Hindu Catholic Dialogue Commemorative Brochure 20150523

Author(s): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Publisher: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

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the laying on of hands by a bishop (or the local pastor, in certain cases) and anointing with the perfumed oil of chrism. Through these three sacraments of initiation, a Catholic Christian is brought into the life of God, worshiping the Father in and through a deep relationship of faith in the Son, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
G. AFTER-LIFE
Gl. Describe the funeral ceremony.
The Catholic funeral ceremony has a number of stages that can be adapted according to the circumstances of death. At the moment of death, there are prayers for the "commendation of the deceased". After the body has been prepared for burial, there can be a "Wake" or "Vigil" for the deceased, which is a short prayer service often accompanied by the recitation of the Rosary by family and friends, usually led by a member of the clergy. In the parish church, the body of the deceased, encased in a coffin, is brought into the center of the worship space and the funeral Eucharist is celebrated. At the end of the ceremony, the coffin is sprinkled with holy water to recall the start of the Christian life in Baptism, and incensed as a sign of the hope of eternal life. In essence, the entire Christian life is a preparation for eternal life in union with God, so these rites highlight the basic hopes and beliefs of the Christian community. After this final rite, the body is accompanied to the cemetery where the gravesite is blessed and final prayers are offered in the presence of family and friends.
G2. What happens to an individual after death?
The goal of the Christian faith is eternal life with God in heaven, which is the state of perfect happiness; this is also called the beatific vision and, in early Christian writings, is described as a banquet in the Kingdom of God. This state is only attainable by the grace of God that comes to human beings in and through Jesus Christ. It is important to note that the perfection of this heavenly life can only be attained at the end of time itself, when the entire human person, body and soul, are reunited in the immortal resurrection body. Between bodily death and the final end, only the immortal soul of a person enjoys the heavenly life with God in the company of all the saints. There are therefore two moments of judgment after death: the first occurs soon after bodily death, after which the soul finds itself in heaven, purgatory, or hell. The second judgment occurs when body and soul are reunited as the resurrection body; it is then that the whole person abides in either eternal life or eternal damnation. It is possible for a human being to reject God's offer of saving grace in Christ; such persons are refusing an absolute offer of love. Therefore, upon death, they will endure the consequences of their refusal of God's love in an eternal state known as Hell.
COMMEMORATIVE BROCHURE
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