| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"jem" |
| Date: |
25 Feb 2007 05:41:45 AM |
| Object: |
Catholics call time on long-winded eulogies |
By James Grubel
http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSN2322792920070223
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Keep it short, and don't mention sex or
drunkenness -- those are the new rules for eulogies at funeral masses
in Australia's Catholic church.
An increase in the number of inappropriate comments at funeral masses
has prompted Australia's most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell,
to impose a five-minute deadline on eulogies and deem some areas of a
person's life off limits.
The move is designed to cut back on the number of long-winded eulogies
by friends or family members at funeral masses, and to ensure the
funeral mass keeps its main focus as an act of worship to God and a
place for prayers for the deceased.
"On not a few occasions, inappropriate remarks glossing over the
deceased's proclivities (drinking prowess, romantic conquests etc) or
about the Church (attacking its moral teachings) have been made at
funeral masses," Pell's new guidelines say.
He said the comments often embarrassed the priest, the family and the
congregation and become the focus of the service.
The Catholic church in Ireland and most of the United States ban lay
people from giving eulogies at funeral masses, but the church in
Australia allows for a few short words of remembrance from a family
member or friend near the end of a funeral mass.
However, Pell's guidelines, obtained by Reuters on Friday, make it
clear the eulogy must never replace the officiating priest's homily,
or sermon, which should focus on God's compassion and the mystery of
the resurrection of Jesus.
The "words of remembrance" should last no more than three to five
minutes, or one typed page, and should focus on a person's human
qualities and faith," the guidelines say.
"The reflection should be prepared beforehand, and ideally be reviewed
with the priest or presiding minister beforehand, to avoid undue
length or embarrassing situations," the guidelines say.
The new guidelines say anecdotes, poems or songs, might be better kept
for services at the cemetery or crematorium, or for a vigil prayer
service the night before a funeral.
The Catholic church is Australia's biggest, with about five million
followers, followed closely by the Anglican church with just over four
million.
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The church is more interested in itself even during funerals.
An increase in negative comments is not used to improve the church,
but tightens up their backward thinking.
Admittedly, I wouldn't want to listen to anybody ramble on with a
dreary monologue for 40 minutes either. Censoring content or banning
family/friends comments are going too far I think. Can a 5 min eulogy
include everything that could or should be said about a person's
entire life and what that person meant to the speaker?
Can a priest do it worth a ***** at all, unless he was a close buddy?
I wouldn't want a catholic priest or any other pastor/clergy to say
anything at mine, especially since I don't know any of them
personally.
If I know my end is near, maybe a good way to avoid their ***** is
to just go in their face, ***** them off, and be banned from having the
service with them, any church.
I'd rather go the George Carlin way, "I wanna be blown up". I have no
idea if he really meant it, it's a good comedy routine anyway.
I realize I am critical of abrahamic religions in general, so here
goes, these guys are using a service that should be in remembrance of
a person to control their image, promote themselves, and limit or
exclude the only truly personal parts of that event. They get one last
exploitation out of somebody and that person is dead no less. Perhaps
it is their way of focusing on the ones that can still donate money
too, keep those people in line. After all, the dead guy won't be
helping the priest get his new Lexus.
I need to update my will, "stay the ***** away from churches and
religion for any gathering after my passing"
.
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| User: "Jeckyl" |
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| Title: Re: Catholics call time on long-winded eulogies |
25 Feb 2007 06:04:15 AM |
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CANBERRA (Reuters) - Keep it short, and don't mention sex or
drunkenness -- those are the new rules for eulogies at funeral masses
in Australia's Catholic church.
That will take away all the fun.
.
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| User: "Lucifer" |
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| Title: Re: Catholics call time on long-winded eulogies |
25 Feb 2007 07:38:23 PM |
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On Feb 25, 12:04 pm, "Jeckyl" <n...@nowhere.com> wrote:
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Keep it short, and don't mention sex or
drunkenness -- those are the new rules for eulogies at funeral masses
in Australia's Catholic church.
That will take away all the fun.
I couldn't stop staring at you all through the eulogy, your eyes, your
moustache, your laugh...
--
Lucifer the Unsubtle, EAC Librarian of Dark Tomes of Excessive Evil
and General Purpose Igor
The Anti-Theist, BAAWA Lowly Evilmeister and tamer of the Demon Duck
of Doom
Convicted by Earthquack
"Don't worry, I won't bite.......hard"
.
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