My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In my previous column in Catholic Times, I noted that the month of November is traditionally dedicated to praying for the dead and reviewed what the Catholic Church teaches about death and what Christians believe about life after death. The most essential of these teachings is what we affirm in the Profession of Faith that Catholics profess during Mass on Sundays and Solemnities, namely, that we “look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” At the very moment of one’s death, there is a particular judgment with three possible outcomes: 1) immediate entrance into Heaven, 2) a period of a purification in Purgatory before entering into the blessedness of Heaven, or 3) immediate and everlasting damnation in Hell. 

Our Christian faith about eternal life after earthly death has implications for our funeral rituals and liturgical practices. Having a clear understanding of the Catholic Church’s teaching about Purgatory also gives a greater appreciation for the richness of our prayers for the dead. Regarding Purgatory, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of Heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1030-1031). This teaching is based on the practice of prayer for the dead as mentioned in Sacred Scripture when Judas Maccabeus “made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin” (2 Macc. 12:46).

The primary purpose of the Catholic funeral liturgy is to pray for the repose of the soul of the person who has died, given that the deceased person’s soul may be in Purgatory. If the soul of the deceased has gone to Heaven, our prayers are not needed since that person’s soul would already be in Heaven. On the other hand, if the person has been condemned to Hell, our prayers cannot change God’s judgment of eternal damnation. 

Too often we hear people say about the deceased that their loved one “is in Heaven now.” The only person who can truly make that definitive statement is the pope when he formally canonizes a saint. Otherwise, we cannot know for sure if someone is in Heaven even if he or she seemed to be a holy person, for there may still be need for some purification of the temporal punishment even for some minor sins of which we are unaware. Our funeral rites reflect this in offering prayers asking for God’s mercy upon the soul of the departed.

There are three Stations or Groups of Rites for Christian Funerals: 1) the Vigil for the Deceased; 2) the Funeral Liturgy, which may be a Funeral Mass or a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass; and 3) the Rite of Committal. Did you ever notice that the priest does not make the Sign of the Cross to begin a Funeral Mass and does not end the Funeral Mass with a Final Blessing as we normally do at other Masses? That is because the Sign of the Cross opened the First Stage of the Funeral Rites at the Vigil for the Deceased. The Mass of Christian Burial or Funeral Liturgy outside Mass is the Second Station of the Funeral Rites. The final blessing is given in the Third Station of the Funeral Rites at the Rite of Committal at the cemetery. All three Stations of the Funeral Rites are intricately connected to each other and together form the whole Order of Christian Funerals.

“Vigil” refers to the first station, and it is sometimes referred to as a “wake” or “visitation.” The three terms are often used interchangeably, but “Vigil” refers more precisely to the period of prayer as described in the first part of the Order of Christian Funerals, which is commonly done in the context of a visitation with relatives and friends of the deceased.

By definition, a vigil is “the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary.” Thus, it is also referred to as a wake. A Vigil or wake is “an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night.” (See Merriam-Webster Dictionary.) As such, the Vigil with its accompanying liturgical prayers normally takes place in the afternoon or evening of the day before the funeral liturgy. The Vigil is an essential part of the funeral rites (and thus cannot be severed from it), and it may not take place on the day of the funeral liturgy. It should not be forgotten that “the Vigil may also serve as an opportunity for participation in the funeral by those who, because of work or other reasons, cannot be present for the funeral liturgy or the rite of committal” (Order of Christian Funerals, no. 64). 

“At the Vigil, the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ’s presence” (OCF, no. 56). “The Vigil Service usually takes place during the period of visitation and viewing at the funeral home. It is a time to remember the life of the deceased and to commend him/her to God. In prayer we ask God to console us in our grief and give us strength to support one another” (“An Overview of Catholic Funerals,” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).

The Vigil is usually celebrated in a funeral home, parlor or chapel of rest, in the home of the deceased, or some other suitable place. “It may also be celebrated in the church, but at a time well before the funeral liturgy, so that the funeral liturgy will not be lengthy and the liturgy of the word repetitious” (OCF, no. 55). Thus, it is not appropriate to have the Vigil/wake/visitation on the day of the funeral liturgy. Unfortunately, the practice of having a visitation in the church immediately preceding the Funeral Mass has become more and more common. Over the past several months I have been consulting with our Presbyteral Council and Diocesan Pastoral Council about how to address this liturgical anomaly. As a result of these discussions, over the next few months we will be implementing policies and procedures whereby the Vigil/wake/visitation will not be permitted on the day of the funeral liturgy. Prior to doing so, we will have meetings with local funeral directors throughout our diocese and a period of catechesis so that the Christian faithful will have a better understanding of Catholic funeral rituals and why we do what we do.

May God give us this grace. Amen.