Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Archbishop Bans Pop Music At Funerals

Posted by samzenpus on from the a-little-decorum-please dept.

pickens writes "The NY Times reports that the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne has announced a ban on the playing of pop music at funerals, which, he said, are not to be described as 'a celebration of the life of' the deceased. According to new guidelines published on Archbishop Denis Hart's Web site: 'Secular items are never to be sung or played at a Catholic funeral, such as romantic ballads, pop or rock music, political songs, football club songs.' According to a cemetery contacted by Melbourne's Herald Sun, a list of more unusual songs played at Australian funerals includes: 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' by Monty Python, 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen, 'Highway to Hell,' by AC/DC and 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead' from The Wizard of Oz."

38 comments

  1. What happened to News for Nerds? by Tanktalus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What happened to "News for Nerds"? I realise this is the "idle" section, but still - is it just so someone can make fun of religious people or something? This isn't nerdsworthy in the least. Maybe if this were a site of "News for Catholics" but it's not.

    1. Re:What happened to News for Nerds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can't you see Monty Python in the post? Or The Wizard of Oz? Are you blind or what?

    2. Re:What happened to News for Nerds? by Redlazer · · Score: 0, Troll

      If you're a religious nerd, you're doing it wrong.

      --
      Guns don't kill people, "with glowing hearts" kills people.
    3. Re:What happened to News for Nerds? by Conchobair · · Score: 1

      Religion has nothing to do with being a nerd. It is not mutually exclusive. In fact some religions could be said to be comprised solely of nerds. Your bigotry is showing also.

    4. Re:What happened to News for Nerds? by Vastad · · Score: 1

      Some IRL Sith Lords find your lack of faith disturbing. That ticklish feeling in your throat? That's not a cough. That's a warning.

  2. ORLY by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 0, Troll

    "Banned" huh? And this means what exactly, that the man in the silly ass costume doesn't approve?

    1. Re:ORLY by taxman_10m · · Score: 1

      Means you can only do it at the wake? Not seeing a big deal here. If the Catholic Church wants to keep it's funeral service a solemn occasion, so what?

    2. Re:ORLY by DJRumpy · · Score: 1

      I suppose I could agree with that, as long as you could always go to an open source 'non-denominational church ;)

    3. Re:ORLY by KaoticEvil · · Score: 0

      Or, better still, IMO, completely eschew all forms of Christianity and just go Pagan/Wiccan :)

      --
      You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories.
    4. Re:ORLY by allusionist · · Score: 1

      Or better still, completely eschew all forms of religion and live in the real world :)

  3. Hypocrisy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Funny thing is, there are still patriotic songs like "America, the beautiful". Whats more political than a song singing of the greatness of a human institution?

    1. Re:Hypocrisy by Inner_Child · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes, because "America, The Beautiful" is sung at OH SO MANY Australian funerals.

      --
      Today is red jello day - all workers must eat all of their red jello. Failure to comply will result in five demerits.
  4. All we are is dust in the wind..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All we are is dust in the wind.....

    YOU'RE MY BOY BLUE!

  5. not new by ook_boo · · Score: 4, Informative

    They are just stating the policy of the church as is always has been (that the funeral is a well-defined service not meant to be a wake or memorial of the life of the deceased), and noting that celebrations or memorials of the person's life can be held at a separate celebration or even at a separate mass. It's also known that the church has not been enforcing its own policies in some parishes. Possibly the real news is that the NY Times reporter is so ignorant of the Catholic church that he thinks this is all newsworthy.

    1. Re:not new by Uusilehto · · Score: 1

      Agreed. The church is after all a place of christian worship and ceremony. They have their own traditions that need to be to looked after. As much as the general opinion seems to be against the church and christianity, isn't it at least historically important to try and preserve these things? It would be fatal to their integrity as a church to simply change policy simply at the whim of others. It seems there has been a recent trend to turn the ceremonies of the church into something they're very fundamentally not. Today it's making the funeral into a wake. Tomorrow it's making the baptism into a baby shower. Some time ago it was turning marriage into a civil service. Why not let them have their beliefs, traditions and ceremonies? How is it suddenly right to simply impose ours on them?

  6. oh bummer.. by formfeed · · Score: 1

    .. that guy takes all the fun out of funerals.
    Or maybe he just missed the boat. While the Church (the only holy roman one) has their rites and for sure has the right to stick to them, weddings -and also funerals- have become a celebration of the individuals involved. Most priests accept a couple adding "their special song" to the wedding. Why not a last wish at a funeral? A last message to the mourners, a cheer-up maybe?

  7. Why? by poly_pusher · · Score: 1

    Cause Imma da frickin Bishop!

    1. Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now if only we could do something about getting that fucker in the car next to me to turn down his rap "music".

  8. Oh, Catholic Chruch by Naznarreb · · Score: 1

    Actively courting irrelevance.

  9. A Louisiana bishop could never do that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Yeah, just try passing a ban like that anywhere near New Orleans. The city probably has more Catholic churches than most of Australia and New Orleans Catholics invented the Jazz Funeral which, by design, is a celebration of the life of the deceased.

  10. It *is* a celebration, idiiot by StoatBringer · · Score: 3, Insightful
    are not to be described as 'a celebration of the life of' the deceased
    Indeed. A lot of funerals I've been to seem to treat it entirely as a chance to prattle on about God and Jesus to a captive audience, with an "insert name here" script.

