By
the second century, Christians were reserving a small portion of the
Eucharist to bring to the sick and homebound. As time went on, they
devised various containers for carrying the sacred bread and kept it
in a cupboard in their homes.
| who's in the sanctuary? |
| Sacristan: The sacristan is
“behind the scenes.” He or she is the person responsible for
setting the appropriate cloths and vessels in place before Mass,
for cleaning the altar, and for taking care of the sacristy. The
sacristan usually manages the laundry of vestments and altar
clothing. Also, he or she often arranges and maintains the altar
flowers. |
The
vigil takes place for one or more days prior to the funeral. It
used to be the custom for the vigil, or wake, to be held in the
home of the deceased. Now, it is more customarily held in a funeral
home. Recently, there has also been a growing trend to celebrate
the vigil in the parish church or hall - it is very moving
to receive the condolences of friends and family in the presence
of the Blessed Sacrament and in a place where the deceased person
worshipped in community. It is common for the evenings of the wake
to close with the recitation of the rosary or a Scripture service.
The vigil is also the most appropriate place for eulogies, in which
stories and memories of the dead person are shared.
The Mass of Christian Burial is the fulcrum of the funeral liturgies.
At the beginning of the Mass, the priest welcomes the body at the
entrance to the church. Family members place a white pall over the
casket, representing the white garment in which the person was clothed
at his or her baptism. The body is carried to the front of the church,
where members of the family place a crucifix and a Bible on it,
symbolizing the person’s Christian faith.
Changes in the funeral rites since Vatican II mean that we focus
on the joy of resurrection rather than the sorrow of loss. The vestments
are white, symbolizing joy, rather than their former black. The
emphasis is on eternity, not on our present grief. The Liturgy of
the Word comprises readings chosen by the family - they are
selected for their consolation and hope of eternal life. The priest
or deacon preaches on the readings - offering a homily, not
a eulogy.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows, reminding us of Christ’s
passion, death and resurrection. We are offered the hope of eternal
life - for our loved one and for ourselves. Members of the
family may serve as extraordinary ministers of Communion, readers
and altar servers. After Communion, a friend or family member may
be invited to share a brief reflection on the life of the departed.
There is a final procession to the place of committal, the cemetery.
At the graveside, the priest or deacon offers a final commendation
and prayers of farewell are said. If there has not been a eulogy,
one may be offered at this point.
Occasionally, the family may have chosen to cremate the body. The
Catholic Church permits cremation and, since 1997, it has been permissible
in the United States to have the cremated remains present for a
funeral liturgy. Afterward, the remains should be treated with the
same respect as a body would be - not kept in the home, but
interred in a cemetery or entombed in a columbarium.
The Catholic celebration of a person’s life, coupled with
the community’s consolation to that person’s loved ones,
is one of the most profound ways the church acts as Christ in the
world.
|
why do we do that? |
|
silence:
Our liturgies beautifully balance the elements of our lives -
speaking and listening, offering and receiving, singing and
silence. Silence has an important part in the Mass; we reflect
deeply and silently during the penitential rite, before the
opening prayer, before the first reading, after the first and
second readings, after the homily and after all have received
Communion. Moments of silence allow us time to ponder the states
of our souls, the truth we have heard and to express gratitude.
Silence is also appropriate prior to Mass in order to compose
ourselves to prayer; after parishioners have greeted each other
and shared conversational fellowship, there can be a few moments
of silent prayer before Mass begins. |
|
what's he wearing? |
|
Dalmatic:
The dalmatic was a calf-length tunic with wide sleeves -
beltless - which first made an appearance in third-century Rome.
It originated in Dalmatia and was a senatorial status symbol
when it was first seen in Rome. In the 11th century, the church
appropriated the dalmatic as a liturgical vestment and it is now
worn by deacons when they are serving at Mass. |
| what's the season? |
What is Christmas?
Christmas is the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. Many
people believe the early church fathers chose to co-opt the
pagan celebrations surrounding the winter solstice and
commemorate Jesus’ birth in December. Recent research suggests,
however, that Dec. 25 is actually an accurate date. The
Christmas season in the modern church lasts until the Sunday
after Epiphany, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The
liturgical color for Christmas is white. |
|
what's in the church? |
|
Crèche:
The crèche, or manger scene, was introduced by St. Francis
as a way of explaining the birth of Jesus. It became a popular
symbol of Christmas, found in homes as well as churches. Various
traditions have arisen surrounding the crèche - French manger
scenes have tiny figures representing various occupations, for
example. In many households, it is customary to set up the
crèche with an empty manger - the children in the house do good
deeds during Advent and add a straw to Jesus’ bed for every one
performed. On Christmas Eve, the statue of the baby is
ceremoniously laid in his crib. |