Scottish Catholic Observer

It’s hard to talk about death. That of a loved one, that of our own. We may—we must!—pray about it, but we don’t talk about it enough. The looming spectre of eternal life or damnation may well seem all encompassing but this week’s front page reminds us there are practical matters to  attend to as well.

The spiralling cost of funerals is a scandal that may catch many unprepared. It could well be those who are at their most vulnerable, who are facing huge debts to pay to bury those they love. That is unacceptable.

So the Scottish Government should work to roll out a new and simpler funeral payment to those that need it. That would be a fine use of the devolved powers granted them by the Smith Commission.

There are plenty in this country who barely make ends meet. They shouldn’t be stretched further because someone they loved has died. Opportunistic councils who continually jack up the cost of burial should be reigned in. Local authorities’ budgets are very thin just now, but the books should not be balanced on the backs of the dead.

But this not just a temporal matter. In our Church we should slowly try to be a little more open about our own ends. By talking a little about our funeral, we consider our spiritual fate, but it encourages us to save something away for such a day so that those we leave behind aren’t left carrying the can. None of us are likely to be fully prepared for the next life, but it’s worth ensuring we leave as little hassle as possible behind us.

It’s always heartening to see young Catholics being extremely active and vocal about their Faith, so the work of the Sancta Familia Media Group at Holy Family parish in Mossend really should be celebrated. As our feature on them reveals, they’ve achieved a huge amount in just a few short months, embracing new technology and using it to spread the Word of God. We salute them!