A Good – ‘Good Bye!’ – Committal Service (at Cemetery)

Peter Ryan asks:

The Rite of Committal is the final liturgy in the Order of Christian Funerals. Like the Vigil Service, the Rite of Committal makes use of Scripture, a few words of hope by the presider, intercessions and prayers.

A Catholic cemetery is a place of honor and respect for those who have died. It is a memorial to all who are interred there. It is a sacred place where Catholics come to express their grief and hope for their loved ones who have preceded them in death. It is consecrated ground, fitting for someone whose body was a temple of the Holy Spirit on earth and now awaits the resurrection from the dead.

To have a representative of the Church present at this final moment is a great source of consolation to those who will now have to continue their journey in life without their beloved. While a priest may be unable to preside at the Committal Service, a deacon or a trained bereavement minister may represent the Church at this final moment.
Best Practices – The Committal Service Document (http://www.holyroodcemetery.org/files/94379936.pdf)
Catholic Funeral Template – Choices provided to Committal Services (Service Selection Form) (http://www.holyroodcemetery.org/files/94380066.pdf)

Care to share your local way and traditions?
How can each of us grow our practices with committal services to ensure holiness and the sacred remains at the center of the farewell?

Peter Ryan, Director
Catholic Cemeteries
Diocese of Rockville Centre
pryan@holyroodcemetery.org