Bishop out of step over funeral eulogies

HE’S right, the Bishop of Meath, for wanting to rescue the Catholic funeral from modern misconceptions of what it is meant to be.

It is, after all, a religious ceremony, involving a sacrament no less, and is not by design or intention a memorial service, a tribute show or some kind of group counselling session.

It is not really about the deceased’s time on earth at all or those who grieve its ending, but about the prospect of eternal life with a compassionate God whose mercy the mourners are meant to appeal to on their lost loved one’s behalf to help add a little oil to the hinges of the pearly gates.