A prayer is said for each bead of the rosary....resulting in nearly 60 prayers. I've sat through slow rosaries and fast ones...depends on the rate of speed of the speaker.

If the rosary service is, say, at 7pm...and you want to skip it, you could arrive at 7:30 for the visitation and be just fine.

Sorry about the loss of your friend.

Since you are not a Catholic, it would be most respectful to attend the rosary service but not say the prayers along with the rest of the participants. (Yes, it will be boring-maybe 30-45 minutes) I once attended a Jewish funeral service and merely sat quietly among the worshippers. Sorry for the loss of your friend.

Wildchild's explanation was right on.

Umm, at least here in the bay area, California, Rosaries have changed. Rather than recite the rosary as has been traditional, these are almost like pre-funeral services where the presider and others speak about the departed; I'm not sure why this has come about. I grew up (as a Catholic,) with the traditional version but in the last ten years or so the ones I've attended have been the newer services.

I'm sorry to disagree, but if it is a traditional Rosary and the decades are recited, I see absolutely nothing wrong with anyone and everyone joining in with the prayers, if you want to. Why not?

Sorry, I forgot to address your other questions. No, it is never a Mass, and usually lasts anywhere from half an hour to an hour, if the eulogies are long-ish. Everyone sits the whole time, except perhaps when the priest enters. There is often music.

To amplify just a bit...
The funeral basically has three parts - the Vigil for the Deceased (really, a wake); the Funeral Mass or the Funeral Liturgy outside Mass; and the Rite of Burial.

The tradition of reciting the Rosary at a wake is something very common among the Polish, Italian, and Irish.

I'm not sure it's strictly an ethic tradition, but my family is Polish from time immemorial, and the funeral "package", if you will, always includes a rosary service to pray for the repose of the soul of the departed.
Join in - you might not know the Apostles' Creed or the Hail Marys, but the Our Father is likely known.

Interesting differences....last week,, I attended a Visitiaion with Rosary Service and a Deacon lead the congregation in The Apostles Creed, one Our Father and then just one decade recited. No eulogies.

ML

The only thing a non-Catholic should not do in a Cathloic church is take communion. There are huge theological differences among other Christian churches and the Catholic curch regarding the body of christ. I was once at a Catholic funeral mass where the priest explained it all.

I come from a long lineage of Catholics, and here is what I have learned about the length of Rosary service for the deceased: like the others mentioned it varies in time for some, but in San Antonio Texas let me tell you this, I have been to a gazillion of them and I have never gotten out until the TWO hour mark! Eat before you go, try not to take the little children, take tissue, a water bottle, and dress nice but comfortably, it usually gets stuffy in there, and bring not only your rosary beads but enough to go around 4 or 5 of them. Do not chatter during it go into the hall, and just try to be polite and considerate to the family of the deceased. You can't go wrong if you behave as though it was your family member up there. Hope that this helps.

Wow another blast from the past from 2010!

As you are reading, the Catholic Church is made up of members of many ethnic identities. Each brought their slant to the Church. I would second what Jannie said the ONLY prayer/event at a Catholic ANYTHING that one would not participate in, if not Roman Catholic, would be the partaking of Holy Communion. The funeral Mass is, as all Masses are, to honor Our Lord. At a funeral Mass, Catholics particularly pray for the soul of the deceased, and offer thanks for the life well lived. "Wakes" are not "required" but have developed over time. Because strict adherence to the Mass does not allow for a Eulogy often the wake is when this is most proper. Often the Knights of Columbus or one of many women's organization will say a rosary as it is believed Mary will accompany the soul at the hour of death. The wake has no RULES in Catholic tradition or theology. It is a cultural or local custom.

As you are now returned from the experience I for one would like to hear of your impressions.

I am Episcopalian, and I consider it something of an insult to suggest that I am somehow less of anChristian vis a vis the taking of communion. When I attend a Roman service I take communion, as I do not believe my Lord would disapprove. Quite the opposite, He would disapprove this whole exclusionary concept. They don't ask to see your membership card. Just receive the elements if you feel led.

I often wonder, why is it that some feel "entitled" to simply partake of the ceremonies and/or rituals of a certain religion, despite knowing nothing of the history or beliefs behind them? I'm not Jewish or Muslim, for example, but I would never feel "entitled" to attend one of their services and insist I have a right to those aspects reserved for believing, professing members. It is just a question. There are huge theological differences between Catholics and Protestants, of course, that go back centuries. Not to say they've been good things at all. But if I decided to take communion at a Protestant or Catholic church I would expect that I'd want to understand what it meant as the taking of it is an implicit assent. No, God is not going to rain down brimstone on someone who does this without that understanding and assent. It is just a question--curious to me. I know what I believe and why I adhere to a certain faith. I am respectful of all different faiths enough to not feel "entitled" to the aspects they reserve for believing members.

I always find it mind boggling that following the beliefs of Christ, which makes one Christian, why not accept that there are different takes on how what has been passed down for generations, and is merely interpreted differently, nothing more? Shouldn't the end objective be about Christ? Why is the focus on how it's carried out? Since we're asking questions.

As an answer to your question Cassandra, when I asked about Jewish rites when attending a funeral I wanted to make sure not to offend. But if one says it's ok to do something or hold back if you want I feel they're both right. For instance, I didn't feel I was close enough to the person to justify filling the grave, but not because I wasn't Jewish. I feel, if I'd been closer to him, I would have.

