Who can have a Catholic Funeral...

[Michie]

That seems to be the question of the hour in my email, and thankfully, Deacon Greg has a helpful post on the subject:

Because of its public nature the Church’s public intercession for a departed soul is more limited. A funeral Mass can be celebrated for most Catholics, but there are some specific cases in which canon law requires the denial of a funeral Mass.

Canons 1184-1185 say:
“Canon 1184 §1. Unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals:


1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics;

2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith;


3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.

Ҥ2. If any doubt occurs, the local ordinary is to be consulted, and his judgment must be followed.

“Canon 1185. Any funeral Mass must also be denied a person who is excluded from ecclesiastical funerals.”

In fact, these strictures are rarely applied. In part, this is because many sinners do show signs of repentance before death.

Likewise, the canons are open to some interpretation. In No. 1184 §1 notorious would mean publicly known. Therefore someone who had abandoned the faith and joined some other group would be denied a funeral; someone who harbored private doubts or disagreements would not.
​

There’s lots more, if you want it, here.

Who can have a Catholic Funeral & more The Anchoress | A First Things Blog

 

[Rhamiel]

Did Ted Kennedy have annointing of the sick?

 

[WarriorAngel]

Interesting.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Did Ted Kennedy have annointing of the sick?

Yes.

 

[EDB]

It is my understanding that, as he lay dying, he was surrounded by his family and a Catholic priest!

 

[Rhamiel]

Yes.

well then that would show signs of repentance, we can not judge the heart, only God can do that

 

[Epiphanygirl]

Thanks Michie!

 

[Fantine]

Oh, sheesh! As if this article was "coincidental."

There are ten commandments, six precepts of the church, etc., etc., etc. Let's not get such obsessive tunnel vision about one political position of one politician who spent his last year in virtual seclusion and had ample time and counseling to reflect upon his life.

If I were mugged and abandoned by the side of the road and one Catholic politician drove by, only one, I would have felt much more confident of being saved if it had been Ted Kennedy than if it would have been Justice Scalia or Senator Brownback.

 

[Michie]

Oh, sheesh! As if this article was "coincidental."

There are ten commandments, six precepts of the church, etc., etc., etc. Let's not get such obsessive tunnel vision about one political position of one politician who spent his last year in virtual seclusion and had ample time and counseling to reflect upon his life.

If I were mugged and abandoned by the side of the road and one Catholic politician drove by, only one, I would have felt much more confident of being saved if it had been Ted Kennedy than if it would have been Justice Scalia or Senator Brownback.

UGH!

Fantine,
Again you go off on a tangent. This thread is to be informative. It has nothing to do with your political preferences. Maybe you should have read this thread first before taking the cynical view: Requiem Mass for Sen. Kennedy to be held at Mission Church

Thanks.

 

[Fantine]

Nevertheless, the focus of other posters has been on Kennedy's "unworthiness." That's the "ugh-i-ness" about this thread.

 

[wiselife]

To be honest my first reaction was: "I'm going to cremate politics"

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Here's the thing:

I think every parishioner in every parish worldwide should have the right to interpret and enforce the rules of who gets a funeral mass on every parishioner who dies in the parish to which they belong.

I want long, drawn out, knock down, drag out fights between families and friends regarding just who was notorious in their sinfulness and what and who gives scandal.

I want physical threats, the questioning of each others spiritual destination, the martial status of one parents at the moment of their conception, and the exact relationship with one's female parent questioned and probed in long, loud screaming matches.

I want guns and bricks and physical intimidation on a parish level and I want it for EVERY dead Catholic in every parish worldwide.

That's entertainment.

OR

We could just let each other bury our dead, mourn our losses and heal each other’s grief
like Christ told us to do and drop the narcissistic self loathing the drives us to so question each others motives and faithfulness that we actually consider denying each other to simplest of Christian charities in the name of Christ Himself.

Those of you who know me know I'll take either one with equal enthusiasm.

You decide.

 

[Michie]

Nevertheless, the focus of other posters has been on Kennedy's "unworthiness." That's the "ugh-i-ness" about this thread.

Nobody said a thing in this thread about Kennedy's worthiness or not till you came in with your (if I was mugged scenerio). So I stand by my 'ugh'.

 

[wiselife]

Nobody said a thing in this thread about Kennedy's worthiness or not till you came in with your (if I was mugged scenerio). So I stand by my 'ugh'.

I did not say it, for prudence, but I thought it. Let's leave it at it was an unfortunate coincidence, please.

 

[Michie]

I did not say it, for prudence, but I thought it. Let's leave it at it was an unfortunate coincidence, please.

Let's leave it as an informative thread trying to cut trouble off at the pass before the subject came up.