Q: OCF 205 describes the 2 forms of rite of Committal – with and without commendation. Looking at those rites, the rite with commendation is shorter. While it adds a commendation prayer it leaves out other parts vs. the rite without commendation. It omits an actual prayer of Committal, OCF 232 simply says the act of Committal takes place (no prayer). It also omits the Intercessions and the Our Father. I am trying to understand why this is the case. Why leave these parts out when the OCF instructs to use the rite with commendation if there was no funeral preceding the committal?  If there was a funeral and the rite without commendation is used, Intercessions and the Our Father would be used both at the funeral and at the committal. So these prayers get doubled up or not used at all.

Also, could you please explain the purpose/meaning of the final commendation prayer vs. a committal prayer.

Would it be wrong to add a committal prayer to OCF 232 such as one of the ones mentioned in OCF 406? I especially think option 3 there is very appropriate for pastoral reasons when there are cremated remains.

Thank you so much for your expertise!

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A: It is hard to interpret. But here’s what I think. The option for moving the final commendation and farewell to the cemetery exists in the case when everyone from the funeral Mass is going to the cemetery—for example, if the parish has a cemetery right on the church grounds. In that case, the single liturgy of the Mass (or Funeral without Mass) concludes outdoors with the final commendation. In other cases—the vast majority in my experience—not everyone goes to the cemetery, and some mourners may show up only there, so the group gathering at the cemetery has a fuller celebration of the Word of God.

The commendation is a prayer in which the priest “commends” the soul of the deceased into the hands of the Father (OCF 202). The words at the committal are addressed to the people as a commentary on what is taking place (OCF 219).

If you sense that adding the words of committal would be beneficial, it’s probably best to do the final commendation at the conclusion of Mass and the fuller celebration at the cemetery.

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