All Souls' Day
/All Souls’ Day
2 November 2025
All Souls’ Day Masses this weekend are Memorial Masses whose characteristics are much like that of a funeral, the difference being that there is no body of a deceased person present in these Masses. But the Scripture selections, prayers, and symbolism are much the same as in a funeral. The Church’s Sacred Liturgy contains her doctrine and it is an instrument by which the Church’s belief is transmitted. This transmission of doctrine in the sacred liturgy does not take place in some didactic way, as if the liturgy is like being in a classroom. Rather, the Church’s liturgical rites transmit her doctrine by means of forming a culture in which we naturally receive, or are shaped in, the Church’s faith. Thus, with the rare occurrence of All Souls’ Day replacing the normal weekend Masses, I want to highlight some of the Church’s theology and liturgical practice surrounding funerals, contrasting it with some problematic cultural practices surrounding funerals. I think this is a timely and necessary sermon topic given some cultural trends surrounding death and funerals. I want to emphasize that when I raise examples of popular trends that should be avoided by a catholic, I am not making fun of anyone or intending to indict anyone for past funeral choices. My duty is to instruct you here and now so that there is better information for the future. Obviously, I am only referring to Catholic funerals and practices. Other groups who are not catholic might have different practices and are not bound by catholic practice.
“In the face of death, the Church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity” (Order of Christian Funerals, Praenotanda, 1). “The proclamation of Jesus Christ… is at the center of the Church’s life” (ibid., Praenotanda, 2). This proclamation of Christ and his victory over death is also at the heart of the funeral rites of the Catholic Church. “Christians celebrate the funeral rites to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God” (ibid., Praenotanda, 5).
With this summary theology in mind, and since the Church is always seeking to proclaim Jesus Christ, a catholic funeral has two main focuses. First, in charity and mercy the Church prays for the deceased person, so that he or she be purified of sin and able to enter heaven. This is a charity that we ourselves will count on one day. Second, the catholic funeral also seeks to bring consolation to the family and friends of the deceased for whom grief can be a time of testing and doubt. A catholic funeral is never primarily about the life of the deceased person. It is primarily about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If a funeral is a celebration of anyone’s life, it is a celebration of the life of Jesus Christ and then, secondarily, how the life of the deceased person participated in the life of Jesus. Thus, terms such as “Requiem Mass” or “Funeral Mass” or “Mass of Christian Burial” better describe a catholic funeral than does the tendency to refer to a funeral as a “celebration of life” or a “celebration of the deceased”.
There are certain customs of culture that may have a place at a catholic funeral, but it is important to remember that the funeral rites are the Church’s ritual. It is the Church who owns it, and not the person receiving the ritual. Thus, funerals are the Church’s ritual, expressing her authentic Christian faith, and are not the property of any one person who might prefer to cater a funeral to his or her own preferences. There are trends in the funeral industry and in funeral ceremony planning that should not be part of a catholic funeral. Here are some real-life examples that I have encountered: The funeral is not a time to play the deceased person’s favorite Sinatra song or the fight song from their college alma mater. It is not a place to bring in a vaguely spiritual sounding song that appears on a Josh Groban album. The catholic funeral is not the place to wear the jersey of the deceased’s favorite sports team or to place cremated remains in a tackle box because “he really loved fishing”.
It needs to be said that we don’t presume to know in most cases that a deceased person is already in heaven. We might say they are “free of their burdens” or that they are “in the hands of God” or that they “have entered eternity”. But to claim that they have already successfully passed judgment and are in heaven is a rather bold claim that should be avoided in most cases. You can understand how superficial that claim is when I highlight the opposite claim as a joke: Have you ever been to a funeral where someone said the deceased is in hell? Yeah, I’m still waiting too! We do not know the state of a person’s soul. But we have hope for the soul because of God’s tremendous love and mercy. When we adopt an erroneous theology that claims a person is already and automatically in heaven, we are also undercutting the urgency to pray for the deceased. Why would I pray for someone’s repose if he or she is already in heaven? We, Catholics, pray for the deceased. The custom of having Mass intentions scheduled through the office for a deceased person should be part of our culture. The Holy Mass is the highest prayer we have, by which the sacrifice of Christ for our salvation is made present to us. Thus, it is a great honor and, more importantly, a great spiritual value to have a Mass offered for deceased family and friends. In your own funeral plans, you might instruct the executor of your will to have a certain number of Masses offered for your repose from the estate. In addition, you should expressly state your desire for a Catholic funeral that reflects your faith. This is especially helpful if your survivors are not practicing catholics. Another claim that should be avoided, a claim you often hear when someone dies, is that the person has become an angel. When someone dies, you might hear the comment “heaven has gained another angel”. That is not a true statement and it is contrary to Catholic teaching and contrary to logic. We human beings are our own proper being as body and soul. Death does not mean we become a different level of being. In other words, we do not go higher to become angels. In a similar way, we do not go lower to become animals after death. And, thanks be to God for that!
The issue of cremation needs some clarity. From the funeral ritual we read: “Although cremation is now permitted by the Church, it does not enjoy the same value as burial of the body. The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites” (ibid., Praenotanda, 413). This preference is motivated by honoring the body which, in baptism, had been made a temple of the Holy Spirit. There are signs in the funeral ritual showing the Church’s preference that the body be present: only a body in the casket is vested with the pall, the large cloth that recalls baptism, which is placed over a casket at the beginning of the funeral Mass. Cremated remains do not receive the pall. This is easily understood because only a body is vested; ashes are not vested. Where there is some compelling reason to choose cremation, and there may be reasons, and provided that cremation is not chosen as a sign of rejecting our faith in the resurrection of the body, you might consider the option that funeral homes now provide: namely, you can make use of a temporary casket for the funeral Mass, permitting the body to be present at the Mass, and have cremation after the Mass with burial to follow as soon as possible. This is also a good place for me to note that proper disposition of the body or cremated remains is required for a catholic funeral. The body, of course, demands prompt burial. When we are dealing with cremated remains there must be a specific plan for proper burial or entombment. While some delay in burial may be understandable in certain cases, one may not keep ashes. Scattering of ashes is also not permissible for a catholic funeral. Ashes should not be separated with portions given to survivors for keeping. The entirety of the ashes must be put in a burial place. This might surprise you, but it is a real trend: It is also unacceptable to have cremated remains compressed into shapes, turning them into jewelry or decorations.
I wanted to say more about why there is no Gloria at a funeral Mass, the special candles, the color of vestments, and why the altar is not vested in black, but this sermon was getting too long. Maybe I will put out a document that explains more.
In conclusion, we want what is most important to be clearly visible at our funeral rites: our faith in Jesus Christ risen from the dead. With that focus, we then observe a funeral in hope based on the generous mercy of the Lord and so we pray for the healing of sin for the deceased and the final entrance into Heaven. There is sadness when someone dies, rightly so in many cases. But there can also be joy in focusing on what should truly matter to us as Catholics, a life well-lived in the Lord. That should inspire our living right now, so that we are prepared for that day that comes to us all when we shall pass from this life to the next.
[Let’s pray now the Eternal Rest prayer for the deceased]