Catholic Funeral Mass: Order, Readings, Songs and Traditions

1. What Happens at a Catholic Funeral?

A Catholic funeral is a series of prayers and liturgies, set out in the Order of Christian Funerals, that walk the dead and the mourners from the deathbed to the grave. The three main stations are the vigil for the deceased, the funeral liturgy (normally a funeral Mass), and the rite of committal. The Catechism says: "The Christian funeral is a liturgical celebration of the Church. The ministry of the Church in this instance aims at expressing efficacious communion with the deceased, at the participation in that communion of the community gathered for the funeral, and at the proclamation of eternal life to the community" (CCC 1684).

Read that slowly. A Catholic funeral is the Church doing something for the person who died: offering the sacrifice of Christ for their soul and commending them to the Father's mercy. It also preaches to everyone in the pews. Every coffin carried up the aisle is a sermon: you will die too. "Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart" (Psalm 90:12).

This guide shows you exactly what happens, what you can choose, and what the symbols mean, so you can plan a funeral that is truly Catholic. If you are carrying a fresh loss right now, our guide to Catholic grief support after a death will help with the weeks after, and our collection of prayers for the dead gives you words for today.

2. What Is the Catholic Vigil or Wake?

The vigil for the deceased is the first station of a Catholic funeral: a service of the Word, usually held the evening before the funeral at the funeral home, in the family home or in the church. It is the time when family and friends gather around the body, pray, and begin to say goodbye. A priest, deacon or trained lay minister may lead it.

The vigil follows this order:

1. Introductory Rites: greeting, opening song, invitation to prayer and opening prayer.
2. Liturgy of the Word: a first reading, a psalm and a Gospel, followed by a brief homily. The ritual suggests texts such as 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10, Psalm 27 and Luke 12:35-40.
3. Prayer of Intercession: a litany, the Lord's Prayer and a concluding prayer.
4. Concluding Rite: a blessing. A member of the family or a friend may speak in remembrance of the deceased here.

Many families also pray the Rosary at the wake, a cherished tradition, and in some cultures a nine-day novena of prayers for the dead follows. The Order of Christian Funerals also provides shorter rites for the hours around death: prayers after death, a prayer when the family first gathers in the presence of the body, and a prayer as the body is transferred to the church.

The vigil is the right place for the stories, the photos and the laughter. If your family wants open sharing of memories, do it here or at the reception after the burial, where there is room for it.

3. What Is the Order of a Catholic Funeral Mass?

The Catholic funeral Mass follows the normal structure of the Mass, with a rite of reception at the church door at the start and a final commendation of the deceased at the end. This is the order in the Order of Christian Funerals.

Reception at the church

1. Greeting at the door. The priest meets the coffin and the family at the church entrance.
2. Sprinkling with holy water. The coffin is sprinkled to recall the deceased's baptism.
3. Placing of the pall. Family members or the minister spread the white pall over the coffin.
4. Entrance procession with a hymn. The coffin is placed near the Paschal candle, which has been lit beforehand.
5. Placing of Christian symbols (optional): a Book of the Gospels, a Bible or a cross may be laid on the coffin.
6. Opening prayer. The rite of reception replaces the usual penitential act.

Liturgy of the Word

7. First Reading (Old Testament; in Easter Time, from Acts or Revelation).
8. Responsorial Psalm.
9. Second Reading (New Testament).
10. Gospel Acclamation and Gospel.
11. Homily. The homily preaches the Paschal mystery and the hope of the resurrection. The ritual says plainly that it is never to be a eulogy.
12. Universal Prayer for the deceased, the mourners and all the dead.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

13. Preparation of the Gifts. Family members may bring up the bread and wine.
14. Eucharistic Prayer, with the name of the deceased remembered.
15. Lord's Prayer, Sign of Peace and Communion.
16. Prayer after Communion.

