Mexico’s earthquake last week turned a day of joy into disaster for a family gathered at the Santiago the Apostle Catholic Church. Eleven members of the family gathering for a baptism died when the earthquake caused the ceiling to fall in. The infant was among the dead. The only survivors were the baby’s father, the Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Funeral’
NZ Bishops ask that ashes of deceased be treated with respect
Tuesday, November 1st, 2016
Last week the Bishops of New Zealand issued a statement asking Catholics to treat the ashes of their loved ones with respect when they have chosen to have their bodies cremated. This follows on the recent statement the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about cremation and the scattering of ashes. “The loss of Read more
Southlanders farewell their own Bishop Len Boyle
Tuesday, June 14th, 2016
The final requiem mass for Bishop Len Boyle was celebrated in St Mary’s Basilica in Invercargill last Thursday. It was attended by A crowd of several hundred people – many of whom spilled out into the foyer. Clergy from throughout Southland, Otago, New Zealand and Australia were in attendance at the mass, as was Invercargill Read more
Priest presides at historic Melbourne gangland funeral
Friday, May 27th, 2016A priest has presided over what has been described as the last Melbourne gangland funeral of its kind. Fr Joe Caddy presided at the funeral of George Williams, 69, the father of notorious gangland criminal, the late Carl Williams. “We all fall over,” said Fr Caddy. “But all people have goodness,” he added. Fr Caddy Read more
Trump Easter billboard stolen from outside Auckland church
Friday, April 1st, 2016
An Auckland church’s billboard about Donald Trump was stolen while the church’s minister was conducting a funeral service. The billboard was put up for Lent several weeks ago outside St Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Remuera. The sign depicted US presidential candidate Donald Trump standing in front of the crucified Jesus, holding a hammer and saying, Read more
Man who lay dead for weeks has cathedral funeral
Tuesday, March 15th, 2016Jimmy Grant, 78, who may have died as long ago as January, was farewelled during a Sunday Mass at Wellington’s Catholic cathedral on March 13. His body was found at his Mulgrave St apartment, near Parliament, on March 2. When his body was found, police also found a newspaper, a Bible and Mr Grant’s cat’s Read more
Hundreds farewell Bishop Barry Jones
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016
Hundreds gathered at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral on Friday for the funeral Mass following several days of prayer, tributes and Masses paying respects to Bishop Barry Jones. Faith leaders, civic leaders and the Catholic community joined with his family for the Requiem Mass led by Cardinal John Dew yesterday. Cardinal Dew began by acknowledging Bishop Read more
Hollywood-style funeral of mobster sparks outrage in Rome
Tuesday, August 25th, 2015
The Hollywood-style funeral of a notorious mobster in Rome has seen anti-Mafia campaigners demanding to know why police and the Catholic Church allowed it. The funeral of Vittorio Casamonica, 65, on August 20 featured a gilded horse-drawn carriage, flower petals tossed from a helicopter and theme music from “The Godfather”. The coffin was draped with Read more
Wrong body cremated at British politician’s funeral
Tuesday, March 10th, 2015
The wrong body was cremated at the funeral of a British politician in January after an incredible mix-up. The West Midlands European Parliament MP Philip Bradbourn, 63, had died of bowel cancer in December at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield. But another man’s body was cremated at the Conservative politician’s funeral on January 16 Read more
Harley Davidson – the new funeral vehicle
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015Forget horse-drawn carriages, there’s a new funeral vehicle in town. Massey Bros. Funeral Home have come up with a really innovative way to say farewell – a slick Harley Davidson Hearse. The hearse is in fact a sidecar attached to the motorbike, and is the first of its type south of the border. The new Read more