, this time for the first time, who Jesus is, what He accomplished for us and how in the Sacraments of His Church, He is present to us.
Pope Benedict XVI has introduced for us what we call the New Evangelization. It is all about retelling the story, this time awakening a sense of meeting Jesus. Pope Benedict used the word “repropose” to describe the New Evangelization. Somehow in what we do and how we express our faith, we have to be able to repropose our belief in Christ and His Gospel for a hearing among those who are convinced that they already know the faith and it holds no interest for them. We have to invite them to hear it all over again, this time for the first time and see how it is connected to them and to their life.
In 2011, our parish family will be embarking upon a number of efforts toward this New Evangelization. These will build upon the efforts of the past four years to make our Family of Faith a home with “something for everyone” and our recent building efforts to ensure “a place for everyone.” How will we do this ?
First, for each of us personally, our personal prayer life becomes the font of living waters from which we drink as we set out to walk with the Lord in sowing the seeds of the Gospel message. The call to discipleship involves us welcoming Jesus into our everyday lives. We can do this by beginning and ending our days in prayer, by reading Scripture each day and reflecting on how to make it a part of our life and by considering some time in Eucharistic Adoration. We always draw closer to Jesus by faithfully attending Mass each Lord’s Day, and receiving our Lord in the Eucharist - nothing can replace this. We also come closer to Him by accepting His love and mercy regularly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Second, the New Evangelization should overflow into the very society in which we live. Together, our parochial commitment will spread and extend the immense pastoral fruitfulness of the Gospel. Together, as faithful citizens, we must be strong enough to adjust even the cultural climate in our society so that the temperature is right for the new Springtime of which Pope John Paul II spoke so often. Groups in our parish will be asked this year to consider personal outreach efforts which will build upon our current community outreach activities such as Service Saturday, Red Stocking and Blanket Brigade Campaigns. These will help the transformation of culture and help others to see the application of the message of Jesus to serve the common good of humanity.
Third, we have to ensure that “we do know it”.... Recently, while standing in the lobby of a hotel, I was approached by a person whom I had not seen in years. This person chatted me up for a while and then indicated that they had left the Catholic faith. I was saddened to hear of it, and wondered why. They proceeded to tell me about their interpretation of one of the teachings of the Church. As I listened intently I asked them “where did you get that understanding?” - they told me from a family member. Well, I said respectfully, “they were wrong - the Catholic faith has never taught that”. This person seemed shocked when I told them what the actual Church teaching was, and concerned that they had made a life decision without knowing all the facts.
Over the next year, through homiletic efforts, special speakers, a rich Lenten Mission, bulletin inserts and various publications which will be made available, we will try and ensure that “we do know it - our Catholic Faith - for there are many misconceptions, misunderstandings and mistakes which can at times hinder people discovering the powerful message of Jesus found within His Church.
It means looking at all we do through a new lens, it means reaching out in new ways, such as a redesigned website to better engage people with the Church, a new weekly email newsletter to reach parishioners directly, expanded parish blogs and Facebook links, a “Come Home” effort this Lent, and consideration of every program we offer in the parish through the lens of the New Evangelization.
Finally, our new evangelization will become a lived reality if we go back to the root of what we are about as a parish family - the Visitation.
The Visitation is the encounter of the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 1:39-56. Mary, having heard at the Annunciation that Elizabeth was six months pregnant, left her home to visit her. Elizabeth and John the Baptist were inspired by the Holy Spirit at her arrival; and Elizabeth, seeing Mary’s faithfulness, cared for her, giving her the opportunity to nourish the gift of life, Jesus, within her. Mary, surrounded by Elizabeth’s love, pronounced the "Magnificat". It is the second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, with the Spiritual Fruit of a Love of Neighbour.
Thus as a parish community dedicated to Mary, under the title of Our Lady of the Visitation, this Feast reminds us of our call to love our neighbour, to be welcoming and to provide a place for others to grow, nourishing the Lord within them.
As a parish family we will make significant efforts this year toward hospitality, welcoming new members and telling others about our parish family. These will be seen in simple gestures such as “Bring a Friend Sunday”, and also thru your weekly effort to simply welcome visitors and others, making them feel at home (something we already do so very well as a parish family).
Many of those who have fallen away come to have their children baptized, attend meetings for sacramental preparation. They may come to Mass on Christmas and Easter, or on the anniversary of the death of a loved one. I see them on my pastoral rounds. These are moments to invite not to scold. These are times which are, by the power of the Holy Spirit, already made new and contain a summons for us tirelessly to invite and cheerfully to welcome, in a personal and caring way, the return of someone we have missed for a long time so that they may willingly recommit to the Lord. In this way we become an instrument of His presence and action in the world.
