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കത്തോലിക്കാ ശവസംസ്കാരത്തിൽ പുതിയ ചട്ടങ്ങൾ; കുടുംബ പ്രസംഗങ്ങൾക്ക് നിയന്ത്രണം

Published

3 months ago

July 23, 2026

ഇല്ലിനോയിസ്: കത്തോലിക്കാ ശവസംസ്കാര ചടങ്ങുകൾ കൂടുതൽ ക്രമബദ്ധവും സഭയുടെ ആരാധനാനിയമങ്ങൾക്ക് അനുസൃതവുമാക്കുന്നതിനായി അമേരിക്കയിലെ ഇല്ലിനോയിസ് സംസ്ഥാനത്തെ സ്പ്രിംഗ്ഫീൽഡ് രൂപത പുതിയ മാർഗനിർദേശങ്ങൾ നടപ്പാക്കി. ബിഷപ്പ് തോമസ് ജോൺ പാപ്രോക്കി പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച പുതിയ ചട്ടങ്ങൾ ജൂലൈ 1 മുതൽ പ്രാബല്യത്തിൽ വന്നു.

പുതിയ നിർദേശപ്രകാരം, അതേ ദിവസം തന്നെ ദർശനവും (Visitation) ശവസംസ്കാര തിരുക്കർമ്മവും നടത്താൻ ഇനി അനുവദിക്കില്ല. കൂടാതെ, ശവസംസ്കാര ചടങ്ങിൽ പറയുന്ന അനുസ്മരണ പ്രസംഗങ്ങൾ (Eulogies) ചടങ്ങിന് മൂന്ന് ദിവസം മുമ്പ് വൈദികന്റെ അനുമതിക്കായി സമർപ്പിക്കണം. പ്രസംഗം കുടുംബാംഗങ്ങൾക്ക് നേരിട്ട് നടത്താൻ അനുവാദമുണ്ടാകില്ല. അനുമതി ലഭിച്ചാൽ അത് വൈദികനോ ഡീക്കനോ വായിച്ചുകേൾപ്പിക്കുന്ന രീതിയിലായിരിക്കും.

സംസ്കാരശേഷം ശവദാഹം (Cremation) നടത്തിയാൽ, ഭസ്മം വിഭജിക്കുകയോ ചിതറിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യരുതെന്നും, നിശ്ചിത സമയത്തിനുള്ളിൽ അനുയോജ്യമായ ശ്മശാനത്തിലോ വിശുദ്ധ സ്ഥലത്തോ സംസ്കരിക്കണമെന്നും രൂപത വീണ്ടും ഓർമ്മിപ്പിച്ചു.

കത്തോലിക്കാ സഭയുടെ ‘ഓർഡർ ഓഫ് ക്രിസ്ത്യൻ ഫ്യൂണറൽസ്’ (Order of Christian Funerals) എന്ന ഔദ്യോഗിക മാർഗനിർദേശങ്ങൾക്ക് അനുസൃതമായി ശവസംസ്കാര ചടങ്ങുകൾ നടത്തുകയെന്ന ലക്ഷ്യത്തോടെയാണ് പുതിയ ചട്ടങ്ങൾ നടപ്പാക്കുന്നതെന്ന് രൂപത വ്യക്തമാക്കി.

ലോസ് ആഞ്ചലസ്, യങ്‌സ്‌ടൗൺ, വൂസ്റ്റർ തുടങ്ങിയ മറ്റ് കത്തോലിക്കാ രൂപതകളിലും സമാനമായ മാർഗനിർദേശങ്ങൾ ഇതിനകം നടപ്പാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. പുതിയ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ കത്തോലിക്കാ കുടുംബങ്ങൾക്കും ശവസംസ്കാര സേവനദാതാക്കൾക്കും ശ്രദ്ധേയമായ മാറ്റമായാണ് വിലയിരുത്തപ്പെടുന്നത്.
Sources:expressherald

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Last year I had extensive discussions with our Presbyteral Council and Diocesan Pastoral Council about how to address some irregular practices that have crept into local funeral services. Following these discussions, over the past several months I have had a series of regional meetings throughout our diocese with local funeral directors and priests in our deaneries to go over the changes in our diocesan policies and procedures that will go into effect July 1, 2026, to ensure that Catholic funerals in our diocese will conform to the norms of the Catholic Church.

According to the Order of Christian Funerals, there are three parts for the Christian Funeral Rites: 1) the Vigil for the Deceased, which takes place the night before the Funeral Liturgy; 2) the Funeral Liturgy, which may be a Funeral Mass or a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass; and 3) the Rite of Committal. All three Stations of the Funeral Rites are intricately connected to each other and together form the whole Order of Christian Funerals.

One of the liturgical anomalies that has emerged over the past few years is the practice of having a visitation in the church immediately preceding the Funeral Mass. As of July 1, 2026, visitation will not be permitted in church on the day of the funeral liturgy. The vigil, by definition, is the night before, so the vigil prayers will be prayed then by the priest or deacon even if there is no public visitation. In such cases, it would be fitting at least for the immediate family members to join the priest or deacon in the vigil prayers.

This does not mean that the family and friends of the deceased cannot gather at the funeral home prior to the Funeral Mass. In fact, the Order of Christian Funerals has a brief prayer service called Transfer of the Body to the Church or to the Place of Committal. Since a priest or deacon is not usually available at the funeral home to lead this prayer service immediately prior to the funeral liturgy in the church, these prayers at the funeral home may be offered by the funeral director, a member of the parish staff, or a relative or friend of the deceased. If the architecture of the parish church can accommodate this, the gathering for the transfer of the deceased into the church may take place in the narthex of the church. The casket with the body of the deceased or the urn with the cremated remains is then brought in procession into the church. If the gathering takes place in the funeral home, the procession will usually take place by motorcade with the remains of the deceased transported in a hearse. If the funeral home is nearby or the gathering is in the narthex of the church, the procession could be on foot. Either way, the symbolism of this procession of bringing the body of the deceased into the church is a reminder of when the deceased person first entered the church. Upon arrival at the church entrance, the casket or urn is sprinkled with holy water as a reminder of the waters of baptism. The casket is then covered with a white pall or cloth as a reminder of the baptismal garment that symbolizes putting on the life of Christ.

Another problematic area that has crept into recent practice is with eulogies. The word “eulogy” in Greek literally means “good word,” thus a eulogy in the context of a funeral is speech or writing praising a person who has recently died. The Order of Christian Funerals permits in certain circumstances “speaking in remembrance of the one who died,” but does not permit a eulogy during the funeral rites. What’s the difference?

To speak in remembrance of the deceased is to speak about the faith-life of the one who died and to give praise to God. A eulogy makes the person being praised the main focus of attention. The homily and the words of remembrance have God as the primary focus. In this regard, reference may be made to how the deceased person put his or her Christian faith into practice, which provides a good example for others to follow and gives hope for an eternal reward in Heaven.

Unfortunately, too often people speaking at the end of a Funeral Mass say things that are very inappropriate. Even if the remarks are suitable words of remembrance, family members are often overcome with grief and have a hard time getting through their remarks. To avoid either of these difficult situations, words of remembrance must be submitted for approval to the pastor of the parish at which the funeral rites are to take place at least three days prior to the funeral. Only the priest or deacon will then read the words of remembrance at any of the three stations of the funeral rites, namely, the Vigil, the Funeral Mass or Liturgy, or the Rite of Committal at the cemetery. If deemed appropriate by the family, words of remembrance or even a eulogy may be given by someone other than the priest or deacon in other gatherings, such as at the meal following the committal service. This should not, however, immediately precede or follow any of the Christian funeral rites.

Although the Catholic Church does not prohibit cremation unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine, such as denial of the resurrection of the body, the Church still earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the deceased be observed. When cremation does take place, however, all of the cremated remains of the deceased person’s body must be interred following the Rite of Committal. At no time and in no way shall the cremated remains be divided, separated, or interred in more than one place. Since the Rite of Committal is an essential component of Catholic Funeral Rites, our diocesan policy requires that interment of cremated remains should ordinarily take place within 30 days following the funeral rites.

