A Small Contribution to the ISM
This video is a small contribution to the Independent Sacramental Movement, or ISM. The ISM is a diverse family of Christian communities and clergy who share in the historic apostolic succession and celebrate the sacramental life of the Church, but who function independently of Rome, Constantinople, or Canterbury.

Today, the ISM includes a wide range of jurisdictions—from traditional Old Catholic and Independent Orthodox groups to more progressive communities. What unites them is not uniformity but a shared belief in the validity of the sacraments, the apostolic ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons, and a pastoral call to serve where others cannot or will not.

At its best, the ISM stands as a reminder that the Holy Spirit is not limited by size, status, or institutional recognition. God continues to raise up ministers and communities wherever people hunger for the sacraments and seek to live the faith of the apostles today.

The ISM often serves as a kind of pastoral frontier within Christianity. Many of its clergy minister to small or specialized communities—people who may feel excluded, overlooked, or spiritually homeless. The movement blends ancient faith with contemporary freedom, rooted in Catholic and Orthodox heritage while seeking to embody the Gospel in new and creative ways.
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The Need for Formation
Sadly, one of the ongoing challenges within the ISM is the lack of formation and education among some clergy. We will never be seen as credible if we do not know what we are doing.

I recently spoke with someone who had been ordained but had received little guidance. When asked to officiate at a family wedding, he admitted that he had no idea where to begin. This is not unusual—and it highlights a serious gap in pastoral preparation.

The ISM has a unique opportunity to connect with people at pivotal moments—weddings, funerals, baptisms, and pastoral crises. Many who approach ISM clergy do so because they face canonical or pastoral barriers elsewhere. They may desire a full Mass for their marriage, communion between spouses from different faith backgrounds, or a funeral for a loved one outside institutional boundaries. We must be ready to respond with competence, reverence, and compassion.

Those of us who have received formal theological or liturgical training have a responsibility to share our knowledge with others in the movement. My goal in this video is to begin with one of the most important yet neglected topics: the ministry of funerals.
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The Sacred Duty of Funerals
I served as a Roman Catholic priest for more than a decade, and I always took funerals with utmost seriousness. For me, the funeral liturgy is a matter of respect for the deceased—a way of honoring their life and faith—and a moment of hope for the grieving, a proclamation that death is not the end.

Time and again, I witnessed families return to the practice of faith because they experienced compassion and dignity in the funeral liturgy. It is easy to scold families who have been absent from the Church, but that helps no one. Each funeral is a chance to show mercy and welcome. We all experience times of closeness to God and times of distance; as clergy, our duty is to treat each person with love and compassion.
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Practical Guidance for ISM Clergy
Imagine that you are newly ordained, without formal seminary training, and a family asks you to conduct a funeral. What should you do?
1.    Learn about the deceased.
Start by reading the obituary, but go further. Arrange to meet with the family before the visitation. They may hesitate due to their grief or busy schedules, but assure them that your goal is to honor their loved one well.
2.    Meet with the family and plan the liturgy.
       o    Ask if they have preferred Scripture readings or songs. Provide a short list of options for them to choose from or take home.
     o    Prepare printed copies of readings for lectors and petitions for intercessors.
     o    Coordinate with musicians early so that everything runs smoothly.
3.    Listen deeply.
The most important part of this meeting is listening. Offer condolences, then allow them to share openly. Some will express relief after long suffering; others will grieve sudden loss. Listen with patience and empathy.
4.    Ask open-ended questions.
Invite them to share memories:
    o    “What kind of person was she?  What kind of mother was she when you were growing up?”
    o    “Tell me about your favorite memory together or a favorite family trip.”
     o    “What made him laugh?”

 

These stories are invaluable. Incorporate them into your homily, weaving together personal memories and Scripture. The funeral homily should both honor the person’s life and point to the hope of the Resurrection.

 

When done well, this approach often removes the need for eulogies, which can be uneven or distracting. The greatest compliment I ever received was when a family said, “It sounded like you really knew our loved one.” That is pastoral ministry at its best.
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Learning from Mistakes in Pastoral Ministry
During my years of ministry, I often filled in for priests who were away. Many clergy, even in mainline traditions, do not take the time to meet families personally. A dear priest friend of mine used the same funeral homily for every service. It was impersonal and failed to meet people where they were.

 

As ISM clergy, we are called to go deeper—to walk with people in their grief, even when it is uncomfortable. That is our charism: to go where others will not, and to be present in the most painful places.
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When Funerals Become Complicated
Not every funeral is simple or peaceful. Sometimes the deceased lived a deeply troubled or sinful life. I once conducted a funeral for a man whose children could not say a kind word about him. In those moments, we must speak truth without condemnation. My approach was to acknowledge the pain and remind the family that some things must be entrusted to God’s mercy.

Other funerals can be unexpectedly complex—affairs revealed, conflicts within families, even violence surrounding the death. I have seen all of it. These situations require sensitivity, discernment, and prayer. Beneath every service lies real human grief and trauma, and often more than meets the eye.
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The Pastoral Frontier: Funerals for the Forgotten
There is a profound opportunity here for ISM clergy. Many people today have no formal church affiliation, yet their families still long for a meaningful, traditional funeral. We can help meet those needs.

Even more importantly, there are countless individuals—especially the homeless, isolated, or forgotten—who die with no one to bury them. ISM clergy can reach out to local funeral homes and offer to provide services for those who have no family or pastor.

When no one else will honor the dead, we can. We do this not for recognition but out of reverence—for the body is sacred, and even in death it bears the promise of resurrection. As Christ’s own body was taken down and buried with care, so we too must honor every person who has died in God’s image.
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A Closing Reflection
Funeral ministry is not simply a task; it is a work of mercy and an act of love.

Through this sacred duty, the Independent Sacramental Movement can bear quiet but powerful witness to the compassion of Christ—honoring the dead, comforting the living, and proclaiming the hope of resurrection to a world in need of it.