10 February 2008

And I missed it...


The new branch of my husband's family is quite interesting. If you're keeping track, we just found out that my husband's great-grandmother had a baby out of wedlock and the baby was given up for adoption. About a week ago, descendents from that line contacted me and we've been sharing information ever since.

Here's the latest.

One of the relations to the person that contacted me died a few years back. The information I have says that this person was twice married and twice divorced. They suffered a heart attack that resulted in them ending up brain dead. Their "living will" stipulated that they didn't want to be kept alive on any machines (from what I understand, the Catholic Church allows you to remove machines in this instance). Nearly a week later, the person "died." Their ashes were then scattered at an artists' colony, again as stipulated in the "living will."

During the funeral MASS, the priest's homily included his rendition of a song from the Phantom of the Opera that was reportedly the deceased's favorite.



I'm kind of partial to A Chorus Line for a funeral Mass myself.

6 comments:

Cathy_of_Alex said...

Which number? "What I did for Love"?

swissmiss said...

Cathy:
It didn't say. I'm afraid to ask.

Cathy said...

Wow.
I do believe I might have had to excuse myself to go giggle somewhere.

;)

A friend's husband died a few years back, and at his very protestant funeral they had Elvis singing some old Elvis Gospely song on CD. Yes, CD.
I slumped over, giggling hysterically, but I had to pretend I was sobbing. Next thing I know, the fellow behind me, a coworker, is patting my back, worried that I'm overcome with grief.
True story.

The Digital Hairshirt said...

I have been trying to convince my priest that should I die, "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo is liturgically appropriate as the processional hymn.

He's not buying it.

swissmiss said...

Ma:
Awhile back Terry posted about that Romanian priest who moonlights as Elvis. I thought of him when I heard this.

I don't know which would've mortified me more, giggling at the funeral or hearing Elvis!

Don't despair, Digi. I believe if Oingo Boingo ever goes to Broadway, the song will qualify as appropriate for a funeral Mass.

gemoftheocean said...

ROTFL! I'm with you. Hell would freeze over before I'd have have a Phantom song at my funeral, wake or reception. Now "ONE" from A Chorus Line....

Ma, your story reminds me of something I saw in Dear Abby years ago. A widow, who had been berated all her life by her husband related that though she maintained proper "game face" at the funeral and afterwards so people wouldn't be scandalized, as soon as she was "home alone" she broke out in song and was happy for weeks after.