Making funeral arrangements when a loved one has died is difficult while one is in the midst of grief. Our clergy, parish staff members, and local funeral directors are committed to providing caring and compassionate service that offers the consolation and support of the Christian community in carrying out the corporal work of mercy of burying the dead in a dignified and graceful manner.

May God give us this grace. Amen.
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‘Get Into Their World’: How Can the Church Reach Gen Alpha for Jesus?

Published

5 hours ago

October 15, 2026

theendtimenews

Imagine growing up as the most digitally connected generation in human history.

“Generation Alpha has been completely formed by technology and screens and social media, meaning they’ve been on screens most of their life,” said Shane Pruitt author of the book Reaching Generation Alpha: A Ministry Guide for Discipling the Church Beyond the Screen.”

Pruitt points to research showing just how early digital tech enters the lives of today’s young people. “Even before their teen years, a majority have had regular access to devices like tablets and smartphones,” he said.

Fourteen-year-old Kaileb Lewis said he first got a smartphone at the age of five.

Tyiana Johnson, also 14, said she was seven or eight.

And for many in this generation, screen time adds up to multiple hours each day.

“Eight to 12 hours,” said 11-year-old Dallas Clark.

Sixteen-year-old Lela Clayton admitted to being on her phone five or six hours a day.

Pruitt said that much time online goes beyond entertainment. It can shape how young people think, what they value, and even who they become.

“I would even call it a discipleship war,” Pruitt told CBN News. “Meaning if they have a screen, if they have a tablet, if they have a smartphone, they’re being discipled by something or someone — an algorithm, entertainer, a cultural agenda.”

There is also growing concern about what impact this digital environment has on the mental health of today’s generation.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that spending four or more hours daily on non-school screen time made teenagers more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression.

“A lot of young people struggle with just a lot of mental issues and just being depressed,” said Clayton. “And it’s really sad because sometimes there’s no one there to really help them.”

“I feel like my phone is my everything,” Johnson admitted. “I come to that when I feel depressed, down, anything.”

So how can churches reach this generation growing up in a world of smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence? For Generation Alpha, it’s more than just getting their attention. It’s about building genuine relationships.

“I feel like building relationship is everything because you don’t know what somebody else going through,” said Johnson.

Fifteen-year-old Sophie Knox became a Christian at age seven. She said for young people to truly hear the gospel, they first need to know they can trust who’s sharing it.

“You have to build a relationship with a student as you’re preaching the gospel to them because you have to trust a person,” said Knox.
Sources:CBN News

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ഐപിസി ഫാമിലി കോൺഫറൻസ്- നാഷണൽ കമ്മറ്റി ഒക്ടോബർ 17 ന് ഒർലാന്റോയിൽ

Published

5 hours ago

October 15, 2026

theendtimenews

ഫ്‌ളോറിഡ: ഇരുപത്തി ഒന്നാമത് ഐ.പി.സി ഫാമിലി കോൺഫ്രൻസിന്റെ നാഷണൽ ഭാരവാഹികളുടെയും വിവിധ സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുമുള്ള പ്രതിനിധികളുടെയും യോഗം ഒർലാന്റോ ലേക്ക് ബ്യൂണ വിസ്റ്റ ഹിൽട്ടൺ ഹോട്ടൽ സമുച്ചയത്തിൽ ഒക്ടോബർ 17 ന് ശനിയാഴ്ച രാവിലെ 10.30 ന് നടത്തപ്പെടും. വിപുലമായ കോൺഫറൻസിന്റെ സുഗമമായ നടത്തിപ്പിനു വേണ്ടി ഭാരവാഹികൾ യോഗത്തിൽ രൂപരേഖകൾ തയ്യാറാക്കും.

തുടർന്ന് 12.30 ന് അമേരിക്കയുടെ വിവിധ സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും കാനഡയിൽ നിന്നും കടന്നുവന്ന് സംബദ്ധിക്കുന്ന നാഷണൽ പ്രതിനിധികൾക്ക് ലോക്കൽ കമ്മറ്റിയുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ ഒർലാന്റോ ഐ.പി.സി സഭാ ഹാളിൽ പ്രാദേശിക ഭാരവാഹികൾ ഊഷ്മള സ്വീകരണം നൽകും .

