L5 - Music, Prayer & Funeral Rite

Describe the importance of the psalms.

St Augustine said ‘to sing is to pray twice’
Psalms are ancient collections of prayers and hymns to God which express various emotions. At the catholic mass the liturgy of the word includes a sung Psalm.

Describe different music used in the liturgy.

Alleluia: Chant for welcoming the Gospel and acknowledging the importance of listening to the teachings of the Gospels.
Eucharistic Acclamations: Sung during the liturgy of the Eucharist. They highlight the solemnity and importance of the ‘body and blood of Christ’
Gloria: Great song of praise for God. It brings a greater sense of Joy and awe through music.
Hymns: They accompany the procession of the bread and wine before the Eucharist and are used at the start/end of mass.

Evaluate the use of ancient hymns or more modern hymns at Church.

Some Catholics would say that traditional Latin music is the best way to appreciate the beauty of the liturgy. Others would say that the older hymns are more appropriate church music and the words of the classic hymn writers are more poetic. Yet others would say that the church needs to sing in the more modern style of the younger generation, otherwise it is not reaching them.

Explain ‘Faure’s requiem’

Music composed for funerals are called 'requiem' (Latin for 'rest'). Gabriel Faure composed a requiem that is full of beautiful melodies. He offered music that acknowledges grief within the context of the hope of eternal life. Faure does not allow the natural sadness of grief to obscure faith in the resurrection. In parts, the choir sings in a higher pitch, sounding like the angels in heaven. The gentleness of the music reflects the tranquility of life being left behind.

Explain the symbols that are on the coffin.

Covered in a white pall - reminder of baptism, a symbol of being clean from sin and that everyone is equally worthy of salvation.
Book of the Gospels placed on the coffin - remind people to live by the teachings of Jesus
Cross is placed on the coffin - It is through the cross and resurrection that people are saved and can now be sure that death has been defeated and how be brought salvation.

What is the purpose of a Catholic funeral?

• To pray for the soul of the dead

• To remind the congregation that Jesus defeated death

• To thank God for the life of the person

• To allow the family to grieve for the deceased

• To find comfort in the hope that they will be in heaven with God

What happens at the committal (in a funeral)?

They sprinkle the coffin with holy water as a reminder of the person’s baptism and the gift of eternal life.
The coffin is incensed as a sign of honouring the person, whose body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The smoke rising from it reminds people of the prayers that are rising to heaven and is a sign of hope that the person is with God in heaven.
The rite of committal - ‘Dust to dust in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life’

Give SOW for catholic funerals

‘Blessed are those who mourn’ - Matthew
‘I am the resurrection’ - John
‘The lord is my shepherd’ - Psalm 23

Describe the prayers and readings done at a catholic funeral.

The readings from scripture will be chosen to remind those present of the promise of resurrection and eternal life. Those readings will be a source of comfort for those grieving and a declaration of hope. The prayers throughout the funeral will refer to Baptism and the Resurrection. The priest will use their homily to explain the Christian belief that death has been defeated and the Church has firm hope of eternal life. The prayers of the Final Commendation express that faith where the mourners will say their final goodbye.

What is prayer according to the Catholic Church?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) defines prayer as ‘the raising of the mind and heart to God’

What are Formulaic prayers and the advantages of them?

Formulaic prayer - ‘Set prayers’ which has been said by Christians over centuries where the words are the same each time. They are often well-known and provide a source of inspiration for many.
e.g. Lord’s prayer
+ They come from people close to God
+ The prayers were inspired by the Holy Spirit
+ Jesus taught his followers the best formulaic prayers
+ Helps people who don’t know how to pray spontaneously

What are Extempore (spontaneous) prayers and the advantages of them?

Extempore prayers are when Christians use their own words to speak with God. Some Christians feel so moved by the Holy Spirit that they’ll speak in ‘tongues’.
+ Formulaic prayers are repetitive and they start to lose meaning
+ The words come from the heart
+ They express the exact feelings of the person
+ Appeals to modern Christians unsure of the formulaic prayers

Explain the different kinds of prayer.

Adoration: God is wonderful and worthy of praise.

Thanksgiving: People give thanks for wonderful things.

Repentance: From sorrow – people repent their sins.

Intercession: Asking God to respond to the needs of others.

Petitions: Asking God to help them and grant their requests

‘Pray to me and I will listen to you’ - Jeremiah

Why is the Lord’s prayer important?

The best known formulaic prayer because the Gospels tell us that these words were Jesus’ instructions on how to pray.
It is said by billions of Christians globally and it contains all the main aspects of prayer
e.g. ‘forgive us our trespasses’ = Repentance