What is the difference between a wake and funeral? (Catholic)?
548830
A wake is the Irish culture's version of the vigil prayer service. The evening before the funeral family and friends gather for a prayer service, the eulogy and sometimes the rosary.\n\nThe funeral is a full Mass with extra prayers for the departed. This is followed by an another short prayer service at graveside. Then a reception usually follows.\n\nI think it is always better to go to one of the services instead of neither. Unfortunately emotions are always high and someone may be offended. We can just try to do the best we can.\n\nMy condolences and prayers for your loss.
620074
When this flesh dies, the flesh, a vessel made of dust from the earth, goes back to the ground where it came and the soul, our true body returns to The Father who gave it. \nCremation should be an individuals decision.  In my opinion, it all, the flesh vessel ends up in the same place, the ground.  If one, after passing can donate parts that others can use, I believe that's a wonderful gift.  Today with the cost of a funeral and burial, I see no reason not to be cremated.  That's the way I want it. Why give some funeral home all that money when ones family could use it more?  What ever your decision, your family should honor your wishes.
500693
Sure, it's okay. At least you're going. I wish my church had evening services, because the regular weekly service is held at a really inconvenient time for me. My spouse is Catholic and attends Saturday night Mass, and I'm jealous. I wish we had more nighttime services like that.
371648
" Communion <Also called the "Host", "The Eucharist", "The Mass", or "Lords Supper". Is based on a word for "thanksgiving."  The central Christian liturgical celebration; established by Jesus at the Last Supper.  In the Eucharist, the sacrificial death and Resurrection of Jesus is both remembered ("Do this in memory of me") and renewed ("This is my body, given for you").  The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is considered the heart of the Church's life and worship, and participation in it is expected of all Catholics of the age and ability to do so."\n\nThe ability to do so is dependent on if you are a Catholic and of "Good Standing": Baptized, and received "First Communion" confession all sins.  So, if you're a Catholic and you have committed adultery, you need to confess your sins to the priest before you receive communion.  The Church asks that Catholics participate in the Eucharist once a year.  Many receive it daily, some weekly, others monthly, few yearly, and few yet ... in decades.
228361
My husband was shipped home. His body was dressed and his casket was draped before they sent him home. He had a full honors military funeral and is buried in the local veterans cemetary. You have the choice of burying or cremation. The navy, I believe, also allows for a burial at sea. My husband was in the Army.
755109
I'm fascinated with how other cultures preform funerals for the dead. Each culture does this different and each is beautiful in it's own way.
801536
I would go with white...just seems appropiate\nBlack is a bad idea cuase it seems like you are going to a funeral
875261
It is not inappropriate; just remember that the funeral is about the deceased, not about you and what you are wearing.
172402
Funerals are about closure. The pain to the people who are still around after a person has passed is able to end, or begin ending.  The present becomes the past and painful experiences become painful memories. \n\nIf you needed to be to your friends funeral because you were immersed in grief Id say go there. If you were ok with your friend dying I would go to  the other funeral to support those who needed you more.
250139
I would say that the Christian funeral. Don't think it matters about denomination. Best funerals are the ones it is almost a celebration, know it doesn't sound right but think about it. The person's life is celebrated and there is happiness in the pain because the people know that the person has gone to heaven and is happy there. I have been to a few of these and it is alot more pleasant then others. These services have church songs that the person liked, talks from people that really cared. There is still crying and mourning but there is a sense of hope and happiness. This is far better to other funerals where it is impersonal (traditional) and excessive mourning with no celebration of the person's life.
119193
Funerals, they say, are not for the dead; they are for the living. To take two extreme examples, if someone dies and the only people at the funeral are his children, they are going to wonder if he alienated all of his friends, golf buddies, co-workers, etc.\n\nIf, to go the other way, so many people show up they have to have the services in a high school gym, and 40 people line up to say a little something about how he made their lives richer, the family and close friends are going to feel like he didn't live in vain.\n\nSo, it is a combination of how close you were to the dead person, and how well you know his family. If your best friend's mother died, you might go even if you only knew her slightly.
782105
Here's Wikipedia's entry for "coffin" with a mention about the difference between coffin and casket:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin
28852
The leader of a congregation is called a priest.  Deacons aide a priest in his/her duties.  A bishop overlooks a diocese, which is kind of like a church district.
284421
I WAS RAISED CATHOLIC WENT TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR EIGHT YEARS. THE ENTIRE TIME I WENT TO SCHOOL AND YEARS BEFORE THAT ,EVERY MAY, WE HAD WHAT WAS CALLED" THE MAY CROWNING"  EVERY CLASS FROM FIRST THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE HAD THEIR OWN SPECIAL SONG THAT THEY SANG TO MARY ABOUT HER, THEN WHEN ALL THE CLASSES WERE IN THEIR PLACE IN CHURCH, BOYS WOULD CARRY A STATUE OF MARY SURROUNDED BY FLOWERS, ON SOME KIND OF PLATFORM, TO THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH, THEN A GIRL FROM THE EIGTH GRADE WOULD GO UP TO HER AND PLACE A CROWN UPON HER HEAD. THEN THERE WOULD BE MORE SONGS OF WORSHIP. IF THIS IS NOT WORSHIP, THEN WHAT IS IT?\nIT IS WRONG! THERE IS NO PLACE IN SCRIPTURE THAT SUPPORTS PURGATORY EITHER.
477415
Robin Williams jokes that Espiscopalians have "all the ceremony, half the guilt." Now the rest of the world calls them Anglicans, and I will for the remainder of my answer.\n\nOne of the differences between the Catholics and Anglicans is the rite used for the Mass. Roman Catholics use a rite called the "Novis Ordo", a modified form of the Latin liturgy it created in the aftermath of Vatican II. The Anglicans, on the other hand, use a rite derived from the Book of Common Prayer.\n\nSee: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Common_Prayer\n\n(Some Catholic parishes use a modified form of this called the Anglican use, if the parish is one that at some point belonged to the Church of England.)\n\nIn terms of beliefs, there are not too many differences between Catholics and Anglicans. What differences there are is contained in a treatise the Anglicans have called "the Thirty Nine articles" - though not all of them are differences, some of them are areas of specific agreement, in fact.\n\nOne of the important differences in terms of hierarchy is that Anglican bishops are absolute rulers of their diocese. While Catholics believe their bishops are sovereign over their local churches, that authority is to be defered to the authority of the Pope, Peter's sucessor.\n\nAnglicans do accept in theory the idea that the Papacy perhaps should hold some weight. But their view of the local bishop's power is that it is basically absolute: that any "chief bishop" who is the head of a communion (in the case of the Anglicans, that is the Archbishop of Canterbury) is more of a figurehead, primus interpares (a "first among equals.")\n\nAnother difference is that Anglicans dropped the traditional Latin discipline of priestly and episcopal (bishop's) celibacy.\n\nIn the US Episcopal church, there is a consensus that women may also be ordained to the priesthood and episcopacy, as well as non-celibate homosexuals. The Catholics do not share this view.
648516
Death is such an inappropriate term. At that time called death we simply transform into another state of being. It of course is still part of prophetic fullfillment. It is but a window to eternity. The wondow is formed by the judgment seat. How you lived depends on what will happen on the other side of that "window." Some will be in the presence of the Father, and others will not.
1175503
If you served with the armed forces, then you have the right to be buried in uniform, apart from your medals, which will be presented to your family.\n\nThis right is a funeral with full military honours and will also include the establishment flags and ensign to be flown at half mast, your coffin to be flag drapped and a 3 volley salute fired by an armed guard.  \n\nYou also have the last post played as a mark of respect to all fallen comardes.