One man's journey of discernment towards the Catholic priesthood
Friday, March 30, 2012
Homily Change
For the next four weeks (with a week off for Easter break) I will be departing from homilies based on the current Sunday's readings. The current assignments are funeral and wedding homilies. There will be two of each.
I hope you won't mind if a very old Catholic makes some comments on your funeral homily. Someone told me recently that he attended his aunt's funeral and asked the priest if he could speak to him before the Mass and the priest happily agreed. This man told the priest that several of the deceased's relations sitting in church had had disagreements with her and that although she was, in many ways, a good person, no-one was going to go for the 'she is now in heaven' line and that she certainly needed prayer. The priest nodded and smiled and then went out and assured everyone that she was in heaven! Our Lady at Fatima said that few people go straight to heaven. Souls NEED Masses and need prayer and very few get any, don't be the cause of a soul continuing to suffer when their family could help them to move towards heaven.
Thanks for the comment. I struggled with using that phrase. I decided to turn to my own feelings. They tell me that my mother and wife are in heaven, so I used that phrase.
My professor had a similar comment to yours for me when he graded this homily. Fortunately, I have a few more years before I have to do this before a live congregation. I still have much to learn.
I hope you won't mind if a very old Catholic makes some comments on your funeral homily. Someone told me recently that he attended his aunt's funeral and asked the priest if he could speak to him before the Mass and the priest happily agreed. This man told the priest that several of the deceased's relations sitting in church had had disagreements with her and that although she was, in many ways, a good person, no-one was going to go for the 'she is now in heaven' line and that she certainly needed prayer. The priest nodded and smiled and then went out and assured everyone that she was in heaven! Our Lady at Fatima said that few people go straight to heaven. Souls NEED Masses and need prayer and very few get any, don't be the cause of a soul continuing to suffer when their family could help them to move towards heaven.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I struggled with using that phrase. I decided to turn to my own feelings. They tell me that my mother and wife are in heaven, so I used that phrase.
DeleteMy professor had a similar comment to yours for me when he graded this homily. Fortunately, I have a few more years before I have to do this before a live congregation. I still have much to learn.