Rather than start a new thread I'll bring this one back from the dead
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Anyway I was at a funeral yesterday (it was Stodds' ma's funeral Stu) and it started off in St Gregory's down in the Inch.
So most funerals these days are humanist so it was of interest to me it being a religious funeral.
So yous folk who attend Catholic churches a couple of wee questions.
In St Gregory's it went on for longer than I expected. Very heavy on symbolism with the incense and holy water and biblical references and not a lot about Ella and the surviving family.
Is it usually like that? The priest never knew Ella but the only surviving family mentioned was the oldest laddie Rab.
What I did however like was when folk were asked if they wanted to pass the coffin.
And can I ask why when certain things are said folk answer back when the priest said certain expressions?
When we got up to Mortonhall I thought the priest looked very disinterested as a couple of songs were played rather than hymns.
I'd never heard Ed Sheerins Supermarket Flowers (I think it's called) but it was very emotional as it had a few of the lassies in the family in tears.
One thing happened though that angered some folk I spoke to in the Balmwell because up in Mortonhall and auld lad in front of us his phone went off twice.
Twas a sad day but Ella had Alzheimer's so it's a bit closure to the family.
After the Balmwell we retired to the Old Colliery with one of Ella's grandsons where we got royally blootered.
But as to the service can any of our folk who attend church regular explain a wee bit about the symbolism?
Sounds like it was a funeral Mass Jimmy, based on all the call and response stuff you describe. In this case the funeral ceremony takes places inside the framework of the Mass.
Now you mention it I am not sure if all Catholic funerals are all like this, but weddings can be conducted in the same way or as stand alone (i think).
So the Mass is in two parts, see if this rings a bell. First is the 'liturgy of the Word' which might be more familiar to those from a protestant background - recitation of the creed (ie the statement or Christian beliefs), scriptural readings and a sermon from the Priest.
That is followed by the 'liturgy of the Eucharist' which is the sacramental part and a symbolic reenactment of the Last Supper, where the Communion wafers are consecrated, the Our Father (Lord's prayer) is said and then folk go up for Communion. There is a bit of standing up and sitting down throughout but during this second part you might have noticed all the Catholics standing, or more likely kneeling, for most of it.
Throughout, some parts are said by the priest and others are participatory, ie the call and response you noted, or communally said like the Creed and Our Father.
As to the balance of the Mass vs remembrance of the deceased, that's sort of down to the deceased's family and to how well the priest knew them personally. Obviously the latter infiuenced what he can say personally (as with a humanist or any other celebrant), while the family or friends can choose to come up and give their tributes or not.
I've been to ones where this is minimal and to ones where a whole parade of family and friends have had their say (including a protestant minister on one occasion, who iirc was then invited to stay up there with the priest).
There is definitely a difference in emphasis from humanist ceremonies I have been to. In a Catholic funeral, the deceased is part of something larger and eternal and they are both mourned, celebrated and hopefully despatched to the next stage, but also embedded within something wider that goes on. The humanist ceremonies I have been to seem more wholly centred on the deceased individual and a celebration of their life.
As an aside, and this is a personal take, I think some of these can be a bit forced in their emphasis. It is normal and it is right to be sad at a funeral, and the event is as much about healing for those who remain as it is about the deceased imo. An over emphasis on an upbeat celebratory slant... well I'm not convinced by it.
It is commonplace to have secular songs or poems at a Catholic funeral, but they will generally be more sparse and outnumbered by hymns than at a humanist affair. Again this ties into it not simply being about the individual.
Catholic funerals will also often be preceded by a wake in which people spend time in the presence of the deceased, whether quietly in church or literally in a social occasion around the open casket. This varies by ethnic tradition, but can be a right old knees up in some places.
