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DEATH AND DYING FOR CATHOLICS
Changing Attitudes
We live in a rapidly changing world. Lifestyles, values and attitudes to so
many things have undergone much change. As a result, it is not surprising that
some people's attitudes toward death have changed.
Our Faith is
Unchanging
Our faith teaches us that death is not the end of our existence. Through Christ,
we have been raised to the dignity of children of God. Our vocation is Eternal
Lire with God. As Catholics we respect the body created by God to house the
soul while on earth.
But there are
Liturgical Changes
In recent years, the Church has sought to emphasize the positive aspects of
death. This is done, for example, by the use of white vestments and the white
pall instead of black, and the Paschal Candle, the symbol of the Resurrection.
Some People Do Not
Share Our Beliefs
In our pluralistic society there are those who di not share our beliefs
concerning death. Quite often, secular attitudes can influence our thinking
actions. These attitudes often conflict with Catholic doctrine and practice.
The Rite of the
Anointing
This sacrament confers upon the sick and the dying the Grace of the Holy
Spirit and restores health to many. If death occurs, the Funeral Service in the
Catholic tradition emphasizes that death is not the end of our existence but
the beginning of Eternal Life with the Risen Christ. The Funeral Service
Celebrates the Hope of Paradise.
What to Do At the
Time of Death
The parish priest should be called for the Rite of Anointing if this has not
already been administered. The Priest will counsel the family in the
appropriate Catholic Funeral arrangements. The family should them consult a
Funeral Director who will attend to all the actual funeral arrangements.
The Prayer Service
The death of a member of a parish is a sorrow for all the members as well as
for the bereaved family. In the Prayer Service the evening before the Funeral,
the members of the parish community publicly affirm their belief in God and and
the Resurrection as they pray together for their departed brother or sister. If
they so wish, they may look for the last time on their friend or relative. The
bereaved are supported by the prayers and the presence of their fellow
parishioners and other friends in their time of need.
The Funeral Mass
The Funeral Mass is the central act which unites the believing community
with God. The community is gathered together solemnly to recall that Christ, by
enduring death, won for us the hope of Eternal Life. The community celebrates
the passing of the deceased to that Eternal Life. Those assisting at the Mass
give witness to their belief in the Resurrection.
Cremation
The Western Church has discouraged cremation mainly
because it has often been associated with hostility to Christian teaching and
especially with denial of the doctrine of the Resurrection. Even today,
cremation is often associated with a secular spirit alien to the Christian way
of life.
The Catholic Cemetery
The Catholic Cemetery has a special role because it
reflects the doctrine and liturgy of the Church. The Christian belief in the
Resurrection is affirmed in the practice of burial. In the Catholic cemetery,
the community of those who share the same faith is maintained.  |
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