Simple, family-oriented funeral held for Rehnquist at cathedral

Published: 2005-09-08

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Chief Justice William Rehnquist's funeral Sept. 7 was a simple, family-oriented Lutheran service in Washington's elegant Catholic cathedral. Three ministers from the two Lutheran churches to which Rehnquist belonged presided over the two-hour service at the invitation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, archbishop of Washington. Rehnquist, 80, died Sept. 3 after a yearlong fight with thyroid cancer. His family requested the use of St. Matthew Cathedral when they learned the larger National Cathedral was unavailable the day they wanted to hold the funeral. The Episcopalian-administered National Cathedral is more commonly the site of large Protestant or nondenominational Christian funerals and religious services. Church law permits the local Catholic bishop to allow the use of a church for services of other denominations under certain circumstances. Cardinal McCarrick welcomed Rehnquist's family, friends and colleagues to the cathedral, led the funeral procession into the church and sat to one side at the altar during the service.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .