On Christian Death and Funerals – Pastoral Letter of the Most Rev. Nicholas J. Samra
In Psalm 115:5 we read "Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones." From time immemorial, Christians have prayed for their dead and elaborated their prayers with ritual. The death of a loved one is a sorrowful experience for anyone. Often it is a numbing experience as well. Survivors want to do the best they can to honor their departed. They may look around to see what friends or acquaintances have done in similar times of loss. Sometimes they accept whatever suggestions funeral directors offer. They may find themselves burdened with excessive costs or…