Final Commendation and Farewell

17. Words of remembrance (optional), by one family member or friend.
18. Invitation to prayer and silence.
19. Signs of farewell: the coffin is sprinkled with holy water and incensed.
20. Song of Farewell, sung by all.
21. Prayer of Commendation, entrusting the deceased to God.
22. Procession to the place of committal, often with the ancient chant "In Paradisum" ("May the angels lead you into paradise").

Priests may wear white, violet or black vestments. National flags and other insignia are removed at the church door and may be replaced after the liturgy, so that all the baptised lie before God clothed in the same white pall.

4. What Do the White Pall, Paschal Candle and Incense Mean?

The white pall, the Paschal candle, holy water and incense are the four great symbols of a Catholic funeral, and every one of them points back to baptism and forward to the resurrection.

• The white pall recalls the white garment the deceased received at baptism, when they "put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Rich or poor, famous or forgotten, every Catholic coffin wears the same cloth. Before God, all that matters is whether we are clothed in Christ.
• The Paschal candle is the great Easter candle lit at the Easter Vigil, the same candle from which the deceased's baptismal candle was lit. It stands at the head of the coffin and proclaims that Christ, the light of the world, has conquered death.
• Holy water sprinkled at the door and at the final commendation recalls the waters of baptism. "We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
• Incense honours the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and carries the Church's prayers upward: "Let my prayer be incense before you" (Psalm 141:2).

That is why the Church insists on reverence for the body. "The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy" (CCC 2300).

5. Which Readings Can You Choose for a Catholic Funeral?

Catholic funeral readings come from the Lectionary for Mass (numbers 1011 to 1016 for adults) and Part III of the Order of Christian Funerals. The family usually chooses one Old Testament reading, a psalm, one New Testament reading and a Gospel, with help from the parish. Here is every option for an adult's funeral, by reference.

First Reading: Old Testament

• 2 Maccabees 12:43-46 (Judas Maccabeus offers sacrifice for the dead)
• Job 19:1, 23-27a (I know that my Vindicator lives)
• Wisdom 3:1-9 or 3:1-6, 9 (the souls of the just are in the hand of God)
• Wisdom 4:7-15 (an unsullied life)
• Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9 (he will destroy death forever)
• Lamentations 3:17-26 (it is good to hope in silence)
• Daniel 12:1-3 (those who sleep in the dust shall awake)

First Reading in Easter Time: New Testament

• Acts 10:34-43 or 10:34-36, 42-43
• Revelation 14:13 (blessed are the dead who die in the Lord)
• Revelation 20:11-21:1
• Revelation 21:1-5a, 6b-7 (there shall be no more death)

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23 (the Lord is my shepherd), Psalm 25, Psalm 27 (the Lord is my light and my salvation), Psalms 42 and 43, Psalm 63, Psalm 103, Psalm 116, Psalm 122, Psalm 130 (out of the depths) and Psalm 143.

Second Reading: New Testament

• Romans 5:5-11; Romans 5:17-21; Romans 6:3-9 or 6:3-4, 8-9
• Romans 8:14-23; Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39 (nothing can separate us from the love of Christ)
• Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12 (whether we live or die, we are the Lord's)
• 1 Corinthians 15:20-24a, 25-28 or 15:20-23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 (death is swallowed up in victory)
• 2 Corinthians 4:14-5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10
• Philippians 3:20-21 (our citizenship is in heaven)
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (so that you may not grieve like those who have no hope)
• 2 Timothy 2:8-13 (if we have died with him we shall also live with him)
• 1 John 3:1-2 (we shall see him as he is); 1 John 3:14-16

Gospel

• Matthew 5:1-12a (the Beatitudes); Matthew 11:25-30 (come to me and I will give you rest)
• Matthew 25:1-13 (the wise and foolish virgins); Matthew 25:31-46 (come, you who are blessed)
• Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-6 or 15:33-39
• Luke 7:11-17 (the widow's son at Nain); Luke 12:35-40 (be prepared)
• Luke 23:33, 39-43 (today you will be with me in Paradise); Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a
• Luke 24:13-35 or 24:13-16, 28-35 (the road to Emmaus)
• John 5:24-29; John 6:37-40; John 6:51-58
• John 11:17-27 or 11:21-27 (I am the resurrection and the life); John 11:32-45 (Lazarus, come out)
• John 12:23-28 or 12:23-26 (unless a grain of wheat dies)
• John 14:1-6 (in my Father's house there are many dwellings)
• John 17:24-26; John 19:17-18, 25-39

