Prayers, not pints, on the altar please

This week, two priests took up opposing positions on what is and is not appropriate for a Catholic funeral Mass.

For Fr Tomas Walsh of Gurranabraher parish in Cork, items such as bottles of alcohol, packets of cigarettes, and football jerseys are undignified and out of keeping with the meaning of a Catholic funeral. Fr Walsh, speaking initially to our sister newspaper The Echo, also deplored lengthy eulogies which can go on for longer than the rest of the ceremony.