Mock Funeral Passage Ritual

Mock Funeral Passage Rite
for Dramatizing Healing Graduation from
The Fierce Landscape Spiritual Growth Correctional Program
Fayette County Detention Center, Lexington, Ky
The 12 week program must be completed (shown in behavior change and
in writing ) and the entire correctional pod must consent.
Brothers are also invited to participate and lend prayers and blessings
at particular places as part of the ceremony. .

Purpose: Mock funeral passage rite for inmates, from the Old Man, Addiction, Sin, Selfishness, Shame, Guilt, Greed, Lust, etc., from being led by the Dark Forces of one’s own Nature and Evil in the world. Subject is prostrate to humble himself by renouncing all of the past.

AFFIRM the Passing over to the New Man, Alive in Grace, Mercy, Goodness, Truth, Forgiveness, Kindness, Open to Challenge, Ready to embrace all that Life offers and ready to accept to total consequences of my previous life, in humility and relying on the Power of God, accepting the summons to become a Spiritual Warrior in a new Brotherhood uner the protection of St. Michael the Archangel. Summons and commitments can be taken from that handout.

Upon completion of the 12 week program, the subject can apply for the Graduation Certificate and also for this passage ceremony. We begin by sitting in a circle in quiet prayer. Candidate for the Mock Funeral Passage rises and prostrates himself on the floor in the center of the group. He is covered with a black pall or black robe.

Prayers are selected by the facilitator, and he invites the members of the inmate community to join in. These can be chosen from the Baptismal Rite of the Book of Common Prayer or other passage rituals.

Dialogue in the prone position:
Facilitator: Who are you?
What is your name?
What do you ask for? "Death to sin, addiction, selfhishness and all of my past life of lies and deceits."
What else do you ask for? "Forgiveness and mercy."
Why do you ask? "Because I admit that I am helpless to change myself by by own efforts."
What have you come to in this program: Subject summaries in his own words.
Make you own confession of faults in your own words.
Now make your own confession of faith in your own words.

Do you recognize that accepting your woundedness, your brokenness is a Gift and
a constant summons to humility and grace?
What scriptures will you use as a shield against temptation.

Do you have a plan? Describe briefly your plan?

Will this group pronounce ________ dead to the old man of sin by mentioning behavior that supports this change?

In your own heart, surrender to the Love of God and promise to love him totally. As you do this each of us present sends the Love of God to your heart from our hearts.
Do You Promise to love your neighbor as yourself, to consider the least, lost, last and lame as your brothers? Answer: "I promise. . explicit words
Do you understand that this ceremony is only the beginning of your walk and you can only take one step at a time?
Facilitator leads all present in asking for God’s blessing on this man’s faith, hope and love.

Subject rises to stand, funeral pall taken off, and community surrounds him to place hands and shoulders and offer prayer, support, care, love, kindness, hope, and encouragement, in their own words.

Close with a simply celebretory song, such as Amazing Grace , Alleluia or Here I am, Lord.

First used, Fayette County Department of Correctional, September 25, 2006.
Comments invited.
Paschal Baute.

I first used this mock funeral years ago in group therapy with a young man who was compulsively suicidal who would not give up the suicidal ideation. Finally, We did a mock funeral and talked about him (under the funeral pall) and his sad death, with entire group participating. After about 20 minutes of listening, he got up suddently and said he was not ready to have people talk about him like that and he gave up the suicidal ideation and began to change.