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A funeral within the Catholic faith is a ceremony that celebrates the person that has passed life. It is a way of closure for family and friends and is a time to come together and mourn. The Catholic community also believes in an afterlife where the soul of the person will live in Heaven, Hell or Purgatory. Catholics believe that at the end of time people of the Catholic faith, much like Jesus did, will resurrect. The belief in resurrection at the end of time means that the body cannot be cremated. ‘We believe in the true resurrection of this flesh that we now possess’ (Council of Lyons II)

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The Catholic funeral is led by a priest who stands at the front of the ceremony. While leading the ritual the priest will usually read a passage of the bible during the sermon. The mass is attended by friends and family of the person that has passed.

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During the ceremony there are songs and hymns that are played. This purpose is to bring joy on the mournful occasion as well deepening connection with God in the hope that one day we will join the loved one again.

As the Catholic religion believes in Jesus being crucified and sacrificing his life by dying on the cross there is a cross to resemble this present at the ceremony. The death of the person is seen to bring them closer to God and is a time to hope that one day we will be with God as well.

The colours worn and used for decorations at Catholic funerals generally consist of black, violet or white but it generally just depends on what the families preferences are. Vestments that are black are typically reserved for funerals in the Catholic church however, since 1970 garments were able to be chosen, violet vestments that are worn during Advent and Lent can also be chosen as well as white, which is typically worn during Easter and symbolised hope.

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In the funeral service prayers are often said aloud amongst the guests which are led by the priest. The spoken prayers often include praying about life and death. There are also times of silence within a funeral for reflection which people also use to personally prayer; this often takes place at the time of the burial at the gravesite.

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At the Vigil there are often times for the closest friends and family to read a personal eulogy about their passed loved one and express how grateful they were to have them in their life. However it is important to note that in the Catholic religion it is not appropriate for the eulogy to be spoken at the funeral service.

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After the funeral service the close friends and family travel to the burial site where the deceased person is buried. The priest blesses the body before it is put into the ground. The site of the burial is also blessed and once the body is buried it is then said to be committed to the Earth. After this occurs the friends and family then join in with the priest to pray.

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The ritual of funeral is very important in the Catholic religion as it is believed that at the end of time Catholics will be resurrected. "[I]f the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (1 Cor. 15:13–18).

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Catholic Funeral Traditions. (2017). Everplans. Retrieved 22 October 2017, from https://www.everplans.com/articles/catholic-funeral-traditions Resurrection of the Body | Catholic Answers. (2017). Catholic.com. Retrieved 21 October 2017, from https://www.catholic.com/tract/resurrection-of-the-body Hunter, A. (2017). The Color of Vestments at a Funeral Mass in the Catholic Church | Synonym. Classroom.synonym.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017, from http://classroom.synonym.com/the-color-of-vestments-at-a-funeral-mass-in-the-catholic-church-12085272.html Funeral Ceremonies and Symbols - St. Mary Catholic Church, Delaware, Ohio. (2017). St. Mary Catholic Church, Delaware, Ohio. Retrieved 23 October 2017, from http://www.delawarestmary.org/funeral-ceremonies-and-symbols/