Monsignor Charles Pope looks at funerals, and the misguided approach that has so damaged the Faith, (actually I could say it has, “Damaged the Liturgy, Damaged the World,”) and with which I’m sure, many of us in sacred music have had to contend.
There are many problems, both sociological, and liturgical, that combine to create an environment that not only obscures Catholic teaching on death, but often outright contradicts it.
He identifies four major issues.
Confusion about the purpose of a funeral can, lead to such situations as
people arriv[ing] at the parish to plan a funeral, presuming that the funeral should be all about “Uncle Joe,” [and since] Uncle Joe’s favorite song was My Way… we want a soloist to sing it at the funeral.
I’ll admit I have played and sung music at funerals and memorials of which I am not proud…. you?
The worst Catholic funeral I have seen was in the Diocese of Dodge City KS with the bishop presiding. The 400 pound niece of the deceased priest appointed herself "Master of Ceremonies" over the Funeral Mass and kept running up to the pulpit to introduce people and give commentary.
This was her moment to shine since she appeared to have no other social outlet. She was smiling, bubbling and giggling. The bishop and 50 or so priests allowed her to run wild because she was "family."
I would have locked her up in the basement insane asylum of the church until the Funeral Mass was over.
PS: As the curtain came down on the above Funeral Mass in the Diocese of Dodge City KS, the niece informed the congregation that we had to sing the Protestant hymn "Old Rugged Cross" because it was her deceased priest / uncle's favorite. So even the deceased priest was a closet Protestant.
There is no hope for the Catholic Church if all of our clergy are closet Protestant's or closet something else!!!
I lost my job as a funeral soloist because I refused to sing inappropriate crap.
But, like Msgr Pope I had not always known…
Been there. Done that. Repeatedly. The rubrics carry little pastoral weight in liturgical planning for funerals, so we're all held hostage to decades of established custom, which can only ever be overcome with specific edicts from Rome.