നാഷണൽ ചെയർമാൻ പാസ്റ്റർ റോയി വാകത്താനം ദേശീയ കമ്മറ്റിയിൽ അധ്യക്ഷത വഹിക്കും. നാഷണൽ സെക്രട്ടറി രാജൻ ആര്യപ്പള്ളിൽ, നാഷണൽ ട്രഷറർ സാക് ചെറിയാൻ, നാഷണൽ യൂത്ത് കോർഡിനേറ്റർ ജോമി ജോർജ്, നാഷണൽ ലേഡീസ് കോർഡിനേറ്റർ കൊച്ചുമോൾ ജെയിംസ്, നാഷണൽ പ്രയർ കോർഡിനേറ്റർ പാസ്റ്റർ ഏബ്രഹാം മാത്യൂ, നാഷണൽ മീഡിയ കോർഡിനേറ്റർ നിബു വെള്ളവന്താനം തുടങ്ങിയവർ ദേശീയതലത്തിൽ ചെയ്തിട്ടുള്ള ക്രമീകരണങ്ങളുടെ വിലയിരുത്തലുകൾ നടത്തും. ലോക്കൽ കൺവീനേഴ്സായി പാസ്റ്റർ പി.എ കുര്യൻ, രാജു പൊന്നോലിൽ എന്നിവർ പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു.

ഈവന്റ് കോർഡിനേറ്ററായി ബ്രദർ അലക്സാണ്ടർ ജോർജ്, ലോക്കൽ സെക്രട്ടറി റെജി വർഗീസ്, ട്രഷറർ ബിനു ലൂക്കോസ്, യൂത്ത് കോർഡിനേറ്റർ ജെഫ്രി മാത്യു, പ്രയർ കോർഡിനേറ്റർ പാസ്റ്റർ കെ.സി തോമസ്, യങ്ങ് അഡൽറ്റ് കോർഡിനേറ്റർ പാസ്റ്റർ ഫ്രാങ്ക്ളിൻ ഏബ്രഹാം, ലോക്കൽ ലേഡീസ് കോർഡിനേറ്റേഴ്സ് നാൻസി ഏബ്രഹാം, സുനി ജോൺസൺ, ബീന മത്തായി തുടങ്ങിയവർ പ്രാദേശിക കമ്മറ്റികളിൽ പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു. ഇവരെ കൂടാതെ 50 പേരടങ്ങുന്ന വിശാലമായ കമ്മറ്റിയാണ് ദേശീയ കോൺഫ്രൻസ് വിജയകരമാക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങൾക്ക് നേതൃത്വം നൽകുന്നത്.

ലോകോത്തര പ്രാസംഗികരായിരിക്കും 21-മത് കോൺഫറൻസിൽ മുഖ്യപ്രഭാഷണങ്ങൾ നടത്തുന്നത്. പ്രസിദ്ധ ക്രൈസ്തവ ഗായകർ ശുശ്രൂഷകളിൽ സംബന്ധിക്കും. “ആത്മ നിറവിൻ ജീവിതം” എന്നതാണ് കോൺഫറൻസിന്റെ മുഖ്യ ചിന്താവിഷയം.

സുവിശേഷീകരണത്തിനും പ്രാർത്ഥനക്കും ആണ് ഈ കോൺഫ്രൻസ് മുൻതൂക്കം കൊടുക്കുന്നത്. എന്തുകൊണ്ടും ശ്രദ്ധേയമായ കോൺഫ്രൻസായിരിക്കും 21 -മത് നോർത്ത് അമേരിക്കൻ ഇന്ത്യാ പെന്തക്കോസ്ത് ദൈവസഭ ഫാമിലി കോൺഫ്രൻസ് എന്ന് ഭാരവാഹികൾ പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.

എല്ലാ മാസവും 3-ാമത്തെ വ്യാഴാഴ്ച 9 PM EST / 8 PM CST സമയം സൂമിൽ (ID: 405 209 4084) “IP C” എന്ന പാസ് വേഡ് ഉപയോഗിച്ച് പ്രയർ ലൈനിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കാവുന്നതാണ്.

ipcfamilyconference.org എന്ന ഔദ്യോഗിക വെബ്സൈറ്റ് വഴി രജിസ്ട്രേഷൻ, സ്പോൺസർഷിപ്പ് തുടങ്ങിയവ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നതാണെന്ന് ഭാരവാഹികൾ അറിയിച്ചു.

The 21st IPC Family Conference
The India Pentecostal Church of God gathers families from across North America for the 21st IPC Family Conference, held July 1st – 4th, 2027 at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in Orlando, Florida.

The programme spans family and marriage seminars, dedicated tracks for youth, women and children, and sports and fellowship throughout the four days.
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Ex-Muslim Leads 100,000 to Jesus: ‘There Is Hunger in the Muslim World to Hear About Christ’

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2 days ago

October 13, 2026

theendtimenews

Harun Ibrahim was born in Israel to Arab-Muslim parents, studied in a Jewish school, and married a devout Christian woman. After years of examining these religions, he was faced with a choice: Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.

Ibrahim ultimately made a decision to follow Christ, thanks to his praying wife and a timely encounter with a random man on the street.

Ibrahim recalled the conversation during an appearance on The 700 Club. The man told him, “‘Well, you are not going to be in the kingdom of God because Jesus said that no one will come to the Father except through Him.'”

“And I really didn’t like that,” he recounted. “I said, ‘You are rude.'”

The man began to share the Gospel with the young Muslim and challenged him to actually read the Bible.

“He challenged me to read this Bible verse, and it was in the Gospel of John. And I read the Gospel of John seven times in a row. I just like really loved the person called Jesus. I couldn’t resist. I just had to accept him as my redeemer, as my Savior,” he shared.

Ibrahim began to burn with a desire to share the Gospel with Muslims and served many years as a missionary reaching Muslims in the Arab nations. He later started Al Hayat Ministries in 2003 to boldly preach the Gospel and challenge Islam. Since then, the ministry has seen more than 100,000 come to faith in Jesus Christ.

“Our vision extends to equipping believers who come from Muslim backgrounds with the necessary tools and knowledge to fulfill the Great Commission,” reads a statement on their website.

Ibrahim serves as the Director of Al Hayat Ministries, and recently told the Keeping It Real Israel podcast that they have reached millions of people with the Gospel in a short time.

“Just an example that [in] 2023 we received 109 million viewer reactions or responses and thousands of people accepting Christ,” he shared. “This means that there is hunger in the Muslim world to hear about Christ.”

Ibrahim explained that what makes his programming unique is that he is speaking to Muslims in the culture and language they understand.

“When Christian TV was first brought into the Arab world, it was programs that were made by Christians for Christians in the Christian language in the hopes that Muslims would watch the shows,” he told the 700 Club. ” When I started to produce TV programs, I was not happy to see that the whole year could be, maybe, 15 to 20 Muslims accepting Christ.”

His unique approach is giving many more people the opportunity to meet Jesus.

“I think that media, TV, internet are here to help us fulfill the Great Commission, and the Muslim world was [once] isolated. It was closed, and now through the satellite channels, internet, [and] social media, we can reach the Muslims.

“Many of them are finding the truth,” Ibrahim continued. “I do believe that a great revival is very soon to come to every single Muslim country.”

For many Muslims, accepting Christ means being rejected by family and potentially endangering their lives.

“Islam is a religion that does not allow people to change it, and if you reject Islam, you will be punished. You will be given three days as a chance to get back. If not, then you can be persecuted,” he told CBN News in 2020.

“In many of the countries, they don’t kill them, but in some of the countries, they do. Many people would lose their jobs, their families, their children, their wives, and then their families. Unfortunately, we can say that in some cases, they lose their lives,” Ibrahim explained.

He encouraged Christians who have a desire to reach Muslims to begin praying first.

“When you start praying for the Muslim world, God will guide you [in] what to do,” he explained.
Sources:CBN News

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