Australia: Melbourne archbishop bans pop music at funerals

[phesina]

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/201...ic-at-funerals

Includes a video clip w/ Eric Idle discussing the popularity of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” one of the songs a Roman Catholic leader in Australia does not want to hear during funerals.

[Freedom]

I didn't read the article; here in RI, we were restricted to hymns at funerals about 3 years back.

[Medusa]

Some of the song titles made me chuckle. What does the Archbishop care? It isn't his funeral.

[Bonny]

It is church law, laid out in each Archdiocese. Music for weddings is also controlled by the archdiocese. Years ago a neighbor was killed in a semi accident. At his funeral there were 5 tractors parked outside the church in his memory. The priest at that time allowed them to play a CD, a truckers song. The casket was wheeled up to the door of the church after mass & the song was played. Times have changed in the church.

[Marigold2]

Even in death our last wishes cannot be honored by our friends. I want R & R to be played at my funeral. Once again the church is telling us want to do, when do to it and how to be honored if at all in death.
This makes me want to vomit. I guess I will be having my service at the funeral home when it arrives, hopefully in 49 years those who will be around will be listening to Twist and Shoot by the Beatles, Another One Bites the Dust By Queen, Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood and of course Led Zepplin Stairway to Heaven. Amen!

[Karen]

As long as you are not Catholic, the diocese has no control over what is played at your funeral. And certainly, if there is any kind of collation afterwards, as long as it isn't on the grounds of the Catholic church, anything can be played.