Prayer for the Deceased Catholic

“For your faithful people, Lord, life is changed, not ended.” — Preface I for the Dead, Roman Missal

Public Domain: Frédéric-Anatole Houbron (1851-1908). “Les funérailles du président Félix Faure à Notre-Dame, le 1er février 1899”. Peinture sur enduit frais sur carton, 1899. Paris, musée Carnavalet via Paris Musees.

The Prayer

Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God the almighty Father who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you. May you return to your Creator who formed you from the dust of the earth.

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About This Prayer

The Prayer of Commendation is an official prayer of the Catholic Church taken from the Order of Christian Funerals. It is prayed during the Final Commendation at the conclusion of a Catholic funeral liturgy, when the Church entrusts the soul of the deceased to the mercy of God. Rooted in baptismal theology, this prayer recalls that the Christian was created by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Rather than focusing on grief alone, the Prayer of Commendation expresses profound Christian hope in the resurrection and eternal life, confidently placing the departed into the hands of a loving and faithful God.

When To Pray

The Prayer of Commendation is most commonly prayed at the end of a Catholic Funeral Mass or funeral service, immediately before the body is taken for burial or cremation. It may also be prayed during a vigil for the deceased, at the graveside, or privately by family members who wish to entrust their loved one to God’s mercy. Catholics may return to this prayer in the days following a death, especially during the period of mourning, as a way to reaffirm faith in the resurrection and to commend the soul of the departed to the care of the Holy Trinity.