The Catholic Bishop of the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese, Most Rev. John Martin Darko, has banned elaborate funeral ceremonies within the churches in the diocese. As at the time of going to press, it was not certain how members were reacting to this diocesan fiat.

The Catholic Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi has indeed declared that with effect from July 1, 2010, members of the church who passed on shall no longer be laid in state in the church or on the premises of the church. It means that the dead can only be laid in-state in their homes or other places other than inside the church or its premises.

“There shall be no more opening of caskets and filing past in the church or on its premises; the casket shall be brought to the church closed thirty minutes before mass,” the bishop directed.

Bishop Darko again said that tributes would no longer be read in the church except the biography of the deceased which would be read “at an appropriate time before the final commendation”. He concluded, “Following the interment ceremony at the cemetery, the place for reception and refreshment shall be decided by the family but certainly not on the church premises.”

The new directive, he said, was in tandem with the Catholic Bishops Conference’s decision to ensure that funeral rites conducted in all churches countrywide should be as simple as possible as and less elaborate than it was hitherto.

Bishop Darko’s directive was contained in a letter dated June 8, 2010, which he copied to all the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the diocese titled “Review of funerals in church”. It was read during mass in all churches on Sunday, June 13.

He recalled that a few years back, the Catholic Bishops, concerned about the neglect of the sick in the face of huge expenses made during elaborate funerals, decided to make the entire system of internment of the dead a respectable but inexpensive and less stressful manner.

“Every Bishop is to work out simple burials in the diocese. I chose a simple ceremony on the church grounds but for some time now, I have been observing with grave concern certain abuses or unnecessary elaboration associated with the celebration of funeral in our churches,” he concluded.