A Question Regarding RC Funeral Masses

[ralph124c]

I attended a Catholic funeral mass recently, and the vestments and pall were white…I can remember when black was the color at funerals. When did the custom change?

[Cunctator]

Black vestments went out of fashion post Vatican II, although they are still permitted. The current Instructions to the Missal (in Australia, at least) state:

For Funeral Masses, violet may always be used, while black vestments may be used where this is customary. White vestments are also permitted for Funeral Masses in Australia, where this is appropriate.

In practice, white vestments are now almost universally used in Australia, with violet only occasionally appearing. Black vestments remain the norm, however, in funerals celebrated according to the traditional Latin rite.

[Nava]

Also, was it a child? Funeral attire and accoutrements for children have always been white, AFAIK (well, “always” in this case meaning pre-V.II).

[Bricker]

The general change was post Vatican II.

The current edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (PDF) for the United States was released in 2003:

@346 of the GIRM

As to the color of sacred vestments, the traditional usage is to be retained: namely,
a. White is used in the Offices and Masses during the Easter and Christmas seasons; also on celebrations of the Lord other than of his Passion, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy Angels, and of Saints who were not Martyrs; on the Solemnities of All Saints (1 November) and of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (24 June); and on the Feasts of Saint John the Evangelist (27 December), of the Chair of Saint Peter (22 February), and of the Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January).
b. Red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and on Good Friday, on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord’s Passion, on the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints.
c. Green is used in the Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
d. Violet or purple is used in Advent and of Lent. It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead (cf. below).
e. Besides violet, white or black vestments may be worn at funeral services and at other Offices and Masses for the Dead in the Dioceses of the United States of America.
f. Rose may be used, where it is the practice, on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent).
g. On more solemn days, sacred vestments may be used that are festive, that is, more precious, even if not of the color of the day.
h. Gold or silver colored vestments may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the United States of America.