Author: yuengerwv

When someone dies, how do we go about planning the funeral?

Many people face the issue of planning a funeral for someone, usually while still in shock over the person’s death.  The first step is to discover if the person who died had any special requests.  Under ideal circumstances we all will have planned and provided written documents of our desires for that point in time when we die, expectedly or unexpectedly. 
When such a document is absent the next step would be to meet with the pastor or funeral planner in the local parish.  Depending on the parish there may be few options or many options.  Some pastors have a “packaged funeral” and there are no options for the family.  Other pastors allow the family to customize the funeral to express the family’s personal tastes.  Since I am one of the latter, I will continue from that perspective and I will presume here that there will be a funeral mass.  While it is normal for the body of the deceased to be present a funeral mass can also be celebrated with the cremated remains.
First of the options is to whether or not to have a vigil the evening before.  This is usually done during the viewing or visitation hours.  The viewing/visitation can take place either at the funeral home or in the parish church, depending on availability.  A typical vigil follows the format provided in the Order of Christian Funerals authorized by the U. S. Council of Catholic Bishops, which includes scripture readings, a short homily, intercessory prayers,  the Lord’s prayer, an opportunity for family & friends to share, and a concluding blessing.  Depending on how many family/friends share the vigil can last from 15-30+ minutes.  The custom of praying the rosary is venerable, but not an official part of the vigil and may be lead by community members if desired.
The Funeral mass itself allows for the family to select scripture readings.  I have the most common selections pre-printed for families to pick from but they are not limited to those.  I invite the family to select lectors to proclaim the word.  The family can also select whom they would like to bring up the gifts for the celebration of the Eucharist and Extraordinary Ministers of Most Holy Communion to assist.  A music minister is usually available, and the family is invited to pick liturgical music that is meaningful to them. Keep in mind that eulogies are not part of a Catholic funeral mass. They are best given at the vigil, graveside, or other gathering. After the funeral it is common to go to the graveside, or place of internment for a brief committal service.
In my parishes, it was the custom to offer the immediate family the opportunity for a luncheon after the committal in the social hall.  Depending on the day and time of the funeral and school activities, the number of guests may be limited.
Since it is common in many communities that members within a family belong to different denominations, I also invite the family to have the other pastors participate to the extent that the Church allows.
To help individuals and families, I offered copies of Preparing a Catholic Funeral.  These were free to anyone who would like to prepare in advance, to make the funeral planning easier for their loved ones upon their death.  You may also want to discuss with the local Funeral Homes their options.

What is the incense Catholics use and why do they use it?

The first part of the question is the hardest…because there are thousands of different “flavors” or smells of incense.  There are two primary divisions based on how they burn.  One kind is ignited and burns by itself, this is common on incense sticks and other such items.  The second kind does not burn by itself, and uses something else to keep it burning.  In most of the Catholic Church liturgies you will find the second kind, which is placed upon some kind of burning charcoal in a container called a thurible.  Centuries ago most incense came from two trees of the Terebinthian family, from India or Arabia.  Incense was a very pricy commodity and usually only the very wealthy could afford it.  Today it is made from numerous sources, and blended like coffee to provide certain aromas and flavors.

As to why it is used, the reason varies.  The most ancient use was most likely to obscure the aroma generated by people who do not bathe regularly.  When a crowd is gathered, the strong smelling incense was able to cover up the unpleasant odors with one more pleasing.  Another purpose of the incense was to eliminate undesirable pests, such as mosquitoes.  People today will use coils of citronella incense when outdoors for such purposes.

Many, if not most, religions employ the use of incense for various reasons.  In Exodus Chapter 30 Moses was instructed to build an altar for incense, to offer a fragrance pleasing to God and as a way of purifying the environment.  So for example as the priest incenses the altar or the gifts, it could be seen as purifying the sacred space used for the Eucharistic offering.

Incense is also seen as a way of eliminating other distractions so as to help one to focus in their meditation or prayer life.  By providing a common smell, we are less likely to become distracted by the aromas that drift around us.

Incense is also seen as representative of our prayers rising up to God.  For example in the funeral ritual near the end the coffin is incensed during a prayer that asks the angels to take the person to the bosom of Abraham.  Leviticus 6: 15 refers to incense when it says “and he shall burn on the altar for a memorial of most sweet odor to the Lord”

While the Church uses incense liturgically we also recognize that smoke as a whole could be unhealthy as well, and that some people have allergic reactions to incense.  Some incense claims to be “non-choking”, but I have found that to be questionable.  I personally try to reserve its use for special occasions, such as Easter, Christmas, funerals, penance services, or events with the Bishop.

