A chara, - Kathleen Kelleher (June 8th) stresses the importance of being consistent in our treatment of early life. I agree wholeheartedly.
She states, however, that if something happens to that early life, even naturally - for example, miscarriage - "that life is just casually disposed of", and that there is no church burial or recognition by the State. I do not recall reading her earlier correspondence on this matter in 1997, and she states that there was no Church response. Lest the impression be given that such life is "casually disposed of", it is important that the provisions of the Catholic Church in Ireland be clear.
In the Order of Christian Funerals (Veritas, 1991), Part 2 consists of funeral rites for children. Page 117 treats of arrangements for such a funeral, indicating that the rite is to be adapted according to "the age of the child, the circumstances of death, the grief of the family, and the needs and customs of the mourners". Having spoken of the case of an older child, this section then goes on to treat of the funeral of a still-born infant, indicating the variety of patterns the rite may take in this particular case. Two specific situations are covered: the sensitivity of a case where the parents, in the case of still-birth, feel the need to see, touch, and hold their child; and where the parents wish to name the still-born child, an option for this is included in the rite.
It is clear, therefore, that these situations are provided for sensitively and flexibly in these rites. Sadly, this may not always have been the case. When I was newly ordained and in my first parish over 30 years ago, I recall well the first time I encountered the death of a very young child, and discovered to my shock that there was a custom not to have any official funeral rite. It is a custom I never observed. Thankfully, it has long gone. I remember the insistence of a cousin of my father many years ago that her first-born stillborn twins be included in the family tree I was drawing up.
We have been happy to welcome the Irish Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (ISANDS) in our parish church in Rathdrum for services to commemorate children who died before or around the time of birth. Since last year, too, I believe that the State also makes provision for certifying the reality of these children. - Yours, etc.,
Padraig McCarthy, The Presbytery, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow.