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Should Catholics attend parties celebrating the dead?

Question:

Are parties for the deceased appropriate? In keeping with his wishes, the widow of a friend is holding a big bash to celebrate his life. She has asked my husband to give a eulogy. Is this something a Catholic can attend and participate in?

Answer:

I do not know of any Church document that would prohibit it. Attending might give your husband a sense of having honored his friend’s final wishes. If the party atmosphere seems inappropriate, you can leave quietly after offering your sympathy to the bereaved. You might also want to have Masses said for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

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