You sometimes refer to Canon Law in your responses
to questions, what is Canon Law?

Every organization has need of rules and regulations regarding its governance and operations.  The local women’s club, the men’s club, the flower club, the bowling club, the Mickey Mouse Club, etc, all have rules regarding how they operate, how to settle disputes, whom is in charge.  Over the centuries, Popes and Councils have made decrees as to how things are to be done, or what the church believes that were seen as binding on all the faithful.  This collection of rules, decrees and regulations issued by the Church are called Canon Law; “canon” meaning “norm” or “standard”.

The most recent compilation and issuance of the law was called for by Pope John XXIII and finally completed under Pope John Paul II.  There are really two sets of Canon Law, one for the Eastern Churches, and one for the Latin Church.  The code of Canon Law for the Latin branch of the Catholic Church is comprised of 1752 Canons.  The purpose or supreme law of all Canon Law is referred to in the last of the Canons, “the salvation of souls”.  Considering the age of the Church and its multicultural nature, 1752 is not a lot of statutes.  The statutes cover everything from who can be ordained and what a marriage is, to the hierarchical structure of the church, as well as the obligations and rights of the lay faithful.  Canon Laws are not the only rules however that the Church has.  For example there are norms or rules for celebrating the Eucharist, which are not a part of Canon Law There are various decrees by the popes that have the weight of law.  In addition, there are laws, decrees or norms at the diocesan level issued by the local Bishop.

As with any organization there is a need to have those who specialize in the “rules”, such as one who is familiar with Robert’s Rules for organizational meetings.  The specialist in the Catholic Church is called a Canon Lawyer.  There are typically two levels for such lawyers, the J.C.L. is the equivalent of a Master’s degree, and the J.C.D. is a Doctorate.  The primary work for such lawyers is to assist the bishop in the proper governance of the diocese.  They are also the ones who typically staff the Tribunal where issues of Church law are decided in the diocese.  While officially they can weigh in on many issues, including private squabbles, most people are only familiar with them as the judicators regarding the validity of a marriage after someone has obtained a civil divorce.  The current head of our Diocesan Tribunal is typically called a Judicial Vicar.  The JCL and JCD are not limited to priest or deacons, as many dioceses have had a lay person, some who had both a civil law degree, JD, and a canon law degree, JCD.

Family—this single word can evoke a whole variety of feelings in people, some delightfully good, some less than desirable.  Every year after Christmas we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.  What do we know about their family?  We know surprisingly little, yet there are certain things that we know they experienced that are much the same as families today. 

Both parents, Mary and Joseph, were not only religious they were willing to put their reputations and lives on the line for their relationship with God.  We know that their early marriage relationship was tumultuous due to an “unplanned” pregnancy.  We know that they were forced to relocate during difficult times and had to struggle to find adequate shelter for themselves.  We know they were exiles due to persecution at home by the political establishment.   We know that Mary and Jesus experienced the loss of Joseph, husband and father.  We know that Mary experienced the death of her son, executed by the criminal justice system for sedition.  We know that Mary had no other children to help her in her old age, and was taken care of by a disciple of her son, John.

While not all families experience the same events, such events are still all too common for families in today’s world.  As we remember the Holy Family today perhaps we need to recognize that there are families around the world and even in our own county and town that are experiencing difficulties.  Let us support husbands and wives having difficulties.  Let us support those who find themselves “unexpectedly” pregnant.  Let us open our shores to those experiencing persecution.  Let us reach out to those who have lost loved ones.  Let us show compassion to those who have loved ones in prison.  Let us reach out to all families with love, compassion and generosity.  In doing so, we are reaching out to Joseph, Mary and Jesus, for as Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

The other day my computer had a pop-up that was telling me I was running low on RAM.  I was driving around and my car had a warning light that said I was low on fuel.  I was looking at the bankbook and noticed I was low on money.  I opened the refrigerator and noticed I was low on milk.

It got me thinking, how often do I notice that I am low on prayer? Do I notice that I am low on Christian charity?  Do I notice that I am low on my expressed appreciation of others?  Do I notice that I am low on letting God know I love Him?  Am I low on letting others know I love them?  Am I low on my own appreciation of myself or who I am before God

It is easy to kind of travel along thinking everything is OK presuming we will get some kind of warning sign at the last minute to wake us from our doldrums.  But what happens if we don’t recognize or heed the pop-ups in life?  While many people think Advent is simply an opportunity for Christmas parties, shopping or decorating; its real emphasis is like a pop-up to remind us that Jesus is coming.  Are we ready for HIS arrival, or do we figure because He died 2000 years ago He is irrelevant to our lives today?