How to choose: start with the Gospel. Pick the passage that the person who died would have wanted read over them, or the one that best preaches hope to the people who will be in the pews. Then match a first reading to it. Wisdom 3 with John 14 is a classic pairing. 2 Maccabees 12 openly teaches prayer for the dead, and it is a strong choice for a family that wants people to keep praying. Readers should be steady and practised. Grief makes voices shake, so it is fine to ask a parish lector.

Readings chosen? Keep praying them. The readings at a funeral are the start of your prayer for the dead. Pro's in-depth Bible studies and audio-guided prayer sessions for healing help you keep praying through the months ahead. Get Pro for $49 once, no subscription, 30-day money-back guarantee.

6. What Songs and Hymns Are Sung at a Catholic Funeral?

Catholic funeral songs must be sacred music suited to the liturgy, chosen with the parish music director, and they should express the hope of the resurrection. Secular favourites, film themes and pop songs belong at the vigil, the graveside gathering or the reception, and not in the funeral Mass.

Chant and traditional hymns

• "In Paradisum" (chant, for the procession out)
• "Subvenite" ("Saints of God, come to his aid," for the Song of Farewell)
• "Salve Regina" and "Ave Maria"
• "Panis Angelicus"
• "Amazing Grace"
• "Abide with Me"
• "Lead, Kindly Light"
• "The King of Love My Shepherd Is"
• "O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
• "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name"
• "For All the Saints"
• "Jerusalem, My Happy Home"
• "Be Thou My Vision"

Widely sung modern hymns

• "On Eagle's Wings"
• "Be Not Afraid"
• "I Am the Bread of Life"
• "Here I Am, Lord"
• "Shepherd Me, O God"
• "You Are Mine"
• "How Great Thou Art"
• "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

Where to place them: an entrance hymn as the coffin enters, the psalm sung as chosen, a hymn at the preparation of the gifts, a Communion hymn, the Song of Farewell at the commendation, and "In Paradisum" or a recessional hymn as the coffin leaves. A Marian hymn often closes the funeral of a Catholic who loved the Rosary. Many modern hymns are under copyright, so the parish prints them under its licence. Ask the music director what the parish already knows; a familiar hymn sung by everyone is better than a perfect one sung by a soloist alone.

7. Are Eulogies Allowed at a Catholic Funeral?

A full eulogy is not part of the Catholic funeral Mass, though one family member or friend may usually speak briefly in remembrance of the deceased after the prayer after Communion and before the final commendation. The Order of Christian Funerals says the homily is "never to be a eulogy," and it permits that a member or friend of the family "may speak in remembrance of the deceased before the final commendation begins." Diocesan norms set the details, and they vary.

Here is what most dioceses ask:

• One speaker. Many dioceses read the ritual as allowing one person at the Mass. Others allow two. Ask.
• Short. Commonly three to five minutes. Some dioceses set a firm limit.
• Written and reviewed. Write it out in full, and give the priest a copy in advance if he asks.
• From a place other than the ambo, which is reserved for the Word of God, though local practice varies.
• In the light of faith. Speak of how this person loved God and neighbour, the faith they lived and the hope you hold for them. Leave out roasts, crude stories and long life histories.
• Some dioceses and parishes prefer the remembrance at the vigil, or before the Mass begins, and do not allow it in the Mass. Follow your parish.

The vigil and the reception are the places for longer tributes, multiple speakers and the funny stories. Here is a hard word: do not canonise the dead at their funeral. Telling the congregation that your father is "already up there golfing with Grandpa" may feel kind, but it tells everyone to stop praying for him. Love him enough to keep praying. See our guide to purgatory and prayer for the dead.

