A Catholic Funeral
Posted by: tony on 08/19/2008 03:05 PM
Updated by: tony on 08/19/2008 03:05 PM
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Expires: 09/19/2008 12:00 AM
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I hope when I die, I am afforded a Catholic funeral. I would prefer an extraordinary form (Latin) funeral, but I'm realist enough to know it'll be really hard to get an priest or Deacon able to celebrate the extraordinary funeral rite.
Patrick Archbold points me to an article in the Courier-Journal about a funeral home director who is suing the archdiocese of Louisville for business interference because of some very reasonable guidelines handed down.
The Rev. Jeffrey Leger, pastor of St. Catherine Church in New Haven, put a new policy into effect last month, stipulating that funeral directors can no longer solely plan funerals. Instead, they must now plan them with Leger, who has final say.
The new policy, which Leger outlined in a 10-page letter to funeral directors, strictly enforces church law and liturgical practices that limit such things as the types of readings, music and eulogies at funeral Masses.
Yay, Father Leger!!!
I have been to funerals where non-liturgical music has been played. We even had one funeral where I was required to sing with an a-capella group who was supposed to sing faith-filled numbers like "Let it Be", by the Beatles. I have sat through one eulogy after another as each family member tried to top each other at the "open mike" like the church was some sort of comedy club. I have heard readings from people who appear to have never read the word of God in a church of any kind, and probably didn't even look their reading over the night before, and practice it.
The funeral director responds:
Ron Rust, owner of the William R. Rust Funeral Home in New Haven, said the policy will interfere with his longstanding business of coordinating funerals that are held at St. Catherine.
The policy marks "an intentional and wrongful interference" in the dealings between the funeral home and its customers and will cost Rust funerals and income, according to his suit filed Aug. 7 in Nelson Circuit Court.
He's seeking a temporary injunction halting implementation of the policy, pending a trial seeking monetary damages from Leger and the archdiocese.
Rust claims a "right to direct funerals in accordance with the wishes of the family of deceased individuals without the constraints" of Leger's policy, it says.
Oh my. Mr. Rust really doesn't understand what a Catholic funeral is all about. If I were a parishioner of Father Leger's parish, I'd be considering another funeral director when I was called home. What Mr. Rust is doing is interfering between a pastor and his flock. A pastor's duty is to teach authentic Catholic theology, and to maintain the required dignity during the Holy Mass.
In his letter to funeral homes, he said the purpose of a funeral Mass is to "illumine the mystery of Christian death in light of the risen Christ," and that everything must focus on the Christian hope of resurrection.
Anything that could distract from that should be avoided, he wrote, adding that eulogies, recorded music and nonbiblical readings such as poetry and letters are forbidden except under limited circumstances.
Such personalized features should take place at the vigil service, typically held the evening before the Mass at either the church or the funeral home, he said.
Right on, Father.
My wife and I discussed it and we're leaning toward cremation and having our urns interred in the small vaults in the local Catholic cemetary which were built for that purpose. But my wife tells me we'll still have to buy a casket. Buy a casket?!?!?! We're not going to be using one, why in the heck should we have to buy one? If one is needed for the funeral, couldn't we rent one to hold the urn temporarily for the funeral mass?
My wife said she'd look into it more closely, but more and more, funeral parlors are looking like rip-off emporiums.
Patrick writes:
As for me, when I kick it, I want the cheapest funeral money can buy. I also want everyone to stand up at my wake and tell everyone what a lout I am and that if I am lucky that I barely made it into the worst neighborhood in purgatory. Then I want everyone to go to confession and then follow behind the hearse on their knees doing penance for me. I'll probably need it.
I agree. I don't want the homilist to tell my family that I'm in heaven. Odds are going to be very good that I'm not. I want him to highlight the need of my family to pray for the repose of my soul (since I will not be able to do so myself). The more prayers and other good works are offered on my behalf, the faster I can get into heaven and pray for them back.
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