Irish Catholic Funeral Mass

this site might help you find what you're looking for. http://www.usairish.org/irishrituals.html (I'm also Pagan and the 2 irish funerals I went to the only thing that stood out was the wake afterwards, so hopefully this site will help you out. The second funeral was spoken mostly in Irish Gaelic and I was told that it was because the woman in question was born in Ireland. Don't know how much truth there is behind that, but it's something.)

Here's another one:
http://www.canticanova.com/planning/other/pln_fun1_l.htm

Is the funeral taking place in Ireland?

I have been to a funeral on Achill Island (twenty five years ago).
There was a fully sung Requiem Mass in Irish language with Carolan's music for the event. The ambience was very impressive, solemn and moving. The priest gave the eulogy in English. The Mass lasted approx ninety minutes.

What time period? The Irish Wake is usually the big part of the ceremony. Coins on eyes, big toes tied together, a drunken party, etc.

I believe the question was about a Mass.
The wake is a separate event.
The only thing that would denote the Mass as Irish would be the use of Erse as the liturgical language.
A funeral Mass is a private devotion. It can be in any language the deceased or the deceased family members request--as long as there is a priest who can offer the rite in the requested tongue. For example a Palestinian Catholic would be had pressed to find a priest in Ireland who could offer the Mass in any of the Arabic languages or dialects. You get my drift.
Of course it's possible but unlikely.
C

soleary said:

What time period? The Irish Wake is usually the big part of the ceremony. Coins on eyes, big toes tied together, a drunken party, etc.

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Ireland is traditionally very Roman Catholic, not too long ago officially 100%. Obviosuly things are different now than when I was a kid, but I question there being enough Episcopalians in Ireland and a tolerant enough Catholic Parish to allow a dual use of their church. the Papist vs Protestant sentiment is old and deep. Of course Pope Paul the Sixth, if I'm remembering correctly, did ok attendance of an Anglican mass to count as Sunday observaance for Roman Catholics, so maybe? I'm not trying to be an authority on the topic, but it just seems a bit out of place.

As an aside, a protestant friend attened mass with me a few centuries or so it seems ago and commented, "Hey, neat, there are footrests!"
I said, "No, those are kneelers. That's where you kneel."
Afterwards he commented, "What's with the kneeling and then the standing and then the sitting and then the kneeling and on and on again?"
(Certain prayers arre to be prayed in various postures)

GeorgeK said:

Ireland is traditionally very Roman Catholic, not too long ago officially 100%. Obviosuly things are different now than when I was a kid, but I question there being enough Episcopalians in Ireland and a tolerant enough Catholic Parish to allow a dual use of their church.

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I too question this, particularly in somewhere like Achill Island

Don't take this the wrong way, but as other posters pointed out a shared church is an issue. I'm English with one set of Irish Catholic grandparents and one set of C of E. My childhood during the troubles was a tad weird, to say the least. I was very scared of all the IRA bombings on the news- at the same time I had certain Catholic relatives who sang partisan songs in support...(no I don't support either side. I think BOTH sides were wrong).

I remember my C of E grandma saying she'd rather Dad hadn't married rather than marry a Catholic. And this is all in England. In Ireland politics and religion are soooo much more closely intertwined. Its part of everything. Identity, family, history.

Soooo....I guess a dual-use church would be possible...but it'd be a very big deal. It would bring up all kinds of issues. In no way a casual thing. I don't know if its just me, but Catholic churches feel very different- statues of Mary, the pictures are a little gorier, and the atmosphere is a lot more ritual-and-incense. Episcopalians don't go in for that as much!

I'm not Catholic, or Irish, so you might want confirmation from someone who is both, but this was on the BBC religion website:

• A Catholic funeral can be with or without Mass
• The Vigil for the Deceased: this is a service of prayers, songs and homilies either at the home of the deceased or in church, before the day of the funeral.
• Introductory rites: the priest greets the congregation and says: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." He leads the coffin and congregation down the church aisle. Holy water is sprinkled and there is an opening song and prayer.
• Liturgy of the Word: sermons from the Bible are read out, as well as a homily (a practical rather than theological sermon) and a Psalm.
• Liturgy of the Eucharist: there is a preparation of gifts, a Eucharist prayer is said and Holy Communion is received.
• Final commendation: Mass ends, prayers are said and the coffin is taken out of the church.
• Rite of Committal: prayers are said by the final resting place (at the graveside for burial and before the curtains close for cremation).

You probably don't need to include all this! I think little details, like genuflecting before entering the pew, will put across the Catholicism quite well.

Saritams8 said:

It's something they actually do there. When I visited Achill 2 years ago, I spoke with Rev. Hastings at St. Thomas' Church in Dugort. Apparently, because the island is so small, they offer the church for services. !

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Cool, I wouldn't have guessed it.