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Stephen
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
- Can you have a Catholic funeral Mass for a
non-Catholic?
My mother raised all us as Catholics. My father,
baptized a Presbyterian, did not practice
his religion but was very supportive of us
in our faith.
- When the time comes that my father passes
away, can we have a funeral Mass for him?
We wouldn't know what else to do.
Stephen
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Can
you have a Catholic funeral Mass for a non-Catholic? }
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Mike
replied:
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Hi, Stephen —
I am not sure if you can have a
Catholic funeral Mass
for a non-Catholic.
Nevertheless, you can have the priest
offer a Mass for him on a regular
basis.
Just go to the rectory and tell the
secretary that you would like to
have a Mass offered up for your father
on a periodic basis. There is usually
a stipend, or small financial offering,
that the priest receives but this
is some times optional.
Maybe my colleagues can provide some
additional insight.
Mike
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Stephen,
I would suggest that you ask at your
nearest parish. You might also use
the question as an invitation to
your father. Ask him about his preferences,
and explain the difficulty. Tell
him that his children want to be
able to mourn and pray for him in
the way that is most meaningful and
powerful: a Catholic Mass and funeral
rite. He may decide to go back to
his own faith, or to come to the
Catholic faith.
Moreover, tell the priest about your
father. It may be an opening for
the priest to call or visit and invite.
Many people don't become Catholic
because they have never been invited.
When your father becomes ill, if
he does, be sure and ask a priest
to visit him.
Mary Ann
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One of our colleagues, Andrew replied:
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Hi, Stephen —
This question came up in the Catholic
Answers Forums:
Funeral for a Non-Catholic Spouse?
The answer, contributed by a reader
on the basis of the relevant canon
law, was that, yes, it is possible
to conduct Catholic funeral rites
for a non-Catholic Christian. It
wouldn't be proper if the deceased
person expressed a contrary intention.
Chapter II.
Those To Whom Ecclesiastical Funerals Must be Granted or Denied
Canon 1183
§1. When it concerns funerals,
catechumens must be counted among
the Christian faithful.
§2. The local ordinary can
permit children whom the parents
intended to baptize but who died
before baptism to be given ecclesiastical
funerals.
§3. In the prudent judgment
of the local ordinary, ecclesiastical
funerals can be granted to baptized
persons who are enrolled in a
non-Catholic Church or ecclesial
community unless their intention
is evidently to the contrary and
provided that their own minister
is not available.
Canon 1184
§1. Unless they gave some
signs of repentance before death,
the following must be deprived
of ecclesiastical funerals:
1. notorious apostates, heretics,
and schismatics;
2. those who chose the cremation
of their bodies for reasons
contrary to Christian faith;
3. other manifest sinners who
cannot be granted ecclesiastical
funerals without public scandal
of the faithful.
§2. If any doubt occurs,
the local ordinary is to be consulted,
and his judgment must be followed.
Canon 1185
Any funeral Mass must also be
denied a person who is excluded
from ecclesiastical funerals.
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Your pastor will have to obtain the
bishop's permission, but that is
probably granted routinely for cases
like this.
As Mary Ann suggested, it might be
a good idea to discuss this with
your pastor, and possibly your father,
ahead of time.
God bless!
— Andrew
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