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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. Christ 'achieved his task of
redeeming humanity and giving perfect glory to God, principally by the paschal
mystery of his blessed passion, resurrection from the dead, and glorious
ascension.'
At the death
of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of baptism and
strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the
deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end nor does it
break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and
consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting word of God and the
sacrament of the Eucharist.
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,
the author of life and the hope of the just. The Mass, the memorial of Christ's
death and resurrection, is the principal celebration of the Christian funeral.
The Church through its funeral rites commends the dead to God's merciful love
and pleads for the forgiveness of their sins. At the funeral rites, especially
at the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice, the Christian community
affirms and expresses the union of the Church on earth with the Church in
heaven in the one great communion of saints. Though separated from the living,
the dead are still at one with the community of believers on earth and benefit
from their prayers and intercession. At the rite of final commendation and
farewell, the community acknowledges the reality of separation and commends the
deceased to God. In this way it recognises the spiritual bond that still exists
between the living and the dead and proclaims its belief that all the faithful
will be raised up and reunited in the new heavens and a new earth, where death
will be no more.
The Order of Christian Funerals makes provision for the minister, in
consultation with the family, to choose those rites and texts that are most
suitable to the situation: those that most closely apply to the needs of the
mourners, the circumstances of the death, and the customs of the local
Christian community. The minister and family may be assisted in the choice of a
rite or rites by the reflections preceding each rite or group of rites.
Table of Contents:
Decree of Episcopal
Conferences
Editorial Note
Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship
General Introduction
Part 1: Funeral Rites
Vigil and Related Rites and Prayers
1. Prayers
2. Vigil for the
Deceased
3. Related Rites
Funeral Liturgy
4. Funeral Mass
5. Funeral Liturgy
outside Mass
Rite of Committal
6. Rite of Committal at
a Cemetery
7. Rite of Committal at
a Cemetery with Final Commendation
8. Rite of Committal for
Burial
9. Rite of Committal at
a Crematorium
10. Rite of Committal at
a Crematorium with Final Commendation
11. Rite of Committal
for Cremation
12. Rite for the Burial
of Ashes
Part 2: Funeral Rites for Children Vigil
13. Vigil for a Deceased
Child
Funeral Liturgy
14. Funeral Mass
15. Funeral Liturgy
outside Mass
Rite of Committal
16. Rite of Committal at
a Cemetery
17. Rite of Committal at
a Cemetery with Final Commendation
18. Rite of Committal
for Burial
19. Rite of Committal at
a Crematorium
20. Rite of Committal at
a Crematorium with Final Commendation
21. Rite of Committal
for Cremation
22. Rite of Committal
for an Infant
Part 3: Gunerals for
Catechumens: Guidelines and Texts
23. Prayers and Texts
for Catechumens
Part 4: Office for the
Dead
24. Morning Prayer
25. Evening Prayer
Part 5: Additional Texts
26. Prayers and Psalms
in Particular Circumstances
Prayers for the Dead
Prayers for the Mourners
Processional Psalms
Appendix: Ordo
Exsequiarum, 1969, Introduction
Edition: Hardback
Pages: 437
Size: 8 ¼” x 11 ¾”