The New Evangelization is not a program. It is an outlook on life and a personal invitation to rediscover Christ and His message. In 2011 let us reflect together on how we can renew the Gospel message and Christ’s love, first in our own hearts and then, having grown in our faith, by inviting others to hear once again, maybe all over again for the first time, the exciting invitation of Jesus: “Come, follow me.”This can start with something as simple as participating more in the Sacraments, a direct conversation about Catholicism, offering to pray for someone or inviting a friend to Mass.
How will we accomplish all this ? Well simply put - by God’s grace ! The leaven of all we do always comes from the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Strengthened by the Eucharist, every sacrifice we make participates directly in the Cross of Jesus. Sacrifice is the path to newness. It is the Eucharist that brings newness to human life. The Eucharist strengthens our unity and draws our personal commitment to the Faith. From the Eucharist we gain the strength and readiness to approach inactive Catholics with friendly persistence.
This is a fresh moment for our Family of Faith because it is a new moment in our world. In an increasingly secular and materialistic society, what gives true and lasting meaning and joy is Christ and His message. From the renewal of faith by individual Catholics to their invitation to others to share in the joy and excitement of Christ and His Church comes the possibility of a world transformed.
May Our Lady of the Visitation continue to be our inspiration, model and guide.
Together in the Lord’s Service:
Father F. Freitas,
Pastor
Today, however, there are many opportunities for people to hear again, this time for the first time, who Jesus is, what He accomplished for us and how in the Sacraments of His Church, He is present to us.
Pope Benedict XVI has introduced for us what we call the New Evangelization. It is all about retelling the story, this time awakening a sense of meeting Jesus. Pope Benedict used the word “repropose” to describe the New Evangelization. Somehow in what we do and how we express our faith, we have to be able to repropose our belief in Christ and His Gospel for a hearing among those who are convinced that they already know the faith and it holds no interest for them. We have to invite them to hear it all over again, this time for the first time and see how it is connected to them and to their life.
In 2011, our parish family will be embarking upon a number of efforts toward this New Evangelization. These will build upon the efforts of the past four years to make our Family of Faith a home with “something for everyone” and our recent building efforts to ensure “a place for everyone.” How will we do this ?
First, for each of us personally, our personal prayer life becomes the font of living waters from which we drink as we set out to walk with the Lord in sowing the seeds of the Gospel message. The call to discipleship involves us welcoming Jesus into our everyday lives. We can do this by beginning and ending our days in prayer, by reading Scripture each day and reflecting on how to make it a part of our life and by considering some time in Eucharistic Adoration. We always draw closer to Jesus by faithfully attending Mass each Lord’s Day, and receiving our Lord in the Eucharist - nothing can replace this. We also come closer to Him by accepting His love and mercy regularly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Second, the New Evangelization should overflow into the very society in which we live. Together, our parochial commitment will spread and extend the immense pastoral fruitfulness of the Gospel. Together, as faithful citizens, we must be strong enough to adjust even the cultural climate in our society so that the temperature is right for the new Springtime of which Pope John Paul II spoke so often. Groups in our parish will be asked this year to consider personal outreach efforts which will build upon our current community outreach activities such as Service Saturday, Red Stocking and Blanket Brigade Campaigns. These will help the transformation of culture and help others to see the application of the message of Jesus to serve the common good of humanity.
Third, we have to ensure that “we do know it”.... Recently, while standing in the lobby of a hotel, I was approached by a person whom I had not seen in years. This person chatted me up for a while and then indicated that they had left the Catholic faith. I was saddened to hear of it, and wondered why. They proceeded to tell me about their interpretation of one of the teachings of the Church. As I listened intently I asked them “where did you get that understanding?” - they told me from a family member. Well, I said respectfully, “they were wrong - the Catholic faith has never taught that”. This person seemed shocked when I told them what the actual Church teaching was, and concerned that they had made a life decision without knowing all the facts.
Over the next year, through homiletic efforts, special speakers, a rich Lenten Mission, bulletin inserts and various publications which will be made available, we will try and ensure that “we do know it - our Catholic Faith - for there are many misconceptions, misunderstandings and mistakes which can at times hinder people discovering the powerful message of Jesus found within His Church.
It means looking at all we do through a new lens, it means reaching out in new ways, such as a redesigned website to better engage people with the Church, a new weekly email newsletter to reach parishioners directly, expanded parish blogs and Facebook links, a “Come Home” effort this Lent, and consideration of every program we offer in the parish through the lens of the New Evangelization.
