MY OWN CARMELITE FUNERAL
By Arnold
We always say death is inevitable. And we know it’s true. But aside from knowing that death comes on days we least expect it, how else do we prepare for this wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience of encountering death that brings about lasting memories to many?
As Lay Carmelites, we ought to live daily as if it is always our last day on earth, trying our best through the grace of the Holy Spirit to live a daily Christian life “In Allegiance to Jesus Christ”. And we see death as no other than the only way to finally meet our God in eternity. But, to be able to meet God face-to-face after our death on earth is not ALL. As Lay Carmelites, we always want to partake in the ministry of saving souls, evangelizing, teaching and preaching the Good News, visiting the sick and those in prison, educating the youth, propagating devotions (Brown Scapular, Our Lady of Mt.Carmel, St.Joseph, Carmelite Saints, etc.), catechizing, and many more apostolate each member has according to his/her own gifts and capacity. And let us not allow death to get in the way to fulfill these ministries. We can, even at death, evangelize and inspire people who may come to witness our own Carmelite Funeral (and tomb).
This is my own Carmelite Funeral and I simply want the best… because being a Carmelite is my best experience ever.
I. PEOPLE I WANT TO BE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED IN CASE OF MY DEATH: (see Coming Home by Fr.Larry Tan,SDB)
1. Immediate family members and other relatives (wife, children, parents, grandparents, brothers & sisters, aunts & uncles, cousins, etc.);
2. My own Carmelite community (Prior/prioress, counselors, regional coordinator, regional formator, etc.) – to take charge in dressing me up (barong, pants, cape, ceremonial scapular, pins, etc.);
Sis.Menchie Martinez (prioress) 0917-7777777
Sis.Baby Malana (counselor) 0917-7777777 / 09087777777 / 044-6637777
Bro.Ruel Santos (national counselor) 0916-7777777
Bro. Pol Gregorio (regional coordinator) 0916-7777777
3. Carmelite Communities in other areas, including TOC Spiritual Adviser, Carmelite Friars and Nuns, National Coordinator and National Counselors;
Fr.Adrian Layug, Fr.Toots Buenafe,OCarm., Fr.Noel Rosas, OCarm., Sis.Sally, Bro.Louie, etc. (all with contact numbers _____);
4. Parish Priest and fellow Lay Ministers;
5. Officers and members of Adoracion Nocturna Filipina;
6. Parish Pastoral Council & Sub-Parish Pastoral;
7. Members and Prayer Warriors of the Knights of Saint Benedict (KSB) and of the Prayer Warriors of the Holy Souls (PWHS), KSB Spiritual Adviser Fr. Virgilio Ramos 0915-7777777;
8. Promoters and Coordinators of the Alliance Alliance
9. other Charismatic groups and prayer warriors.
II. FUNERAL PLANS:
1. Place of Wake: St.Peter Memorial Chapel, Q.C.
2. Length of Wake: at least five (5) days
3. Place of Burial: North Cemetery Manila
4. Flowers (Color/Kind): no particular preference
5. Dress (Color/Kind): TOC Barong, brown pants, cape, ceremonial scapular (Carmelite family will be in-charge of the dress and solemn preparation of my body)
6. Casket (color/make) : Brown in color; Inexpensive Wood (NOT metal)
III. FUNERAL CELEBRATION:
1. Church / Funeral Chapel:
Mass to be said daily at St.Peter Funeral Chapel; Final Mass on
date of interment to be celebrated at Sto.Domingo Church
Ave. (altar during Holy Masses to include St.Benedict Crucifix, Two
Hearts of Jesus & Mary, St.Joseph and any Carmelite Saint/s);
2. Priest/s:
Carmelite Friar in Carmelite Habit, concelebrated with my own Parish Priest Fr.Jose “Jay” santos
3. Eulogist: Relatives, fellow Carmelite, KSB member, PWHS member, PPC/SPPC member.
4. Praise Ministry / Choir: PPC/SPPC Music Ministry (ONLY Church/Religious Songs are welcome)
5. Guests’ Attire During Funeral:
- Relatives in white shirts and brown pants
- fellow Carmelites in gala habit
- other prayer groups in their own respective attire
IV. ON TOP OF MY BROWN CASKET:
1. (Catholic) Holy Bible on white cloth
2. St.Benedict Crucifix
3. my Lay Minister Hood (to be included in burial)
4. Exorcised water and exorcised salt in small amount (to be included in burial)
V. MY HANDS:
1. Position: Praying Position (hands joined together on chest; NOT straight or standing position)
2. Hands hold wooden Holy Rosary and wooden St.Benedict Crucifix
VI. DAILY ACTIVITIES DURING WAKE:
1. Novena for the Dead starting on the day of death;
2. Recitation of the Holy Rosary with Litany;
3. Holy Mass;
4. at least 12 brown scapulars to be invested on guests by the Mass Presider, daily during the wake;
5. at least 12 small Saint Benedict medals (blessed & exorcised according to the St.Benedict Rite of Blessing) to be distributed daily during the wake;
6. Praying of Breviary / Liturgy of the Hour / Office for the Dead (Morning & Evening) (Tagalog or English);
7. Angelus at exactly 12 noon and 6PM ;
8. Divine Mercy Prayer at exactly 3PM .
VII. STRICTLY NO TO ANY SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ON THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE FUNERAL.
1. DON’T cut or break the Rosary I’m holding;
2. DON’T remove anymore the pins in my casket;
3. DON’T cover mirrors during wake;
4. DON’T break glasses on interment;
5. DON’T carry the babies and children on top of my casket during burial;
6. DON’T believe anyone is not allowed take a bath if needed;
7. DON’T put chicks on my casket during wake;
8. DON’T put money in my hands during wake;
9. DON’T play any sentimental, emotional, non-church and non-religious music during interment;
10. OVERALL, pls. DON’T inject pagan, occultic, baseless, incompatible beliefs and practices to my own Holy, Catholic Funeral Celebration.
VIII. OTHER LAST WILL:
1. Enroll my soul also for perpetual prayers in Gregorian Masses and in various Orders like Franciscan, Dominican, Benedictine, Augustinian, Pauline, etc.;
2. Holy Mass Offering every Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, including First Fridays and First Saturdays;
3. Daily Angelus and Holy Rosary for my family;
4. at least monthly Confession of my family members esp. wife and children, parents and other 1st and 2nd degree relatives;
5. My wife and children to enter Carmelite Order (or any Religious Order according to the moving of the Holy Spirit) and continue serving the local parish;
6. My other immediate relatives and friends to consider joining also the Carmelite Order or Confraternity of the Brown Scapular.
7. All my relatives and friends to continue promulgating the following:
a. Devotion to Mary through the Brown Scapular
b. Devotion to the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary (promoting
c. The enthronement of Two Hearts images in homes and
families);
d. Promoting the medals and crucifixes of Saint Benedict and
its spiritual values to the lives of Catholic faithful;
e. The ministry of Healing and Deliverance in obedience and in
accordance to the teachings of the Church;
f. The ministry of praying for all the souls in purgatory;
g. Defending the Catholic Faith against the attacks and
conspiracy of the church’s enemies.
Coming-up with TOC design of my own “Lapida” was inspired by my experience of blessing graves in a cemetery at Guinobatan, Albay, Bicol on November 12, 2011 .
Along with some members of the TOC – Our Lady of the Assumption Community, we went to the cemetery to say a set of prayers for all those who lie there and started blessing the graves of some relatives, as well as the graves of the departed members and past prioress. I was deeply touched with the pious act of praying for and blessing the burial place of our own sisters in the Third Order. How I wish that everyone, with the right awareness, may easily recognize that the one who lies there are Carmelites who used to give what they have for the benefit of the Order “In Allegiance to Christ”, with zeal and enthusiasm. How I wish that all who passes-by may still be touched and be inspired by the mere presence of burial stones serving as witnesses to the holiness of a Carmelite’s funeral and burial. How I wish every passer-by, even with absolute innocence, may stop in front of their graves and give time to reflect and realize the saintly reminders inscribed on their marble plates, leading each one to say even a brief prayer, fervent enough for that person to be “touched by God”. How I wish that even these graves of fellow members of the TOC would continue the mission of evangelization. How I wish many will come to know more about the Carmelite Order through these graves. How I wish every person who may come in contact with these holy graves may have their minds suddenly open in the Spirituality of Death in a Catholic, Christian and Carmelite point of view. And how I wish everyone else would experience the same with my own burial place, very Carmelite in flavor.
We live as Carmelites. And we will die and be buried as Carmelites.
“O death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?”
1 Corinthians 15:55
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