Home funeral practices

funeral practices

Reverence: The Image of God Respected

“The younger monks must respect their seniors, and the seniors must love their juniors.” —The Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 63 The monastery cemetery is a place of order. Four quadrants of seven rows each; nice neat rows of markers, each bearing a name and two dates; and in the middle, overlooking everything with
Read more

Dignity: The Image of God Acknowledged

“Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ …” —The Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 36 Among the scenes painted on the east wall of the Chapter Room at Saint Meinrad Archabbey is one of a monk who is dying in his bed. Several other monks surround him, one of whom is
Read more

Grief: The Loss of Something Good

“Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die.” —The Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 4  Bell no. 5 tolls … One stroke for each year of profession … A monk has died. The toll of the bell is the way death is announced in the life of the monastery. The bell has scarcely finished tolling out the years before the
Read more

Kindred Spirits

Excerpted from “Kindred Spirits,” written by Archabbot Justin DuVall, OSB Friends and guests who have taken part in the funeral of a monk at the abbey often walk away from the cemetery feeling at a loss for words. They have just peered down into an open grave where a plain poplar coffin marked with a
Read more

The Catholic Church’s Position on Cremation

It should come as no surprise that, in addition to beautifully crafted wood caskets, Abbey Caskets builds equally elegant cremation urns. After all, while it is true that the Catholic Church prohibited cremation for centuries, that has not been the case for decades. However, the Church does have some very specific
Read more