Louisiana monks go to court to sell their caskets

[catholictiger]

ST. BENEDICT, La. — Not very long after God told some at St. Joseph Abbey that the way out of financial hardship might be selling the monks’ handcrafted caskets, the state of Louisiana arrived with a different message.

It was a cease-and-desist order and came with threats of thousands of dollars in fines and possible criminal prosecution.

But in court pleadings, the board said the legislature had good reason for limiting in-state sales of caskets. The act protects Louisianans from “improper and overreaching sales tactics in the area of ‘at need’ casket sales,” the brief says. In some parts of the state, many burials are above*ground, and that requires “knowledgable decisions” in casket sales “mindful of Louisiana’s unique situation.”

washingtonpost.com/politics/louisiana-monks-go-to-court-to-sell-their-caskets/2012/05/29/gJQA7VMK0U_story_2.html

These Monk’s will be going to court today. Offer up a prayer for them.

note to aminds: I assume this is Catholic news because it involves Catholic Monks, even though its more world news themed. Please move it if it fits in another thread. God Bless.

 

[Irishmom2]

Lord, please offer a ruling in favor of these monks as they go to court. Once again, laws that are ridiculous, though in place for some reason, now prevent them from earning money from something that there is clearly a need for. I ask that you do not rule in favor of the funeral directors as they are no more entitled to sell products than anyone else. I ask this through the intercession of Your Most Holy Mother, Mary.

 

[Dale_M]

As the article notes, in two similar cases the federal appeals courts have issued contradictory rulings. So it is possible this case could go to the US Supreme Court, should the monks want to take it that far.

On the other hand, the article also mentions that out of state companies, such as Wal-Mart or Costco, can sell caskets to people in Louisiana and funeral directors are required to accept the caskets. So conceivably the monks could set up a company in Mississippi (two cites are 50 miles from the monastery and are along an interstate) and sell their caskets from a website hosted in Mississippi.

Doing so, however, would be inefficient and a source of complications.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I am glad that we have the freedom to choose ANY source for caskets here in Texas. Many funeral directors have ABUSED the families of the dead for too long. It has to stop. I am not saying all are unscrupulous but why do they mark their products up SO much? It’s truly disgusting.

Mother Mary, intercede for these monks and their work.

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Jesus, have mercy on us sinners.

 

[catholictiger]

As the article notes, in two similar cases the federal appeals courts have issued contradictory rulings. So it is possible this case could go to the US Supreme Court, should the monks want to take it that far.

On the other hand, the article also mentions that out of state companies, such as Wal-Mart or Costco, can sell caskets to people in Louisiana and funeral directors are required to accept the caskets. So conceivably the monks could set up a company in Mississippi (two cites are 50 miles from the monastery and are along an interstate) and sell their caskets from a website hosted in Mississippi.

Doing so, however, would be inefficient and a source of complications.

while you are correct that they can do this I wouldn’t see these monks doing something like that and I would think any monks for that matter. Monks are men of work and prayer. They also have a importance of community, it would take a handful of monks to run a place like they have, and splitting up the community like that wouldn’t be something I think they could do. I also think that they probably wouldn’t have the resources to do this, they only recently started to make caskets and I think that they recently build a wood shop at the monastery, to take care of the building of those caskets. I suspect if the monks where to ultimately lose this case aka lose at the supreme court, if the law would allow it they would only sell caskets out of state, which would be a lot less then they could sell in state, or they would just simply make them for their own brother monks and not sell the caskets. They will make the caskets for themselves no matter what happens, but Monks at this place don’t drop dead left and right all the time, so it would probably go from making a casket a week or so, to a casket maybe once a year.

 

[Irishmom2]

Because I think most caskets are “over the top” I have been thinking for a while that when my time comes, I would like just a plain wood casket. This makes me think that maybe I will be able to do that someday. Or rather, my family will.

 

[catholictiger]

Because I think most caskets are “over the top” I have been thinking for a while that when my time comes, I would like just a plain wood casket. This makes me think that maybe I will be able to do that someday. Or rather, my family will.

saintjosephabbey.com/woodworks-caskets.php

and their caskets are very simple, even their traditional casket is simple.

compared to this for example

bestpricecaskets.com/ (found just with simple google search don’t know if its a commonly used casket site)

also please don’t see this as spam, Its a part of the discussion at hand.

I would also be shocked if funeral directors would sell caskets like the monks make, they are far to simple and they would have to sell them for to cheep. The monks, while they do need to make a living, aren’t concerned about making something that will make them the most money. They are concerned about making something that is made pray fully and for the kingdom of God not the Kingdom of Money.

 

[Dale_M]

while you are correct that they can do this I wouldn’t see these monks doing something like that and I would think any monks for that matter. Monks are men of work and prayer. They also have a importance of community, it would take a handful of monks to run a place like they have, and splitting up the community like that wouldn’t be something I think they could do…

Whether the monks of St Joseph’s Abbey would consider it, I don’t know. But its not uncommon for a monastery to hire outsiders to assist with business dealings. An out of state company owned by the monastery but run by employees could be set up, without requiring any of the monks to relocate.

But I hope such an action need not considered. The Louisiana law seems to have no justification except to create a monopoly for funeral directors. I think it is an example of crony capitalism.

 

[Irishmom2]

saintjosephabbey.com/woodworks-caskets.php

and their caskets are very simple, even their traditional casket is simple.

compared to this for example

bestpricecaskets.com/ (found just with simple google search don’t know if its a commonly used casket site)

Thank you for the link. The first is more what I was thinking of, although I did not see prices listed anywhere. The second is exactly the type I want to avoid! Just too fancy and wasteful considering it is simply going in the ground.

 

[catholictiger]

Thank you for the link. The first is more what I was thinking of, although I did not see prices listed anywhere. The second is exactly the type I want to avoid! Just too fancy and wasteful considering it is simply going in the ground.

yes I’m too young to start thinking about this kinda stuff but I would probably want something simple as well. I rather my loved ones make my funeral liturgy very beautiful with music that I would love, father give a good homily, along with all the other stuff that makes up a beautiful catholic liturgy. The casket not so much.

also I’d imagine if you where ever interested in getting one of their caskets you could easily just call them, which I think was on the link.