The Funeral:
Normally before the funeral they have a night session where it is a time to remember and say your last goodbyes. Some people do this because it will be the last time they see the body before the funeral. Many people have these because they believe it’s the right thing to do but not many people take their children because they can be troubled at this time.
The Funeral Service:
The funeral service is usually celebrated with a mass that has the prayers of the dead, it is an expression of our belief in the resurrection. Normally with a Christian funeral we praise God to give our dead relative, commending him or herself to god love.
The Reading:
The readings are usually from the Old Testament and this provides the family and friends to hear God speak to them. You can also choose if you want to have a mass in two languages so you don’t just have to have English depending on what kind of background you have. Its probably good if you practise the readings so you know that your strong enough to say these sayings and prayers.
The Prayers of the Faithful:
The prayers of the faithful is an opportunity to personalize the celebration of a deceased persons life and to enable family members to participate.
Introductory Rites:
The introductory rites is where the community welcomes the body but have gathered to pray in support of the family and to honour the dead person. In many catholic funerals the priest will sprinkle the coffin with holy water meaning this is the beginning of our life in Christ.
At The Graveside:
At the graveside it is a time of great sorrow, its our grief and need for comfort and the support of others. This is also a time of final taking leave and just letting go of our loved ones. In the final part it’s a ritual or final offer, the rite of committal, to be used at the gravesite. This often is a sad time and also very depressing time for the family even though the service at the gravesite is very short.