Finally, our new evangelization will become a lived reality if we go back to the root of what we are about as a parish family - the Visitation.
The Visitation is the encounter of the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 1:39-56. Mary, having heard at the Annunciation that Elizabeth was six months pregnant, left her home to visit her. Elizabeth and John the Baptist were inspired by the Holy Spirit at her arrival; and Elizabeth, seeing Mary’s faithfulness, cared for her, giving her the opportunity to nourish the gift of life, Jesus, within her. Mary, surrounded by Elizabeth’s love, pronounced the "Magnificat". It is the second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, with the Spiritual Fruit of a Love of Neighbour.
Thus as a parish community dedicated to Mary, under the title of Our Lady of the Visitation, this Feast reminds us of our call to love our neighbour, to be welcoming and to provide a place for others to grow, nourishing the Lord within them.
As a parish family we will make significant efforts this year toward hospitality, welcoming new members and telling others about our parish family. These will be seen in simple gestures such as “Bring a Friend Sunday”, and also thru your weekly effort to simply welcome visitors and others, making them feel at home (something we already do so very well as a parish family).
Many of those who have fallen away come to have their children baptized, attend meetings for sacramental preparation. They may come to Mass on Christmas and Easter, or on the anniversary of the death of a loved one. I see them on my pastoral rounds. These are moments to invite not to scold. These are times which are, by the power of the Holy Spirit, already made new and contain a summons for us tirelessly to invite and cheerfully to welcome, in a personal and caring way, the return of someone we have missed for a long time so that they may willingly recommit to the Lord. In this way we become an instrument of His presence and action in the world.
The New Evangelization is not a program. It is an outlook on life and a personal invitation to rediscover Christ and His message. In 2011 let us reflect together on how we can renew the Gospel message and Christ’s love, first in our own hearts and then, having grown in our faith, by inviting others to hear once again, maybe all over again for the first time, the exciting invitation of Jesus: “Come, follow me.”This can start with something as simple as participating more in the Sacraments, a direct conversation about Catholicism, offering to pray for someone or inviting a friend to Mass.
How will we accomplish all this ? Well simply put - by God’s grace ! The leaven of all we do always comes from the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Strengthened by the Eucharist, every sacrifice we make participates directly in the Cross of Jesus. Sacrifice is the path to newness. It is the Eucharist that brings newness to human life. The Eucharist strengthens our unity and draws our personal commitment to the Faith. From the Eucharist we gain the strength and readiness to approach inactive Catholics with friendly persistence.
This is a fresh moment for our Family of Faith because it is a new moment in our world. In an increasingly secular and materialistic society, what gives true and lasting meaning and joy is Christ and His message. From the renewal of faith by individual Catholics to their invitation to others to share in the joy and excitement of Christ and His Church comes the possibility of a world transformed.
May Our Lady of the Visitation continue to be our inspiration, model and guide.
Together in the Lord’s Service:
Father F. Freitas,
Pastor
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year
PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
Loving and Eternal God,
every good gift comes from You.
As we begin this New Year,
grant us unwavering faith,
constant hope, and love that endures.
Give order to our days, peace in our work,
everlasting happiness in our families,
and joy in our walk of faith.
Amen.
Mary, Mother of God
On New Year’s Day, we celebrate the beginning of a new calendar year. The Church has established it as the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. Who better than the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a model for our beginning a New Year? Our Blessed Lady was the one whose freely-given consent allowed the plan of God to unfold. It was she who always centered her life on the Son to whom she had given birth.
The Blessed Virgin Mary has always had a special place in the life of the Church. She is honoured not only for the unique privileges accorded her by God Himself, but also for her personal faith response to the Lord’s Will for her. She remains Mother of God and Mother of the Church. May the pattern of her faith be an inspiration for our lives and growth as a parish.
Loving and Eternal God,
every good gift comes from You.
As we begin this New Year,
grant us unwavering faith,
constant hope, and love that endures.
Give order to our days, peace in our work,
everlasting happiness in our families,
and joy in our walk of faith.
Amen.
Mary, Mother of God
On New Year’s Day, we celebrate the beginning of a new calendar year. The Church has established it as the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. Who better than the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a model for our beginning a New Year? Our Blessed Lady was the one whose freely-given consent allowed the plan of God to unfold. It was she who always centered her life on the Son to whom she had given birth.
The Blessed Virgin Mary has always had a special place in the life of the Church. She is honoured not only for the unique privileges accorded her by God Himself, but also for her personal faith response to the Lord’s Will for her. She remains Mother of God and Mother of the Church. May the pattern of her faith be an inspiration for our lives and growth as a parish.
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