Traditional Catholic Funerals in Australia
The vast majority of Australia’s population is Christian, and almost half this figure is comprised of Roman Catholics. Despite Australia’s largely secular culture, there’s one thing which people tend to keep fairly traditional when it comes to religion: funerals. When it comes to planning a funeral service, it’s not uncommon to see many rituals and practices adopted from Christian traditions. However, it’s extremely important to note that not all Christian funeral ceremonites are the same. Roman Catholic funerals differ in various ways from other types of Christian funerals. While many Christian churches practice quite similar funeral ceremonies to Roman Catholics, they still take into account different traditions and follow different liturgical norms than you would find in a Catholic funeral.
The point of all Catholic funerals is to provide spiritual support to family and friends of the deceased. The liturgy in a Catholic Funeral, which includes the church mass and the absolution and graveside ceremony, follows a very strict order which is extremely important to all members of the Catholic faith. Unlike other religions and types of funerals, a Catholic funeral does not intend to “celebrate” the life of the now deceased person, rather it is a solemn and prayerful farewell to bid them into a greater life. It is this point about Catholic funerals which is overlooked by many people who add Catholic overtones to their otherwise secular funeral services. This is not to say that Catholics do not celebrate the life of their loved one however. The celebration may occur at social occasions before or after the funeral. The Catholic funeral in itself is a time for prayer and closeness with God.
In following this concept, the Australian Catholic Church recently banned the playing or singing of secular songs during Catholic funerals, and new guidelines have been distributed to priests and Catholic funeral homes. While the wishes of the deceased person, and their family and friends, must be taken into account – this does not permit changing the actual liturgy of the Catholic funeral into a secular celebration of the person’s life. While the move has prompted many to view Catholic funerals as outdated, those within the Catholic faith appreciate the preservation of their traditions. A Catholic funeral is a respectful occasion for prayer, as well as comfort through prayer. It provides closure and support to the person’s loved ones, by giving them the opportunity to pray for the deceased’s soul in the next life.
While in the broader Australian community, it is becoming increasingly common to view funerals in general as a celebration of life, Catholic funerals are adhering to a very traditional but equally relevant function. Catholic funerals remain one of the most common options for departing with a loved ones, and while typically chosen by people who are already Catholic, many non-religious people are also adopting virtues and traditions from Catholic funerals.
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