Q: SC 32 states, “…no special honors are to be paid in the liturgy to any private persons or classes of persons, whether in the ceremonies or by external display.”

At funeral Masses I have attended, I have seen in the case of a deceased Knight of Columbus that a Resolution of Condolence is proclaimed and a certificate presented to the deceased Knight’s surviving spouse or children just before the funeral Mass begins. Fellow Knights are dressed in regalia with ceremonial swords and provide an honor guard that performs quasi-official movements during the entrance procession and the procession to the place of committal, but those Knights are not liturgical ministers.  Funeral Masses for “ordinary” Catholics do not include such a resolution nor pageantry.

Do either of those practices by and for the Knights of Columbus run afoul of the Constitution on the Liturgy’s declaration that no special honors be given to private persons or classes of persons during the liturgy?

==

A: SC 32 is speaking about the liturgy in general. At funerals, it’s common to represent something of the particular interests and devotion of the deceased. The Knights of Columbus publish their manual for ceremonies here: https://www.kofc.org/en/resources/service/council/808-drill-manual.pdf. You can see there what they recommend for funerals.