Have we cleaned our spiritual home and our hearts by going to confession regularly?  Have we prepared our lives to be scrutinized by the intense light of God or do we settle for being “not bad”?  Are we working to make the world a better place for everyone or focused on just ourselves and our families?  Have we reached out beyond our local comfort zones to the least in our world?  How many of us as we look at our lives are ready for canonization?  Have we strived to be the person God is calling us to be, or do we settle for “good enough”?

Anytime is a good time for waking up.  Today is a pop-up telling us we need to get ready, to warn us of potential problems which need our attention.  Today is an opportunity to make changes in our lives, to refocus our attention onto those things that really matter.  Many in our world have lost everything almost overnight only to discover that their possessions were really not as important as they had believed.

Perhaps today can be a new advent for us to check and see if we are running low instead of waiting until tomorrow!

Where did the Rosary come from, who invented it?

The name “rosary” comes from the Latin meaning rose garden.  Many different cultures and religions throughout history have used beads or stones of some kind to count prayers.  Many attribute the origin of the rosary to St. Dominic in the 12^th century; however, it is clear that he was merely a promoter of a practice that predates him. 

The following is taken from the website of Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0212fea4sb1.asp):

In its history of the rosary, The Catholic Encyclopedia (vol. 13, p. 184–189) recounts that in the early centuries of the Church monks would recite the Psalms as part of their rule of life. Since learning the Psalms was necessarily restricted to those who could read, a simpler prayer tradition was needed for the illiterate brothers. The Lord’s Prayer was adopted for this purpose; the brothers would recite 150 Our Fathers to correspond to the number of Psalms.

Small stones were used originally to count the prayers. Later, beads were strung as prayer counters. In the early part of the second millennium, with the rise of widespread medieval devotion to the Blessed Mother, the Hail Mary developed and gained popularity and was inserted into the prayer tradition. (See The New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 12, pp. 667–670).

During the twelfth century the praying of the Hail Mary spread in the West. Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary was, until the seventh century, the antiphon of the offertory of the fourth Sunday of Advent, a Sunday with particular Marian significance. At that time the Hail Mary ended with “blessed is the fruit of they womb.” The name Jesus and the second part—”Holy Mary, Mother of God . . .”—were introduced around 1483.

Between 1410 and 1439, Dominic of Prussia, a Cologne Carthusian, proposed to the faithful a form of the Marian Psalter in which there were 50 Hail Marys, each followed by a verbal reference to a Gospel passage. The Carthusian’s idea caught on, and psalters of this type multiplied in the fifteenth century. The references to the Gospel grew numerous, at one point reaching 300, according to the regions and favorite devotions.

Dominican Alain de la Roche (1428–1478) did a great work in promoting the Marian Psalter, which during his lifetime began to be called “Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” thanks to his preaching and to the Marian confraternities he founded. The rosary was simplified in 1521 by Dominican Alberto da Castello, who chose 15 evangelical passages for meditation, which included the short prayer at the end of the Hail Marys. The final, traditional form was was standardized during the pontificate of one of Dominic’s spiritual sons, Pope St. Pius V (1566–1572).

In 2002 Pope St. John Paul II proposed for use a fourth set of mysteries called the Luminous Mysteries. In doing so separated it more from its psalter origin.

Here are some terms that are used that are sometimes not used correctly.

annulment. Technically called a decree of nullity, is a sentence by a church court, confirmed by an appellate court, that a putative marriage was not valid from the start because something was lacking: full knowledge and consent by both parties, freedom from force or grave fear, or some other factor needed for a valid marriage. 

brother. A man who has taken vows in a religious order but is not ordained or studying for the priesthood. Sometimes he is called a lay brother to distinguish him from clerical members of religious orders.

nun. (1) Strictly speaking, a member of a religious order of women with solemn vows. (2) In general, all women religious, even those in simple vows, who are more properly called sisters. Whether a woman religious is a nun or sister in a strict canonical sense, in news reporting it is appropriate to use the term Sister as the religious title before her name.

sister. In popular speech, any woman religious. Strictly, the title applies to women religious of those institutes, mostly formed during or since the 19th century, whose members do not profess solemn vows. 

laicization. The process by which a priest is returned to the lay state. It is sometimes used as a penalty for a serious crime or scandal, but more often it comes at the request of the priest. A laicized priest is barred from all priestly ministry with one exception: He may give absolution to someone in immediate danger of death. The pope must approve all requests for laicization.

