The bishop of Springfield, Illinois, has issued a letter aimed at preventing "irregular practices" at funeral services, reiterating Church teaching on visitations, eulogies and cremation.
There are three parts to the Christian Funeral Rites according to the Order of Christian Funerals, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield wrote in a letter recently published on the diocesan website. These are the Vigil for the Deceased, which ordinarily takes place the evening before the Funeral Liturgy; the Funeral Liturgy itself; and the Rite of Committal.
