What colours does the priest wear for a funeral Mass?

Answer 1

Traditionally, a priest wore black vestments for a funeral, reminding all that death was a reality for us all and that we must pray for the deceased.

In the modern Church, the priest wears white. This change was made in the liturgical reforms of the late 1960s. It was changed in order to emphasize belief in the resurrection and that the deceased will surely be now rejoicing in heaven, thus let there be no sadness.

Conservative congregations and priests continue to use black vestments, claiming that the modern changes disregard the reality that not all souls go to heaven, that death is a occasion for sorrow and reflection on our own lives in order to spur us to right living and that prayers must be offered since few souls go straight to heaven, but rather end up in Purgatory where they need our prayers for their deliverance.

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Catholic AnswerThe rubrics for a funeral in 2012 specify that white, violet, or black may be worn for a funeral Mass. I suppose that the individual planning the funeral may request it, but normally the priest will wear what he usually does, and in most modern parishes that is white. There are few parishes anymore that even have black vestments.