O God, by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, bless this grave, and send your holy angel to watch over it. As we bury here the body of our brother/sister, deliver his/her soul from every bond of sin, that he/she may rejoice in you with your saints for ever. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R⁄ Amen.
The priest will usually lead everyone present in reciting different prayers at various points in the funeral, and read out specific sections of the Bible. This usually includes readings from: the Old Testament, the first part of the Bible. the Book of Psalms, a specific part of the Old Testament.
Catholic Funeral Prayers
The Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be are common prayers recited at funerals. The Prayer for the Dead and Prayer for the Mourners are traditional to recite at funerals.
Catholic funeral services, when performed in a church, are often done in the form of a Requiem Mass. This resembles a regular Catholic Mass in that the presiding priest performs the ritual of Holy Communion, but with several important differences.
Priests lead the Funeral Mass, and may also lead the funeral liturgy (service). If a priest is not available, deacons may lead the funeral liturgy. If a deacon is not available, a layperson with knowledge of the liturgy and traditions may lead the service.
With generally no eulogies permitted at Catholic funerals, and homilies serving as the exclusive purview of the priest or deacon leading a funeral Mass, it may feel like there is no room for loved ones to speak during a Catholic funeral.
What Is a Receiving Line or Family Line Up at a Funeral? At some visitations, family members stand in a line to “receive,” or greet the guests. It's polite to thank people for taking the time to honor the deceased. Having a receiving line ensures that each visitor is acknowledged.
What is a Mass intention? Mass intentions are requests by relatives and/or friends for particular weekday or Sunday Mass to be offered for the repose of the soul of a deceased person. Mass intentions may also be requested for the living. Only one person may be prayed for as a Mass intention at each mass.
Almighty God, grant us, with all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, the fullness of life in your eternal and ever-lasting glory, and, with all your saints, to receive the crown of life promised to all who share in the victory of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one ...
Almighty God, we rejoice in your promise of love, joy and peace. In your mercy turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life, and the sorrow of parting into the joy of heaven; through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who died, rose again and lives for evermore. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her. May he/she rest in peace. Amen. May almighty God bless us with his peace and strength, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Priest prays: “May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” We respond: Amen. The Priest or the Deacon then says: “The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” We respond: Thanks be to God.
The priest, in his part of the Lord's Prayer, which is technically called an embolism, proclaims: “Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, / graciously grant peace in our days, / that, by the help of your mercy, / we may be always free from sin. . . .” These words that come immediately before the Sign of Peace flow ...
OPENING WORDS:
Family and friends, I welcome you into this gathering which is made sacred with the spirit of love and friendship you bring to this gathering.
For your opening statement, introduce yourself and who you were to the deceased. For example: “Hello everyone, for those of you that don't know me, I'm Jim and I'm Flora's oldest grandchild.” “Hi everybody, as Lisa just mentioned, my name is Tracey, and Anthony was my best friend from the age of 5.”
1. The deceased's religious leader. In many communities, the deceased's priest, pastor, rabbi, or minister writes and gives the eulogy at the funeral. If the religious leader knew the deceased personally, he or she would probably add personal stories, especially those that tell the story of the person's faith.
If you're unsure how to end your eulogy, finish with a simple goodbye, or a thank you for the memories you shared. You might choose to use traditional phrases like 'rest in peace' or 'sleep well'. Or you can use something less formal, like a greeting or joke you used to share with the person who has died.
The rationale is that eulogies are often considered the centrepiece of the service, and therefore detract from the mass and its central message, which is the Christian meaning of death.
After proclaiming the Gospel at Mass, the Deacon or Priests kisses the text and whisper: "May the words of the Gospel wipe away our sins". This prayer is a reminder that Christ, the living Word who speaks to us in the words of the Gospels, saves us from sin.
Gracious God, hope of those who call to you,
we pray for our sisters and brothers who are approaching the end of life. Help us to be of comfort to them in their last earthly hours. May they experience freedom from distress, spiritual healing, and true consolation and trust in you.
Yes, it is possible for your grave in a non-Catholic cemetery to be blessed either by a priest or by a deacon. This would typically occur when the mortal remains of either you or your wife are placed in the grave, whichever one of should fall asleep in the Lord first.