Case LXX: Rite for Burying Children and Adults

In a certain parish there died recently, of a contagious disease, two boys belonging to a prominent family, one in his fifth, the other in his ninth year. One funeral was held for both, sub uno according to the ordo sepeliendi parvulos, in white. Later a debate arose over this, as it was maintained that the younger of the boys should have been interred according to the ordo sepeliendi parvulos, but the other according to the ordo sep. adultos. On the other hand, the pastor’s action was defended on the following special reasons:

1. The older boy, though he attended school, had not yet received the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. In that parish it was the universal custom to bury such children according to the ordo sep. parvulos.

2. If the pastor had caused the bodies to be buried separately, and to be taken separately to the cemetery, he would have unnecessarily increased the parents’ grief.

To elucidate this case we will put the following questions:

1. When is, according to ecclesiastical precept, the ordo sep. parvulos to be applied, and when the ordo sep. adultos?

2. Is the fact that the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist have not been received, a reason for deviating from this precept?

3. What should the pastor have properly done in this case?

Ad. 1. The ordo sep. parvulos is only applicable to baptized children who die before attaining the use of reason; in the case of all others the ordo sep. adultos is to be followed. This is evident from the Rit. Rom. and also from the wording of these two funeral rites.

The Rit. Rom. explains in the Rubrics on the ordo sep. parvulos how the word parvuli is to be understood. Therefore, when a baptized infant or child has died before the use of reason, etc. Parvuli,. therefore, are children who have not attained the use of reason, and adulti those who have attained the use of reason, whether they are grown up or not. In this sense these terms also occur in other ecclesiastical regulations, as, for instance, in the ordo baptismi par-vulorum-adultorum. The ordo sep. parvulos refers to all those dying before the years of discretion, the ordo sep. adultos to all those dying after attaining them.

This is undoubtedly evident also from the character of the funeral rites. The ordo sep. parvulos is of a joyful character, as is manifest in the selection of the psalms (Laudate pueri; Domini est terra; Laudate Dominum de coelis); the wording of the orations, which pray, not for the child, but for the survivors, that the latter may one day participate in the same happiness; the white color: the color of rejoicing. This rite is evidently befitting only for those that have preserved the grace of Baptism pure and undefiled; those that were incapable of the least actual sin, and who, therefore, were immediately admitted to the vision of God. And that is positively the case only of those children who die before attaining the use of reason.

The ordo sep. adultos, on the contrary, expresses sorrow at human sinfulness, fear of divine justice, and turns to God for mercy and grace to the departed. Hence the black garb, the Psalms Miserere, and De Profundis, and the corresponding sense of the orations. This funeral rite is, therefore, to be used not only for adults, but also for children who have reached the years of discretion, who, therefore, are capable of actual sin, and of whom one can not be quite certain that at their death they have nothing to atone for.

Ex communiter contingentibus it is accepted that man at the completion of his seventh year attains the use of reason. Hence it must be the general rule that all who have passed their seventh year must be buried according to the ordo sep. adultos. The custom of burying according to the ordo sep. parvulos children even after reaching the years of discretion, is in direct opposition to the ecclesiastical precepts, and to the purport of the prayers, and it does a great injustice to the children concerned, as it deprives them of the intercession which perhaps they greatly need. This custom therefore is an improper custom, and is to be abolished.

There must be no departure from this rule even if a child who has passed this age seems to have preserved his innocence; outward appearances are often deceiving, and the same argument might be urged for some grown persons (S.C. R., August 31, 1872). On the other hand there are younger children in whom wickedness exceeds their years. Such cases, in regard to the rite to be followed, are only to be considered if notorious. Perpetuo amentes over seven years of age are interred like children under seven years of age (DE HERDT, S. Lit. Praxis, I, III, n. 268).

Ad. 2. The choice of the burial rite depends, therefore, in first place and chiefly, upon the attainment or non-attainment of the use of reason. As in our case the older boy had reached the years of discretion, he should by all means have been buried according to the Ordo sep. adultos. The circumstance that outside of Baptism he had not received any Sacraments, is no excuse for the pastor’s procedure, but might imply an accusation against him, if, namely, his negligence was the cause of the boy dying without receiving the Sacraments. Every person able to distinguish between right and wrong, and therefore capable of committing sin, can and should, in danger of death, receive the last Sacraments, even if otherwise First Confession and Holy Communion are sometimes postponed until the ninth or tenth year. This is evident from divine and ecclesiastical precepts concerning the reception of the Sacraments; it would be superfluous to quote here authorities in this matter.^* They all agree that a priest commits grievous sin if he does not administer the last Sacraments, in danger of death, to children, who have attained the use of reason, on the excuse that they had never previously received the Sacraments of Penance or of the Eucharist, or because they have not been fully instructed.

^* Note, see p. 173.

Hence to say: He who has not received the Sacraments of Penance and of the Eucharist is to be buried according to the ordo sep. parvulos is not correct, but, He who is not capable of receiving the Sacraments. He who is capable of receiving the Sacraments must be interred according to the ordo sep. adultos. As this capability is contingent upon the use of reason we may amplify the rule given above and say: All those who have attained the use of reason, and have, or might have, received the last Sacraments, are to be buried according to the ordo sep. adultos.

Ad. 3. (a) The pastor after proper preparation should have given the last Sacraments and general absolution to the older boy. A complete instruction for Confession and Communion is not necessary under the circumstances, only the knowledge of the truths which necessitate medii must be believed explicitly. Hereupon he should have helped the boy to examine his conscience, as far as possible, and should have been especially solicitous for a good disposition by exciting acts of contrition, faith, hope and charity. This suffices for a valid and worthy reception of sacramental absolution and therefore for the reception of Extreme Unction. Whenever these two Sacraments are administered, general absolution should also be given. Furthermore if the child can distinguish the Holy Eucharist from ordinary material food, and there is no irreverence to be feared, he may also receive the Holy Viaticum, (b) The older boy should have been buried according to the ordo sep. adultos, the younger one according to the ordo sep. parvulos. Therefore the blessings at the house, in the church and at the cemetery should have taken place successively. No one could expect, however, that each body should be taken separately from the house to the church and thence to the cemetery, for that would have increased needlessly the parents’ grief. A separate rite was therefore not possible in this particular part of the burial rite, it had to be performed according to one ritual and that should have been the ordo sep. adultos. This is the more important and necessary one, and it would have been more in accord with the sentiments of the parents and all those present.

Lambert Studeny, D.D.