8. What Happens at the Rite of Committal?

The rite of committal is the final station of a Catholic funeral: a short service at the grave, tomb or columbarium where the body or ashes are laid to rest. It usually takes ten to fifteen minutes and is led by the priest, deacon or a lay minister.

1. Invitation and a short verse of Scripture, such as "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20).
2. Prayer over the place of committal. If the grave has not been blessed, the minister blesses it.
3. Committal. The minister commits the body or ashes to its resting place, in the hope that Christ will raise our mortal bodies to be like his in glory.
4. Intercessions, the Lord's Prayer and a concluding prayer.
5. Prayer over the people and a final blessing. A song may close the rite.

Where possible, stay until the coffin is lowered or the niche is sealed. Customs differ by cemetery, but the Church's preference is clear: we bury our dead, and we do it together. If the funeral was celebrated without a final commendation, the ritual provides a form of committal that includes it.

9. Can You Have a Catholic Funeral Without Mass?

Yes. The Order of Christian Funerals provides a funeral liturgy outside Mass, which keeps the reception of the body, the Liturgy of the Word and the final commendation and leaves out the Eucharistic prayer. A priest or deacon may lead it, and in some places a trained lay minister. It can be held in a church or, with permission, in a funeral home chapel.

The order is: introductory rites (with the reception of the body), Liturgy of the Word with homily, the universal prayer, the Lord's Prayer, Holy Communion if the parish provides it, and the final commendation and farewell.

When is it used?

• On days a funeral Mass is not allowed. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (380) does not allow a funeral Mass on solemnities that are holy days of obligation, on Holy Thursday, during the Paschal Triduum, or on the Sundays of Advent, Lent and Easter.
• When no priest is available, which is increasingly common in rural areas.
• When most mourners are not Catholic or the deceased was a non-Catholic receiving a Catholic funeral, and the family and priest judge it better.

Choose the Mass when you can. The funeral Mass offers the sacrifice of Christ himself for the soul of the one you love, and nothing you can do for the dead is greater. If a Mass is impossible at the funeral, have a Mass offered for them soon after, and again on the anniversary.

10. What Should You Do in the First 72 Hours After a Death?

In the first days after a Catholic dies, call the parish before you sign anything with the funeral home, because the church date and the cemetery shape every other choice. Then work through this list one item at a time.

1. Call a priest. If death is near, call for the anointing of the sick and Viaticum now. After death, the priest or a parish minister can come to pray the prayers after death with the family.
2. Call the funeral home and tell them you want a Catholic funeral with the body present. If cremation is planned, ask that it take place after the funeral Mass.
3. Call the parish to set the date and time. Ask for the bereavement minister, who will help you choose readings and music.
4. Choose the place of burial. A Catholic cemetery is blessed ground. If the family plot is elsewhere, the priest can bless the grave at the committal.
5. Choose readers, pallbearers and the one person who will speak.
6. Write the obituary with the vigil and Mass times, and invite people to have Masses offered in place of, or as well as, flowers.
7. Eat, sleep and let people help. Grief is exhausting. Say yes when someone offers to cook or drive.

If the person died by suicide or overdose, the Church gives them a full Catholic funeral and prays for them with hope: "We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives" (CCC 2283). Our guide to grief after a sudden death or suicide walks with you through this.

11. What Should Non-Catholic Family Members Know?

Non-Catholic family members are warmly welcome at a Catholic funeral, and they can take part fully in its prayers and songs. A few things will help them feel at home.

• Follow the people around you. Catholics stand, sit and kneel at set times. If kneeling is hard or feels foreign, sitting quietly is fine.
• Communion. Catholics believe the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Christ and a sign of full unity in faith, so non-Catholics are asked not to receive. The US bishops' guidelines invite other Christians and guests to pray for the unity of Christ's followers. Many parishes invite those not receiving to come forward with arms crossed for a blessing, and others ask them to remain in the pew. Follow what the priest announces. Orthodox Christians are welcome to receive by Catholic law, subject to the discipline of their own Church.
• Speaking or reading. Parish policy varies on whether non-Catholic relatives may read a Scripture reading. The person giving words of remembrance need not be Catholic.
• The prayers for the dead may be new to Protestant relatives. Catholics pray for the dead because of the communion of saints and the hope of final purification, an ancient practice witnessed in 2 Maccabees 12:43-46.

Can a non-Catholic have a Catholic funeral? Yes, in some cases. Canon law allows catechumens to receive Church funeral rites, and the bishop may allow them for children whose parents intended to baptise them (canon 1183). A baptised non-Catholic Christian may be given a Catholic funeral at the prudent judgement of the bishop, unless it is clear they would not have wanted it, and provided their own minister is not available (canon 1183 §3). Ask the parish.

Is a Catholic funeral ever refused? Rarely. Canon 1184 lists cases such as notorious apostasy, or choosing cremation for reasons opposed to the faith, unless the person gave some sign of repentance before death. In doubt, the priest consults the bishop. In practice, the Church leans hard toward mercy.

12. Can a Catholic Funeral Be Held With Cremated Remains?

Yes. The Church permits cremation, prefers that the body be present for the funeral Mass with cremation afterwards, and in the United States allows the funeral Mass to be celebrated in the presence of cremated remains with the bishop's permission. The ashes must then be buried or entombed in a sacred place, and never scattered, divided or kept at home. Our full guide to Catholic cremation rules and whether cremation is a sin explains the 2016 and 2023 Vatican documents in detail.

13. How Do You Plan Your Own Catholic Funeral?

Plan your own Catholic funeral now, while you can, and give the plan to the people who will need it. It is one of the kindest gifts you can leave your family, and it is a powerful act of faith: you are telling them you expect to die, and you expect to rise. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:13).

1. Write down your wishes. Ask your parish for a funeral planning form, or use a single page: a funeral Mass, the vigil, burial or cremation after the Mass, the cemetery.
2. Choose your readings and hymns from the lists above. Choose texts you want preached to your children and friends.
3. Name your readers, pallbearers and the one person who will speak in remembrance, and tell them.
4. Buy the plot or niche in a Catholic cemetery if you can. Pre-planning spares your family hard decisions in the worst week of their lives.
5. Ask for Masses as well as flowers. Tell your family you want Masses offered for your soul. Put it in writing.
6. State clearly what must happen to your ashes if you choose cremation, so no one scatters them out of love and confusion.
7. Make the legal plans: a will, a health care proxy and an advance directive consistent with Catholic teaching. Our guide to preparing for death as a Catholic covers end-of-life planning, and our guide to euthanasia and Catholic end-of-life care covers medical decisions.
8. Plan the most important thing. Go to confession. Make peace with the people you have hurt. Receive the anointing of the sick when you are seriously ill. The best funeral is the one for a soul that was ready.

Plan your funeral today. Then prepare your soul. The funeral form takes an evening. A ready soul takes daily prayer. Pro gives you audio devotionals, audio-guided prayer sessions and in-depth Bible studies to build that habit now. Get Pro for $49 once, lifetime access, 30-day money-back guarantee. No one knows the day or the hour.

14. What Should You Do After the Funeral?

After the funeral, keep praying for the dead, and keep coming back to Mass, because the Church's care for them does not end at the graveside. "It is a holy and pious thought" to pray for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45), and the Catechism urges "almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead," above all the Eucharistic sacrifice (CCC 1032).

• Have Masses offered on the month's mind (about 30 days after), the first anniversary and the person's birthday.
• Pray the Eternal Rest prayer every day: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen."
• Visit the grave, especially in November, the month of the Holy Souls, and on All Souls' Day (2 November).
• Let others carry you. Parish bereavement groups, a grief counsellor and a faithful friend all matter. Our guide to grieving as a Catholic has the full plan.

And hear this: you are next. It may be years away, and it is certain. The funeral you just planned is a rehearsal for your own. If you have been away from confession, go this week. If you have been away from Mass, come back this Sunday. Christ is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), and he is waiting for you.