You can find more at: Catholic Terms | USCCB

I was visiting friends for a wedding which was on a Saturday afternoon; they told me that the wedding mass counted for my Sunday obligation, is that true?

The answer is “possibly” depending on the time of the wedding and the readings.  Let me explain.  In order for a Saturday mass to fulfill the Sunday obligation two conditions must be met.  First, the mass must be after 4 PM.  Second, the readings must be for the Sunday liturgy (or Vigil readings), this is especially true of the Gospel.  The optional wedding readings are not typically acceptable.  Since you didn’t mention the time of the wedding, or the readings, it is possible the obligation was fulfilled. 

I personally have found such weddings to be rare.  Most Saturday weddings are well before 4 PM and they almost never use the Sunday readings.  While the local pastor does have some options regarding those under his authority, according to Church law:

Parish priests and other priests or deacons cannot dispense from universal or particular law unless this power is expressly granted to them.   A dispensation from an ecclesiastical law is not to be given without a just and reasonable cause, taking into account the circumstances of the case and the importance of the law from which the dispensation is given; otherwise the dispensation is unlawful and, unless given by the legislator or his superior, it is also invalid. (Can 89-90)

I hardly see attendance at a Saturday wedding mass as a just and reasonable cause for dispensing from attendance at a Sunday mass.  So unless there were other issues of which I am unaware, I would argue those who did not attend either a Vigil or Sunday mass did not fulfill their Sunday obligation.

Could you explain the differences between a diocese an eparchy and exarchate?

Essentially the terms refer to the same thing but in different branches of the Church reflecting Christian traditions in various parts of the world. In the Catholic Church there are two primary liturgical groupings a Latin Church which has its roots in the western half of the Roman Empire and an Eastern Church which has its roots in the eastern half of the Roman Empire.  While the Eastern branch was often called Greek or Oriental or Byzantine the reality is it was normal for those churches to use the traditions and language of the area and thus are more often referred to by their geographical, ethnic or linguistic roots.  An Eastern eparchy or exarchate is the equivalent of a Latin diocese, an Eastern archeparchy the equivalent of a Latin archdiocese.

In my parishes we had members of various Eastern Churches.  Because of the smaller number of their churches in the US, and the distance they would have to travel to attend those churches, many attend the Latin Rite churches.

In the same pattern as the Latin Church, the Eastern Catholic Churches have their own system of “dioceses”.  Autonomous from Latin dioceses, these eparchies and exarchates overlap each other and the same geographical areas as the Latin dioceses as they serve the Eastern Catholic population of the U.S. 

With all the problems in the Church, what motivates young men to still become a priest?

Interesting that such a question should be phrased in this way.  Let me change the context to illustrate my point: With all the problems in marriage, what motivates young men to be married?  With all the difficulties of being single, what motivates young men to remain single?  With all the problems in cohabitation outside of marriage, what motivates young men to cohabit outside of marriage?  With all the problems in having a family, what motivates young men to conceive a child?

Now back to the question.  Men of all ages are motivated to become priest for various reasons but I would say the most common is a sense of being called by God to become a priest.  It should be emphasized that friends, neighbors and families can have a big impact on the consideration of becoming a priest.  By the way statistically there is only 1 priest for every 1,700 Catholics in the US.  We surely need more good men to become priests.

According to an old website in 2011 for the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate those ordained “report that they were 16 years old when they first considered a vocation to the priesthood. Nine in ten report being encouraged to consider the priesthood by someone in their life. Many were encouraged by a friend or family member. Seven in ten received encouragement from a friend, a parent, grandparent or other relative, or a parishioner.  Although four in ten report that their mother encouraged them to consider the priesthood, they are more likely to have received encouragement from friends or a parish priest than from other family members. About a quarter received encouragements from their father and one in four were encouraged to consider the priesthood by a grandparent or another relative.”

More than two in five were discouraged from considering the priesthood by one or more persons.  Among those who reported being discouraged from considering a vocation to the priesthood, they were discouraged by friends or classmates or by a parent or other family member   A few mentioned someone else who had discouraged them from pursuing their vocation, including a girlfriend or former girlfriend, a co-worker, a more distant relative or stranger, or non-Catholic friends.