The Funeral Rites of our Church

It was a packed Cathedral (undergoing renovations to improve its capacity and structural integrity) and there was an overflow crowd spilling out onto the walkway around the front of the Church for the Funeral of Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic.  With Bishops from across Canada and even Slovenia, and priests from Canada and the US, including the former Archbishop's Cousin who is a priest in Cleveland, Ohio, there were many voices praying in unison with our current Archbishop - Thomas Collins - for the repose of the Cardinal's soul.  Some might find the Funeral Rites of our Church stuff and unimaginative.  I find them very comforting.  I found the Structure and the flow to be a source of strength, not a hindrance.  Although I also have to admit that during the liturgy I had a few questions - is that a hazard of being a prayer by profession? Questions like - Why was the processional cross carried in with the Crucifix facing backwards? and What happens to the ring that was removed from the Cardinal's hand before the lid was placed on the casket?  I felt that Archbishop Collins did a very good job of reminding us that the focus of the Eucharist was on Jesus - even quoting the Cardinal's own words:

It is Jesus to whom we look.
It is Jesus whom we imitate.It is Jesus whom we follow.It is Jesus who is with us so we can be with him.Yes, we work with others.Yes, we learn from others.But in Jesus we find our ultimate identity and purpose. He is the Alpha and the Omega for each one of us and for every human being.

As we moved to the reception after the Funeral, I was able to spend some time talking with Tony (Anthony) Ambrozic, the Cardinal's younger brother.  I had sat with him and spoken with him a year and a half ago, at the Blessing of Cardinal Ambrozic High School in Brampton.  The similarity in their appearance is striking, and I found his personality also very much like that of the former Cardinal.
Peace