In the Catholic Funeral Mass the community gathers to give thanks to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death, to commend our loved ones to the Lord’s mercy and care, and to proclaim the paschal mystery.
"Music is integral to the funeral rites. It allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may fail to convey. It has the power to console and uplift the mourners and to strengthen the unity of the assembly in faith and love. The texts of the songs chosen for a particular celebration should express the paschal mystery of the Lord’s suffering, death, and triumph over death." (Order of Christian Funerals par 30).
At any funeral liturgy it is always the intention of the Church to facilitate the full, active and conscious participation of the assembled worshipers. This is no less true at a Funeral Mass. Each part of the Mass has its own purpose and character. The music we choose should serve those purposes. The musical staff of Saint Elizabeth Parish offers these suggestions with a brief explanation of what the Liturgy specifically calls for at these times during the Mass.