If it's all done with the utmost respect and with a fearful heart, why disallow anything? If someone wanted the rites to be changed to the way they thought it should be rather than the "flavor" of the place visited, that would be totally wrong.

It sure sounds like you're afraid that a homeless alcoholic might go around to these services and partake of Communion just to get sip of wine!!!! Who knows if the homeless person is a believing Christian member, or not, and does it really matter?

When my sister died, we had a Catholic funeral mass for her. Her daughters, while baptized Catholic, were no longer members of the Catholic religion, though they remained Christians. They asked about going to communion and the priest discouraged them. One of them said to the others to remember that their (the daughters) religion didn't believe that the communion host was the body of Christ. That is why you shouldn't go to communion in a Catholic church if you are not Catholic. I had Jewish friends that wanted to go to communion at a friend's Catholic wedding "just to see what it was like". I found that to be disrespectful.

Rob, it's no harm to not participate in filling the grave, but the
ritual is considered something for the whole community to do, and you
would have been perfectly fine doing so, and in fact, would have been encouraged to. It's one of the few worldly things that you can do for the deceased.

The only Jewish thing I can
think of that a monotheistic non-Jew might not be able to participate in
is the atonement on Yom Kippur, even so, If the visitor had done all preparation, asking forgiveness of people he's wronged, I don't see why not. Same with things like the ritual baths--with proper knowledge and preparations, I'd think it would be possible. There are certain things he couldn't lead, and he wouldn't be counted for the number needed for a service, but as a participant, just about everything is open.

That's the thing, proper knowledge and preparation, about the Catholic communion, as I understand it, as well: You have to be in a state of grace, having made confession, etc., and have the knowledge of the Catholic teachings to fully understand and participate. They hold these rules for their active congregants, so I see no fault in requiring them for others. They could, of course, in a community service like a wedding or funeral, where many non-Catholics might be in attendance, offer a communion for those people. Perhaps invite minister to preside or have a separate group in some way. They do make a lot of other accommodations for non-Catholics in life cycle events. OTOH, no one ever accused the Roman Catholic church of changing fast to suit the times.

Murraysmom, those Jews perhaps weren't so much being disrespectful as woefully ignorant. To them, it looks like the bread and wine that are at the center of Jewish ritual. They could possibly have been gearing up to mock transubstantiation, if they really were trying to be disrespectful, but that would also be ignorant, because the "magic" of communion still wouldn't be available to them since they wouldn't be in a state of grace, and wouldn't be open to the meaning of communion, etc., not knowing anything. The best thing to do with ignorance is educate.

Yes, I would agree that "ignorant" is a better term. Thank you. There is something non-Catholics can do at communion time. They can come up with their arms crossed across their chest. This signals they are not Catholic and they would receive a special blessing from the priest. I like that ritual. :)

Since you are not a Catholic, you can do anything that is done in the service except receive Communion. People will go up to the priest and receive communion in the middle of the service -- you can simply stand in the row where you are (most people I know do this) and allow anyone who needs to exit the row to move around you. They'll all come back. Or, you can follow the flow, but not "open up" when the priest offers you Communion, and then go back to your seat/bench. I find this latter harder to do, personally. (I am an ex-Catholic, but I respect my compatriots, and I respect the religion.)

LOL!! I hope Rose is not still at that "rosary" service, she for sure knows all the prayers by now. This question was asked a long long time ago - November 23, 2010. Funny how threads get bumped and then OP is edited by the replies. I imagine that Rose did the right thing (whatever that was), and we can be fairly sure she was not disrespectful in any way simply by the question she submitted. I hope her friend is resting in peace and I suspect that this friend was glad Rose was there.

Just going to weigh in. Happened to find all this today. "Going to Communion" in the Roman Catholic Church is "receiving the Eucharist". The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His entire body and soul, blood and divinity, having been changed from bread and wine into Christ Himself. (see Scripture: This IS MY BODY, do THIS in memory of me) When a Catholic goes to Communion, the priest/minister says "the Body of Christ" or "the Blood of Christ" and the person responds "Amen". Amen means "Yes" or "I believe". So unless a person can say yes to that, and knows what it means, it doesn't make any sense to receive the Eucharist. I for one do not want to assent to any beliefs that I don't actually believe. That would be lying, and all Christians assent to the 10 Commandments where that is forbidden. This is not about exclusion, it's about where one's soul and mind are on the journey of faith.

Thank you, Mom, for just wanting a bit of a viewing at the church, before your mass and burial.

xo

Amen!! Epme. This is a very difficult concept and has caused division where none is intended. My DH is not Catholic. When we first discussed it I asked him why I couldn't go to his Fraternity nonsense. "That is different its not GOD..." Truth is it is the same thing. God has called all to believe. If you can't, that is on you not on the Church.

Do honorary pall bearers attend rosary

Anyone can attend the rosary; I'm sure the family would appreciate you being there. I wouldn't think you have any duties there, but it's nice to have a group to pray together.

Yes, anyone can pray the rosary and attend the funeral. Nothing you need to do but be there

Along with issues relating to the Rosary ...

... looks like "resurrection" sometimes applies to threads on the internet, as well.

o j

Cute, OJ. ;)