    The last funeral I went to was for my Gran, and it was a secular funeral. It was [i]all about[/i] a celebration of her life, and was much more personal and caring than any religious funeral has ever been.

    In conclusion, fuck that Archbishop.

    --
    Cress, cress, lovely lovely cress
    1. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by rac44 · · Score: 4, Insightful
      In conclusion, fuck that Archbishop.

      Keep your fucking to yourself, please.

      The Archbishop didn't tell you or anyone else what to do in secular funerals, so you have no business complaining if you're not a practicing Catholic.

      Really, I think people just don't get the picture about how Catholic funerals are designed. There's the wake and there's the funeral service.

      The wake has plenty of room for nostalgia, sentiment, story-telling, and goofy songs, if you want.

      The funeral service in church is (gasp!) a religious service. It's not a party. It's not for telling stories how Uncle Bob could drink us all under the table. It's about God and about praying for the deceased. We Catholics believe in doing that. If you have a problem with that, you don't have to attend it.

      Be happy!

    2. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I'll fuck wherever I want, thank you.

    3. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What if your grandmother is in Hell? Should you still be celebrating? The reason a funeral is so serious is that we do not know whether the person is in purgatory, or even hell. If you love the person, solemnly pray for them in case they are not in the later.

    4. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I think people get the reason it's not allowed, they disagree with it. You seem incredulous that people want to do things differently than you.

    5. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by rac44 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Incredulous? Nah, I'm used to people who 'want to do things differently from' me. But I have to wonder at cases of hostility from non-Catholics over a policy that doesn't affect them. Why would a person from a non-Catholic family get so mad as to want to swear at the Abp. over it? Obviously the conflict between his likes and the Church's policy bothers him. Perhaps he wants to be more at peace with the Church.

    6. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Lots and lots of people have Catholic family members and other loved ones without being Catholic themselves.

    7. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by Corporate+Drone · · Score: 1

      A lot of funerals I've been to seem to treat it entirely as a chance to prattle on about God and Jesus

      You went to a Catholic service, and they talked about God and Jesus? Huh... what a surprise! Who would've expected that?

      The last funeral I went to was for my Gran, and it was a secular funeral. It was [i]all about[/i] a celebration of her life

      Um... and at a secular funeral, what else could it possibly have been about?

      In conclusion, get a clue.

      --
      mmm... yeah... You see, we're putting the cover sheets on all TPS reports now before they go out...
    8. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      My grandmother on my mom's side is a hardcore fundie Christian and she says she wants her funeral to be a celebration of her life, with music and dancing and feasting.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    9. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by LordNimon · · Score: 1

      Fundie Christian != Catholic.

      --
      And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
      To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
    10. Re:It *is* a celebration, idiiot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lots and lots of people have Catholic family members and other loved ones without being Catholic themselves.

      And if said Catholic wanted a Catholic funeral, and you decided to uphold their request?

      The only time I could see this being an issue is if the person ALSO asked for a non-allowed song to be played, then you would have to figure out which request would be more important to them. (If you are trying to be respectful of their wishes)

  11. Trying to keep up by Lord+Cronos · · Score: 0

    I think this is just the catholic church trying to keep up with modern times. The only problem is that instead of trying to embrace aspects of new generations they typically just ban it. It would work out better for everybody if the catholic church would be willing to make some concessions but we shouldn't blame them for attempting to keep their culture and religion untouched by modern society.

    --
    It's exactly what it looks like
  12. Play your feelings... by KjTmR3 · · Score: 1

    Not all Pop music is guns, knives, and cursing. Some gospel has gone mainstream ie. Kirk Franklin. At my funeral, music I enjoy now should be played. Just how I feel. KjTmR3 http://www.touchofthat.com/main.sc

    1. Re:Play your feelings... by the_womble · · Score: 1

      The question is, is it appropriate to a Christian mass?

      If not, as the guidelines say, have it before or after.

      The guidelines are actually well thought out:
      http://www.cam.org.au/guidelines/the-archdiocese-of-melbourne-guidelines-for-catholic-funerals.html

      I was a bit surprised by the last paragraph, about not scattering ashes. Several Catholics in my family have had their ashes scattered, but, then again, that is in a country where scattering ashes is traditional, whereas these guidelines are for Australia.

    2. Re:Play your feelings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was a bit surprised by the last paragraph, about not scattering ashes

      It explains it in that paragraph. It goes with the belief that this world is temporary. Scattering the ashes in a favorite location implies that the spirit would prefer that place instead of passing along to God.

      The whole process is highly symbolic, so the scattering of ashes symbolism would factor into their recommendations.

  13. OMG Troll!!1 by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 1

    I just want to say to the moderators, good job! This guy is clearly posting here just to get a reaction out of us, the very definition of "troll"! Thank you for making sure I don't have to react negatively to opinions.

    --
    You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
  14. Then what is it? by flimflammer · · Score: 1

    If a funeral is not "a celebration of the life of the deceased", then what is it? An opportunity to prattle on about god? Sorry, we already have a day for that. Sunday.

    I hope no one listens to this "ban." It's completely ridiculous.

    1. Re:Then what is it? by Vintermann · · Score: 1

      A catholic funeral is not a celebration of the life of the deceased, no. It's up to them to decide, and they generally won't bury you unless you ask for it before you're dead.

      I think it's perfectly OK. What if the person didn't do anything all that notable in his life? In death we are all the same anyway. The funeral seems a good place to recall that.

      --
      xkcd is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported.