At the funerals of its children, the church confidently celebrates Christ’s Paschal mystery. Its intention is that those who by baptism were made one body with the dear and risen Christ may with him pass from death to life.” (“Order of Funerals,” Vatican, 1969)

WHO MAY BE REFUSED CHURCH FUNERALS?
(a) Unless they have given some signs of repentance before their death, the following are to be deprived of ecclesiastical funeral rites:

(1) notorious apostates, heretics and schismatics;
(2) persons who have chosen cremation of their bodies for reasons opposed to the Christian faith;
(3) other manifest sinners for whom ecclesiastical (Church) funeral rites cannot be granted without public scandal to the faithful.

(b) If some doubt should arise, the local ordinary (Bishop or the Vicar General in the absence of the Bishop) is to be consulted, and his judgement to be followed (Canon 1184).

WHEN ARE FUNERALS ALLOWED?
In keeping with the 1969 “Order of Funerals,” funerals should be avoided during the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday), on Solemnities (e.g. Christmas, Ascension, Assumption, etc.). Also, funerals ought not to take place on a Sunday, which should be reserved for the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection.

TYPES OF FUNERALS
Funeral Mass should be celebrated at the Pastor’s discretion; too often a Requiem Mass is seen as magic for some. A community of faith should be present lest there be inattentiveness and restlessness on the part of (sometimes predominantly Protestant) participants. Another gauge as to the advisability of a Mass is the appreciation of the Mass in the life of the deceased. “To pull out the stops” for a non-church-going Catholic is to reduce the Mass to magic and to trivialise this most important form of Catholic worship. 

A beautifully celebrated Liturgy of the Word can be most effective in these islands where very many mourners have no clue as to the significance of the celebration of the Paschal Mystery.The type of funeral must be explained to the bereaved by the Pastor with great sensitivity; sentimentalism, however, cannot rule the day; the norms of liturgy should prevail.

HOMILY OR EULOGY?
The homily should be brief and, based on the readings, should dwell more on God’s compassionate love and on the dying and rising of the Lord Jesus, the “first fruit” of the Resurrection. If the deceased was known for his/her faithful love of God and Church, then by al means weave into the homily such Christian values. “There is never to be a eulogy,” states explicitly the “Order of Christian Funerals” (1969). This is the law of the Universal Church which the Diocese follows. However, before the actual funeral service, there is allowed a period of bereavement and remembrance CONDUCTED BY THE LAITY AT WHICH A EULOGY MAY BE GIVEN. This is not a part of the official funeral service, and should not be long.

PLANNING OF THE FUNERAL LITURGY
Although the family of the deceased should be invited to give their input into the planning of the liturgy, they must bear in mind that a church-related liturgy is bound to follow certain liturgical norms. The Pastor, sensitive to the wishes of the bereaved, has the final word as to the liturgical suitability of certain things or practices requested.SUNDAY OBLIGATION:A Requiem on a Saturday does NOT replace the weekend obligation toparticipate at the Parish Mass