Eulogies at the "Mass of Christian Burial"

[LourdesladyN]

Did anyone see this article last week?

Nov. 5, 2004, 9:43PM
Modern Eulogies collide with Traditions of the Church
Shift toward the bizarre can be offensive to some
By ANTHONY RAMIREZ
New York Times
When did the eulogy shift from respectful remembrance of the dearly departed to a Friars-style roast?

Is it common for local parishes to adhere to the “Clergy only Eulogy” teaching?

 

[Ray_Marshall]

LourdesladyN:

Is it common for local parishes to adhere to the “Clergy only Eulogy” teaching?

I believe that is the case in Minnesota. The problem here is more likely to be, not the bad habits of the deceased, but “premature canonization.”

Even the obits are somewhat presumptuous. Regularly one sees that so-and-so has “gone to be with the Lord.” I hope so, but we don’t really know.

If the family wants to deliver a eulogy, they are asked to do it at the wake.

 

[stbruno]

I have to agree that eulogies should be done at the funeral home, not in church. The ones I have been attending lately are clearly inappropriate for church. One of them included breaking open a beer to toast them on their heavenly way. I could see our pastor wincing when that happened, as the rough draft they gave him to read purely did not include this exercise in strangeness.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

One of the worst I heard was for a former worker of a local utility. It was commented how happy it would make him to know that its stock had gone up.

Somehow I fear he may have had more pressing concerns.

 

[Jim_ov_Cov]

Eulogies are pagan. I was always suscpicious of these little ‘love-ins’ when one day a eulogy was given for a deceased Catholic by a workmate. He finished by saying “…Joe (We’ll call him Joe) was the sort of person who would give you his last penny.” I then began to question my opposition to eulogies, perhaps I was wrong. However, it later emerged that a fellow Legionary knew the widow of the deceased, and it came out that he had made her raise their entire family on state hand-outs. She never received one cent of his salary. So much for “…giving you his last penny.” That was it for me and eulogies.