Does the Catholic Church allow cremation?

Yes. The Church has permitted cremation since 1963 and continues to allow it, provided it is not chosen to deny faith in the resurrection. Under the Vatican's 2016 instruction Ad resurgendum cum Christo, the ashes must be kept whole in a sacred place such as a cemetery or church columbarium — they may not be kept at home, divided among family, scattered, or made into jewelry or keepsakes. The Church still recommends burial of the body as the preferred practice.

What are the three parts of a Catholic funeral?

The Order of Christian Funerals has three stations: the vigil (often a wake or prayer service held the evening before, sometimes with a rosary), the funeral Mass or funeral liturgy at the church, and the rite of committal at the graveside or columbarium. A family may include all three or, with the parish, adapt them to circumstances.

Can a funeral Mass be held with cremated remains present?

It can, though the Church prefers that the body be present for the funeral Mass and that cremation follow afterward. Where a diocese permits it, cremated remains may be present for the Mass and should be treated with the same reverence as the body, then committed to a sacred place. Ask the parish, since local diocesan policy varies.

What happens at a Catholic funeral?

By Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa

Published August 2025 · Updated May 2026 · 9 min read

The three parts of a Catholic funeral — the vigil, the funeral Mass, and the rite of committal — plus where cremation now fits under current Church guidance.

The short answer

A Catholic funeral is built from three connected rites that carry the person from death to burial: the vigil (the wake), the funeral Mass, and the rite of committalat the grave. Together the U.S. bishops call them the Order of Christian Funerals. A family can include all three or, with the parish, adapt them to circumstances; the funeral home handles the practical side around the church's schedule.

One tradition, local variation

The shape below is the rite the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops describes, but timing, music, and how cremated remains are handled can vary by diocese and parish. Your parish priest is the authority for a particular family's funeral.

The three rites, in order

Most Catholic funerals move through three stations over a day or two. Picturing the sequence helps when you are coordinating the parish, the funeral home, and the cemetery:

The three stations of the Order of Christian Funerals. A family may include all three or adapt them with the parish.

The vigil (the wake)

The vigil usually takes place the evening before the funeral, at the funeral home or church. It is a time for prayer, scripture, and remembrance, and often includes the recitation of the rosary. Friends and family gather to receive visitors, share memories, and pray for the person who died. A viewing of the body commonly happens here, if the family chooses one.

The funeral Mass

The funeral Mass is the heart of a Catholic funeral. It includes scripture readings, a homily, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the final commendation, with the casket often covered by a white pall recalling baptism. The Church prefers that the body be present for the Mass. Where the diocese permits, cremated remains may be present instead and are treated with the same reverence as the body.

The rite of committal

The committal is the final station, at the graveside, mausoleum, or columbarium. The priest or deacon leads prayers as the body or ashes are laid to rest in consecrated ground. For Catholics this is more than a practical step — burial in a sacred place expresses respect for the body and hope in the resurrection.

Where cremation fits

The Church has allowed cremation since 1963 and still allows it today, as long as it is not chosen to deny belief in the resurrection. The Vatican's 2016 instruction, Ad resurgendum cum Christo, sets clear conditions, and the U.S. bishops summarize them for families.

What the Church asks of cremated remains

Cremated remains are to be kept whole and laid to rest in a sacred place — a cemetery or church columbarium. They are not to be kept at home, divided among relatives, scattered, or turned into jewelry or keepsakes. Burial of the body remains the preferred practice.

Planning a Catholic funeral

Contact the parish first.The priest's and church's availability usually sets the timing.
Ask about cremated remains. Confirm whether your diocese allows them to be present at the funeral Mass.
Choose consecrated ground. Pick a cemetery or columbarium that can receive the body or ashes in a sacred place.
Coordinate readings and musicwith the parish's liturgical norms, including any eulogy.

If you are weighing cremation against burial for practical or cost reasons, our guide to cremation vs. burial lays out the differences, and our funeral planning checklist can help you track the steps.

Your rights on cost

The parish arranges the rite; the funeral home is still regulated

The funeral home you hire is bound by the FTC Funeral Rule, which entitles you to an itemized price list and the right to buy only the goods and services you want — even when the religious service is arranged through your parish.