THE CATHOLIC diocese of Galway has said it is standing firm on its policy of not permitting any of its churches to be used as a funeral home, despite a parish priest’s decision to defy the ban.
Liscannor parish priest Fr Denis Crosby told parishioners at the weekend that if they wanted their loved ones to repose in the church the night before a funeral, he would not turn them away.
“We will bring our dead to our church – teach an phobal, our father’s house – where all are welcome,” Fr Crosby said.
The decision has reignited a controversy that began last summer when Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway moved to end the custom of allowing Liscannor church to be used as a funeral parlour.
A diocesan spokesman stated yesterday: “Diocesan policy has not changed on the matter. The church should not be used as a funeral home.”
But the spokesman declined to comment directly on the statement made by Fr Crosby to Massgoers on Sunday.
Bishop Drennan previously said that allowing the church to be used as a funeral parlour represented a lowering of standards.
A delegation from the parish aiming to have the ban reversed met the bishop last Thursday.
The parish – which has no dedicated funeral parlour – has also written to Bishop Drennan, and sent a petition, urging him to reverse the ban.
In his Mass address on Sunday, Fr Crosby: said: “I’m glad to be part of a delegation that spoke to the bishop with clarity, honesty, courage and passion and gave, I believe, a good version of the values of this community . . . The bottom line from the meeting is that the bishop did not say ‘no’.
“We listened carefully to the bishop’s fears, that there might be a lack of reverence involved in the practice. We gave him assurances that nothing of that nature happened here or would be acceptable here in the future.
“I then told the bishop, that in the name and in the spirit of Jesus, who says ‘anyone who comes to me, I will not turn away’, that if anyone or family in Liscannor comes to ask to have their loved ones brought to church to repose in the way we have done in the last six years, they will not be turned away.”
He added: “The practice has apparently created some problems in neighbouring parishes – that is not our intention.
“This practice has evolved in the parish as a way of providing families with comfort, welcome, support and sanctuary in the difficult time of death and bereavement.”
Yesterday, Timmy Dooley TD (FF), who has written to Bishop Drennan on the issue, said: “I welcome Fr Crosby’s assurance that the service would be available to anyone wishing to avail of it. It will provide comfort to many in the parish.”
North Clare councillor Martin Conway (FG) called on the bishop yesterday to make a statement on the issue “in order to clear the air and end the uncertainty”.
