<p>A mass doesn’t have to be held in a Catholic church, but the body does have to be present in order for the funeral mass to be said. A mass in memory of the deceased can be said without the body present, but not the actual funeral mass … at least, according to the priest at my dad’s parish. We chose not to have a funeral mass for my mom for this reason. She was cremated, and in order to have the mass, we would have had to bring her ashes. We were also told that they had to be in a particular type of container in order to be allowed … and because we planned to scatter her ashes, we did not want to spend money for a fancy jar just to comply with (what I consider to be) a silly rule. Mom had her last rites and Dad prayed over her body with a priest who happened to be at the hospice when she died. We figured God would be cool with that. :)</p>
<p>Kelsmom, <em>like</em></p>
<p>A mass is said in a Catholic Church (includes communion). A service can be held in other places (no communion). A viewing is generally held somewhere else. I’ve been to Rosary services both in the Church and in the funeral home chapel.</p>
<p>^^^I don’t want to start a conversation on Church canons but Mass, with communion, can be said outside a Catholic Church. I’ve seen several examples of this including my uncle, a Catholic priest, who said Mass (with communion) in our living room. Also, our pastor said Mass (with communion) in a German park during a World Youth Day celebration a few years back.</p>
<p>“If we’re so able to vividly remember the worst a man did, can’t we also remember the best?” </p>
<p>…An interesting thought from the end of Rick Reilly’s column mentioned in post #20 above.</p>
<p>Apparently determining the ‘best’ thing, out of so many good things, Paterno did isn’t an easy task. I’m impressed.</p>
<p>
When my S2 received his first Communion, the tradition in our parish was for the pastor to come to the child’s home and say Mass. It was a wonderful experience!</p>
<p>*How come so many CCer’s cannot tell the difference between a public viewing and a private Catholic funeral Mass? *</p>
<p>lol</p>
<p>And, why anyone would think that there wouldn’t have been a Funeral Mass is beyond me.</p>
<p>*and because we planned to scatter her ashes, *</p>
<p>That may have been a family choice, but it’s discouraged of Catholics and not allowed in some dioceses.</p>
<p>*The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. *</p>
<p>Not trying to start a fight about where communion can/cannot be given. Sorry if I upset anyone–but that’s how it’s taught here in CCD. I actually think the difference is in where the location is–ie home, park is ok, another church/chapel not ok. I think someone oversimplified the whole situation for the CCD program.</p>
<p>Mom2M-I think some of the differing opinions are because some of this can be at the discretion of the bishop at that particular diocese (and perhaps the parish priest can be more conservative than the bishop, but on certain matters, not less conservative). I have lived in several states (including PA, but a different diocese), went to Catholic school myself, and my kids have gone thru CCD. There are many bishops whose standard is that a Mass should be held on consecrated ground. I have never heard or been taught that communion has any restrictions (home, hospitals, nursing homes obvious choices). The priest who performed my marriage ceremony stated that he thought it was a reaction to the liberal 60’s/70’s when folks wanted to be married in fields, sporting arenas hot air balloons etc, losing sight of the fact that marriage is one of the seven sacraments. A priest can co-officiate a ceremony outside of a church, but usually not with a Mass.<br>
I am truthfully not aware how “non denominational” chapels fit into that scenario. Another aspect of the Catholic funeral mass is that most often there is no eulogy from family or friends during the mass itself. I have seen some priests fudge this, I have seen family speak at the beginning of the service (before Mass has officially begun) and at the conclusion. With a more conservation priest or bishop, I have seen some families have a non denominational public “service” with speakers, tributes, poems etc with or without a religious aspect, but a private Catholic Mass to honor both aspects of a person’s life and beliefs.</p>
<p>What is required for a Catholic Mass with communion (remember that the bread and wine are consecrated at each Mass) is that it be said at consecrated altar. Often, there is a slab of stone, approx. a foot square that is consecrated by a bishop, that is set into the larger table we call the altar. (Although in some churches, the entire table itself is consecrated). The stone can be removed and carried off to say Mass almost anywhere, and in fact, most parishes and many priests will have a second one that they keep for saying Mass outside a traditional church. This is what a priest would use to say Mass in a family home, on a battlefield, in a mission, etc. This also allows a priest to protect the consecrated alter from infidels ransacking a church. By simply removing the altar stone as he leaves the Church, the altar is no longer consecrated and can not be desecrated. Interestingly, if you remove the alter stone from the larger altar in a church, a priest could not consecrate communion (ie, say a full mass) in the church.</p>
<p>And the discussion continues…I appreciate your indulgence in asking such a question and value the varied experience found here. Thank you for your insight(s).</p>