FUNERALS AND EVANGELIZATIONFr. James Mallon

National Liturgy Conference, Oct 28th, 2015 St. John’s

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO EVANGELIZATION

AT FUNERALS

EVANGELIZATION

1. Preparing the soil (pre-evangelization).

2. Planting the seed (kerygma).

3. Watering the plant (relationships and time).

4. Reaping the fruit (becoming disciples).

WE CAN BE EVANGELISTIC

“I PLANTED, APOLLOS WATERED, BUT GOD GAVE

THE GROWTH” !

1 COR. 3:6

“THE REAPER IS ALREADY RECEIVING WAGES AND IS GATHERING FRUIT FOR ETERNAL LIFE, SO THAT SOWER AND REAPER MAY REJOICE TOGETHER. FOR HERE THE SAYING HOLDS TRUE, ‘ONE

SOWS AND ANOTHER REAPS. ’ I SENT YOU TO REAP THAT FOR WHICH YOU DID NOT LABOR. OTHERS HAVE LABOURED, AND

YOU HAVE ENTERED INTO THEIR LABOUR.” !

JOHN 4:36-38

EVANGELIZATION

1. Preparing the soil (pre-evangelization).

2. Planting the seed (kerygma).

3. Watering the plant (relationships and time).

4. Reaping the fruit (becoming disciples).

PRE-EVANGELIZATION

1) HOSPITALITY

• Love and serve the family

• Welcome the guests

• Host a reception

2) BEAUTY OF THE LITURGY

• Celebrate well

• Don’t explain away the symbols

• Communicate transcendence

KERYGMA

THE HOMILY

• Every funeral homily should be kerygmatic

• Kerygmatic not eulogistic

• personal not impersonal

Eulogistic X

X XKerygmatic

Impersonal Personal

BLESSED POPE PAUL VI’S EVANGELII NUNTIANDI, 1975

Evangelization will also always contain--as the foundation,

center, and at the same time, summit of its dynamism--a clear proclamation that, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, who

died and rose from the dead, salvation is offered to all men, as a gift of God's grace and mercy.

(no. 27).

KERYGMATIC PREACHING

• Proclaims the wonders of God, not the wonders of the deceased

• Proclaims God’s Mercy

• Proclaims Jesus

• Presents faith as trusting in what God has done for us

• Invites a response

CHOOSING THE READINGS

MAKING THE EUCHARISTIC LITURGY HOSPITABLE AND KERYGMATIC

WHAT DOES THE NON-CHURCHGOER OR NON-CATHOLIC

EXPERIENCE?

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

• Introduce yourself

• Welcome the family & guests

• Acknowledge non-Catholics, non-Christians

• Affirm, reassure and invite

RICK WARREN

“Don’t change it, explain it.”

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

• Introduce readings in general

• Explain the psalm

• Explain Eucharistic Prayer

• Invite Catholics to help

• Our Father/Lord’s Prayer

• Sign of peace

WHAT ABOUT HOLY COMMUNION?

TWO QUESTIONS

• What should we do?

• How should we do what we should do?

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

1.Do nothing

2.Say something

SAY SOMETHING

HOW SHOULD WE DO IT?

1.It will always be messy

2.The Lord makes himself vulnerable

3.We should do our best to avoid abuses and respect our guests

THE MEANING OF HOLY COMMUNION

ISSUES

•Non-Catholics

•Catholics in a state of grave or mortal sin

NON-CATHOLICS

• They believe what we believe

• They ask of their own accord.

• They cannot receive from their own ecclesial communion for physical or moral reasons

GRAVE SIN

• Perfect act of contrition

• Three conditions for grave sin

WHAT I SAY

• Receiving the Eucharist is a public declaration.

• We come from a variety of backgrounds

• We desire everyone to participate as much as they are able.

• We do not want anyone to say anything they do not intend…

GIVE INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO ACTUALLY DO

AFTER THE LITURGYInvitation

BIGGER QUESTION

What happens when our practice of funerals actually prevents us from doing real

evangelization—making disciples?

TIMETABLE

• 2 hours with family

• 1 hour vigil

• 2.5 hours homily/liturgy prep.

• 2.5 hours liturgy & reception

• 1 hour Travel & Grave side

8-10 HOURS, 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK

OF UNSCHEDULED

DEMAND

THE PARISH AS A FUNERAL HOME

IS THE WAY WE CURRENTLY DO FUNERALS THE BEST USE OF OUR TIME AND ENERGY?

The 20-30 hours a week were invested in raising up leaders to run a program like

Alpha and do it properly?

SAINT BENEDICT MODEL

SAINT BENEDICT MODEL

• 2-3 funerals a week

• Funeral team

• funeral choir, reception team

• Vigil and graveside done by deacon or lay person

• assistant pastor, retired priests

• grief support group

REDEFINE PASTORAL CARE

NINJA SHEEP

“We need to move from a pastoral ministry of mere conservation to a

decidedly missionary pastoral ministry”.

!Evangelii Gaudium, 15

You can’t fly the plane and

serve the coffee at the same time.

FUNERALS & A MISSIONAL DISPOSITION

TWO PRINCIPLES

• We must meet people where they are and speak their language.

• We must preserve and respect the dignity and integrity of the liturgy.

CONCLUSION

We must have multiple options

EULOGIES

EULOGIES AT A FUNERAL LITURGY

• the “liturgy” allows them

• but not during the Eucharist

The Eucharist is not a “Celebration of the Life of…”

the deceased, but a celebration of the life, death

and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our participation

in that reality.

WHAT ABOUT HYBRIDS?

POSSIBILITIES

• Eucharistic liturgies; stand alone or full meal deal.

• Liturgy of the Word in Church

• Liturgy of the Word in a funeral home

• Hybrid funeral in funeral home/community centre

• Graveside prayers

QUESTIONS?