The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-09-16
RIGHTS OF BURIAL IN CATHOLIC
CEMETERIES
Baltimore Mirror. Sept s.)

Baltimore Mirror, Sept s.)
Rev. William Z. Starr delivered dis
, course on Sunday last at the Cathedral, SO
} lectng for his theme the " Rights of Buria
in Catholic Cemeteries," . subject on whicl
there is evidently q good deal of misunder
standing At the present day, even amont
we'll l-mesnipg and fair minded people. Th'
Reverend gentleman is we'll aware of thu
misapprehension in peoples minds on tbii
question, and took great pains to treat the
subject in all its bearings, and TO elucidat<
| it with the proper legal and logical argu-
ments. After alludiDg briefly to the re-
| spect which has always been paid to the
remains of the dead, tho speaker referred
| to the Plenary Council of the Catholic
Church, which had ssemb!ed in the Cathe-
dIal, at Baltimore, in 1866. Among the
acts of that body, which comprised the
| piety and wisdom of the Catholic Church
| iu this country, was one in reference to the
setting apart of copsecrated ground for the
burial of Catholic dead and none others.
1t WAS decreed that there should be no rites
of the Cturch performed at the funerals of
Catholics buried in uuconsecreted ground.
Priests were no longer at liberty to perform
the solemn ceremonies of the Catholic
Church a. non Catholic cemeteries. The
most disagreeable complications had arisen,
but Catholics were bsund to obey the laws
of their Church, and they understood very
we'll why the Church should enact sucn q
law. 1t was because che wished to make
distinction between those who had died
true sons of the Ch1rca and those who
died rebels against her. It was an attesta
tion after death how the faithful had been
gathered into the Communion of God.
Like kird q fenient mother, however, the
Church made some exceptions to the rule
alluded to, for the reasons of justice, and
he would mention a few of those excep-
tIons. IN case where Catholic family
had previously been at the expense of pur-
chasing lot In a non-Cotholic cemetery,
1t wac allowed to have the religious cere
monies at the residence, but in no case
could priest visit the cemetery for the |
purpose. In the case or a convert the Ger |
emonies of the Church could be performed |
as the residence or at the church.
1t would be we'll for Catholics to dis. |
5inct!y understand the condition upon |
Thich they chartered io;s in Catholic Gem
Individuals to be buried there should not |
include persons to whom the Church in her |
wisdom refused burial in consecrated |
ground. These included infidels, schis-
natics, all non Catholics, and those Catho- |
les who bad died impenitent, without re-
'eiving the last rites of the Church. This |
vas an absolute condition of the sale or |
harter of lot, and no lot owner had |
light to complain, if when this condition |
vas violated, the priests or trustees of the |
caused the body to be exhumed. |
All that the Church did was done in wis
iom, and her laws should be reverenced by
hose within her fold.
The Reverend gentleman also referred to
what he termed the monstrous extrava-
sance with which it was the practice to
conduct many funerals. He said that it
might seem an impertinence on his part 80
20 speak, but he thought the subject one
hat needed attention. This extravagance
v as not confined to the rich, bnt was prac-
,ically among the poor, including people
Tho hardly knew where to get the next
MEALS victuals from. 1t all epreng from a
most miserable pride. Many would run
nto debt merely for the sake of getting up
\ grand funeral. Workingmen earning
out ecanty wages would lose day and |
hire carriage to subserve a miserable hu-
nan pride. 1t was a matter of principle |
and strict Catholic morals that no one
should contract an unnecessary debt which |
no or she could not see the way out of clear |
IL was questionable as te whether or not it |
was altogether proper for those who could |
afford it to expend 30 much money on fu- |
nerals. The money could be put to better |
to the poor for instance. 1t was
not hs intention for moment to Say
Aught against all proper respect for the |
dead being shown in a reasonable way.
Some of those who INDUCED in this ex
travagance iu pntting away the moldering
remains of relatives or friends showed very
little care for the souls OF the deceased
when the latter We're in life. Justice and
religion should first be consulted, aud then
taste, for after all much connected with
funeral is simply matter OF taste.