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Formed in Christ

Liturgical music for funeral liturgies

Friday, November 29, 2024Faith

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"Music . . . Allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may fail to convey. It has the power to console and uplift the mourners and strengthen the unity of the assembly in faith and love."

For clergy, musicians, and pastoral staff, funerals are often the most sensitive and challenging of responsibilities. For those suffering great loss, grief enters their life, usually to stay. Attending to the bereaved warrants thoughtful attention and care. For parishes with many funerals, they can become rather routine. But for the family and loved ones, it is anything but.
Challenges include ministering to family and friends who may not be Catholic or may not attend Mass regularly. The true purpose of the Roman Catholic Funeral Rites is quite countercultural and, therefore, sometimes misunderstood. All of this heightens the importance of such care and offers an opportunity to bring consolation and hope in Christ, who conquered death.
The Mass is, in fact, central to the three rites within the Order for Christian Funerals: the Vigil for the Deceased, the Funeral Mass, and the Rite of Committal. At a time of greatest emotional distress, Catholics still place Christ at the center. Very importantly, we pray for the repose of the soul of our beloved deceased. This is a great act of love and mercy. Furthermore, we gather to praise God and give thanks for his great mercy despite our grief.

A common view is that we come together to "celebrate" someone's life. It is important to savor cherished memories and stories. But greater than this, we gather united in the Eucharist and in the love of Christ. God created us to have eternal life with him, and Jesus has conquered death and sin for us all, no matter who we are. The church "confidently proclaims" this! (Order of Christian Funerals, no.1)
Many who are grieving may not be fully focused on such things. Therefore, one's presence and prayer are quite salutary. A pastoral musician who meets or speaks directly with a family may have as much healing impact as the particular outcome of the discussion. Such communication may require diplomacy, empathy, patience, experience, and a laundry list of alternate suggestions on hand to gently guide a grieving family toward a funeral Mass that truly places Christ at the center. Ideally, this is accomplished with music that "should console and uplift the grieving while expressing a spirit of hope in the Christian's share in Christ's victory over death." (OCF, no. 31)
The "Order of Christian Funerals" also offers this deeply valuable gem: "Music . . . Allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may fail to convey. It has the power to console and uplift the mourners and strengthen the unity of the assembly in faith and love." (OFC, no. 30) To this end, congregational singing is extraordinarily powerful, allowing mourners to give voice to their grief.
There are also myriad pragmatic and liturgical considerations. In December 2018, the Archdiocese of Boston released the "RCAB Policy on Ecclesiastical Funeral Rites," which covers a broad range of practical and pastoral issues, including music. One can find it on the Evangelize Boston website here: www.evangelizeboston.com/resources/divine-worship.
This document reminds us: "The same liturgical norms applied to music at any Mass apply to the Funeral Mass." The "General Instruction of the Roman Missal" applies, as do the "Order of Christian Funerals" and Vatican II liturgy documents. The 2007 U.S. bishops' document "Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship" (SttL) particularly applies with the following pastoral wisdom:
At the heart of "Sing to the Lord" are "The Three Judgments" in selecting music for any liturgy:
1. The Liturgical Judgment: Is a particular musical composition's form, placement, and style congruent with the nature of the liturgy?
2. The Pastoral Judgment: Does a particular musical composition help the assembly pray and draw them closer into the sacred mysteries being celebrated and therefore strengthen their faith?
3. The Musical Judgment: Is this composition technically, aesthetically, and expressively worthy to carry the weight of the mysteries being celebrated? (SttL nos. 127, 130, 134)
The archdiocese's funeral policy echoes "Sing to the Lord" in its reminder that "Secular music, even if personally meaningful to the deceased or mourners, is never appropriate for the Sacred Liturgy," nor is recorded music. (SttL nos. 246, 93) In addition, "music should never be used to memorialize the deceased, but rather to give praise to the Lord, whose Paschal Sacrifice has freed us from the bonds of death." (SttL no. 248) The liturgy allows mourners to encounter the mystery of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. In doing so, it reminds us that God walks with us always and remains at the center of our lives even in our grief.
Pastoral musicians face the challenge of "doing it all": integrating personal compassion and empathy with liturgical and musical expertise, while gently guiding those in grief to the joy and consolation of Christ. One's service is an act of deep love, compassion, and prayer. This is our call.

RICHARD J. CLARK IS THE ARCHDIOCESAN AND CATHEDRAL DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. HE CAN BE REACHED AT RICHARD_CLARK@RCAB.ORG.