Funerals & Cemeteries Articles
By Father Eric Ouellette
Respect for the Dead in the Catholic Church, Part 2
Nov 1, 2026
Funerals are an opportunity for us to remember our hope in God’s promise of eternal life. So many of the prayers which are offered during the funeral Mass are focused on being united with God, and asking God to welcome the deceased into His kingdom. That being said, we don’t canonize anyone at their funeral. Instead, there are numerous references to the mercy and forgiveness of God, as we ask Him to wash away any sins of the deceased. In this way the Church strives to recognize both our hope for the joy of God’s heavenly kingdom, and the limits of our human nature.
In addition to the prayers which are spoken, there are numerous signs and symbols of our faith, meant to remind us of these realities. At the beginning of the Mass, the casket is sprinkled with holy water, and covered with a white cloth. These are meant to remind us of the sacrament of Baptism. At our baptism we are washed with water and clothed in a white baptismal gown to show that our sins have been washed away. And at a funeral, we are praying for the deceased to once again be washed of any sins, and to be known as a child of God. In the front of the church we have the paschal candle, representing the light of Christ. This candle is blessed at the Easter vigil, and is lit for every baptism and funeral to show that we are always connected with Christ. It expresses our hope that we will be united with Christ in His resurrection. Additionally, we use incense at several points throughout the funeral as a visible sign of our prayers rising up to God.
Of course, the pinnacle of any Mass is always the Eucharist. And at a Funeral Mass there is often a specific mention of the deceased, asking that they will be united with Christ in His resurrection. All of this points to our faith in God, and His goodness. The funeral isn’t just about mourning the dead, it is about worshiping God and maintaining hope even in the midst of grief. It is a reminder to us of the promise of eternal life, and an opportunity for us to offer prayer on behalf of the deceased. We commend them to God’s merciful love, and entrust them to His care.
Respect for the Dead in the Catholic Church, Part 1
Oct 25, 2026
Death is something that I encounter a lot as a priest. From visiting people who are sick and dying, to the celebration of funerals, to burials, to offering Masses for those who have died, it’s a large part of what I do. Fortunately, I don’t need to come up with the right words all on my own. The Catholic Church has many rituals already in place, rooted in our belief of the goodness of our bodies, the reality of eternal life, and the hope in the resurrection. Over the course of the next few weeks, I would like to share some musings with you about these different rituals, what they mean, and why we have them.
To start off, I want to highlight the beliefs that these rituals are rooted in. First, we believe our bodies are a gift from God, and an essential part of who we are. Because of this, we are called to treat out bodies with respect and dignity. This means caring for the health of our bodies while we are alive, as well as treating the bodies of the dead with care and respect. Second, our belief in eternal life means that we celebrate these rituals in a spirit of hope. This hope inspires us to pray for the dead, asking for God to pour out His mercy and grace, in order to wash away any sins that they may have committed, and to welcome them into the kingdom of heaven where we hope to meet them again one day. Finally, our belief in the resurrection of the dead means that we believe that our mortal bodies will be raised on the last day. So, all of our rituals surrounding death point towards this reality, that we believe our bodies will continue to be a gift from God and an essential part of who we are, even into eternal life. These beliefs form the foundation for everything that we do for those who have died. They shape our funerals, our burials, our cemeteries, and our prayers. I hope that going through some of the rituals of the Church can be an opportunity to explore these beliefs, and what they mean for our faith.