CLERGY IN Castleblayney, Co Monaghan have criticised recent negative media coverage regarding the banning of “goodbye” songs being played during funeral masses.
In a statement released by the Parish of Muckno, Castleblayney yesterday, clergy said: “what we have done in our efforts is nothing more than to give help and guidance to the members of the Christian community”.
Parishioners were made aware of the changes when a notice was put in the Mass booklet a number of weeks ago.
However, the decision became controversial earlier in the week when Castleblayney man and jazz musician Paddy Cole announced that he was not allowed to play at his mother’s funeral Mass.
The new guidelines will mean that mourners will not be allowed to have popular non-religious songs included in the Mass and shaking hands with the bereaved family must now take place at the graveside, rather than inside the church.
The statement from the clergy said yesterday: “It is not about rules and regulations as some people have said but rather about helping people come to an understanding of Christian death and to understand that when we celebrate a funeral Mass, that we do so in the context of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
The statement continued: “We have been and always are available to listen to and work with families of the deceased at a time of a funeral in order to help the funeral liturgy to be meaningful, to give reassurance of God’s loving presence and to give thanks to God for the life of the deceased.
“What we are doing here is in line with the diocesan guidelines and best liturgical practice. We are simply reiterating what is already the ideal in terms of funeral liturgies and to emphasise again that a funeral is a sacred occasion.”