The Poppy Ceremony at Catholic Funerals

It is common to hear parish secretaries and funeral coordinators express concern about poppy ceremonies being conducted by members of the RSL at the funerals of ex- servicemen.

The only time I witnessed a poppy ceremony was at a funeral held in a Presbyterian church.  It was brief and conducted with reverence.  It seems however that in some cases these rituals have got out of hand.

At a workshop on funerals, I asked participants about any experiences they may have had with poppy ceremonies at funerals, and the flood gates opened.  The main issues are:

• They take place in the church, intruding into the Church’s official liturgy.
  

• They are being conducted without the celebrant and even the family being informed about it beforehand.
  

• It seems that funeral directors organising funerals for ex-service men and women are themselves contacting the local RSL branch and asking for a Poppy Ceremony to be held.
  

• It has become common for the person from the RSL leading the ceremony to give a long explanation of the meaning of the poppy symbol and a detailed account of the deceased’s war service before inviting all those who wish to come forward to place a poppy on the coffin.
  

• The speaker mumbles and speaks in an unprofessional way without using a microphone so cannot be heard by most people present.
  

• The time taken for this ritual is often out of proportion with the rest of the funeral liturgy.
  

The RSL Burial Ritual assumes that the ceremony will be conducted at a graveside and that it can be adapted if the body is cremated instead of interred. Clearly it is not appropriate to insert the full RSL ritual into a Catholic (or any Christian) funeral liturgy.

These problems have arisen because it is increasingly common for the only funeral ceremony to be the one in the church.  The Vigil beforehand and Committal afterwards, although presumed by the Order of Christian Funerals, simply do not happen.

Actions that Diocesan Commissions on the Liturgy might take to overcome existing concerns about poppy ceremonies and prevent potential problems include:

• Contact funeral companies to inform them that the RSL rituals are not automatic.  They  may be conducted only at the request of the relatives and, in the case of a Catholic funeral, with the prior consent of the parish priest or other person who is conducting the funeral liturgy.
  

• Make sure the RSL State or local branch is aware of these requirements.
  

• Consider making a rule that Poppy Ceremonies are not to be conducted in the church at the Rite of Commendation but outside either at the hearse or graveside.

• Consider placing a limit on what elements are included in any Poppy Ceremony that is celebrated at a Catholic funeral (for example, only the family and RSL members place a poppy on the coffin, omitting the history of the rite, and avoiding another ‘eulogy’ enumerating the deceased’s service record).
  

This article was originally published in Liturgy News ​Vol 47(3) September 2017. Reprinted with permission.

Image Attribution - Poppy flower, Spring’s Flowers