Bishop urged to help mourners at Kerry funerals

Kerry County Council looks set to urge the Bishop of Kerry to do more to facilitate mourners at funerals — on foot of a motion before today’s monthly meeting at Kerry County Council.

Mourning in Kerry churches has been a vexed issue over the years, and guidelines under the former Bishop of Kerry, Dr Bill Murphy, sought to curb what was seen by some as the growth in more pagan practices — the overuse of inappropriate secular music, personal mementoes, and lengthy personal reflections within the church during funeral Masses.

However, practises vary between parishes. A booklet is being drawn up on funeral liturgy, but it does not have suggestions how to deal with those wishing to sympathise with the bereaved.