Blessing of the graves a disgrace

cathy01

I'm not overly religious but went to my first blessing of the grave and actually could t believe what happened.
9 souls laid to rest in flemington grave yeard.
About 80 people attended today at 4 as advertised .no priest.the mass was on loud speaker in the other grave yard.but the speakers didnt work and noone could hear a thing. So we just waited an hour and 20 mins and the priest arrived apologised and took out a squeeze bottle of holy water,sprayed a sign of the cross with it over the grave mumbled something ? And nearly forgot one grave only a women pointed it out.i actually think he blessed a non christen grave.it had no cross or other religious symbol on it .
And left 3 minutes he was there.no prayers no nothing.
Some said maybe when it gets bigger they will do it propey.em these souls deserve the same ,their family's deserve the same respect .
It was a disgrace .many people had come from up north traveled for hours with kids in the car to stand and listen to crackling sound in the wind and a prayer or whatever was said done in a hurried manner.
Now maybe that's a rant but if your going to do something do it right.

endacl

Very slack. This is how zombie apocalypses start...

cathy01

endacl wrote: »

Very slack. This is how zombie apocalypses start...

No now stop I'm been for reall it was not nice.
It's too late to mention zombies .ill have nightmears

jamie72

What's the point of the blessing of the graves anyway? I generally go with my dad to keep him company, but I don't understand it?

Dizzyblonde

jamie72 wrote: »

What's the point of the blessing of the graves anyway?

I think it comforts people who have loved ones buried in the cemetery. It's not everyone's cup of tea but for some people it's important.

Cathy that sounds very slapdash and must have upset people.

tayto lover

jamie72 wrote: »

What's the point of the blessing of the graves anyway? I generally go with my dad to keep him company, but I don't understand it?

They won't go to Heaven unless their grave is blessed.

Stheno

Sounds very slapdash Cathy, feel sorry for the families.

Dizzyblonde

Warnings for endacl and tayto lover. Uncivil and unhelpful posts are not welcome.

December2012

You could contact Fingal county council here http://www.fingalcoco.ie/YourLocalCouncil to report the matter to them.

That sounds horrible OP, that should not have happened.

jamie72

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I think it comforts people who have loved ones buried in the cemetery. It's not everyone's cup of tea but for some people it's important.

Cathy that sounds very slapdash and must have upset people.

I'm not complaining or anything, just wondering if there's a reason behind the tradition. Something from the bible or something.

CorsendonkX

December2012 wrote: »

You could contact Fingal county council here http://www.fingalcoco.ie/YourLocalCouncil to report the matter to them.

That sounds horrible OP, that should not have happened.

To quote Father Ted

"That would an ecumenical matter"

Lord help us if FCC decided to do religion!

Cathy sad fact is that NCD is experiencing a shortage of priests, the mass goers here will be able to point out the parishes just getting by on one priest. Maybe if he is lucky he will be helped out by a priest that should have been retired years ago. Looking at FCC list of Masses for the Graveyards I can't see Flemington Graveyard, perhaps an oversight

August 2013

Saturday 03rd August 8.00 P.M. Chaplemidway Prayers
Sunday 04th August 12.00 P.M. Kileek Prayers
Sunday 04th August 7.00 P.M. Grallagh Prayers
Sunday 11th August 4.00 P.M. Balscadden Mass
Sunday 11th August 7.00 P.M. Clonmethan Prayers
Thursday 15th August 7.00 P.M. Garristown Prayers
Thursday 15th August 7.00 P.M. Ballyboughal Prayers

cathy01

CorsendonkX wrote: »

To quote Father Ted

"That would an ecumenical matter"

Lord help us if FCC decided to do religion!

Cathy sad fact is that NCD is experiencing a shortage of priests, the mass goers here will be able to point out the parishes just getting by on one priest. Maybe if he is lucky he will be helped out by a priest that should have been retired years ago. Looking at FCC list of Masses for the Graveyards I can't see Flemington Graveyard, perhaps an oversight

Well it's a new small grave yard.i thi k they should have been done another day .
I will contact Fingal cc and let them know the speakers wherent working thanks

The Hill Billy

jamie72 wrote: »

I'm not complaining or anything, just wondering if there's a reason behind the tradition. Something from the bible or something.

Ask in the Christianity forum.

No Pants

December2012 wrote: »

You could contact Fingal county council here http://www.fingalcoco.ie/YourLocalCouncil to report the matter to them.

That sounds horrible OP, that should not have happened.

Is it the council that organise it or the church? Not in any way religious myself, so I don't know.

Uriel.

It'd be a Church matter, don't know why the Council would have involvement.

OP if you do want to pursue the matter, then the relevant parish priest is the person to write/speak to.

Failing that, to go a step further you could write to the Archbishop.

December2012

I suggested the county council because they are responsible for the cemeteries themselves, presumably not the masses but they might be able to point you in the direction of who was responsible for what yesterday.

CorsendonkX

cathy01 wrote: »

Well it's a new small grave yard.i thi k they should have been done another day .
I will contact Fingal cc and let them know the speakers wherent working thanks

Do you know if they announced at mass that morning that the Blessing of the Graves were on that afternoon at Flemington?

cathy01

Well I rang both Fingal coco and Priest. He said that he told people that there was no mass or prayers etc at fleminton. He said it was known that the mass was at balscadden. Now I have to say that the other 80 people attending the grave yard didn't hear this information either. He also said that the speakers wouldn't work anyway.Plus there is a shortage of priests.
Fingal coco said its nothing to do with them but they didn't have it on the list to be done at all.
In my eyes I think both parish and Fingal coco made an oversite and just didn't bother to include the Flemington Graveyard. For what ever reason.
Very disrespectful to the family's involved.

Dizzyblonde

That's a pity Cathy. I'd have thought that at least the priest would have said he'd organise something.

jamie72

Why do you keep referencing the council? Why would they be involved in something like this?

LeoB

CorsendonkX wrote: »

Lord help us if FCC decided to do religion!

Cathy sad fact is that NCD is experiencing a shortage of priests, the mass goers here will be able to point out the parishes just getting by on one priest. Maybe if he is lucky he will be helped out by a priest that should have been retired years ago. Looking at FCC list of Masses for the Graveyards I can't see Flemington Graveyard, perhaps an oversight

Think your fairly spot on here. Re-visit this in 10 years and we could have a link via big screen to cemeteries.

jamie72 wrote: »

Why do you keep referencing the council? Why would they be involved in something like this?

Out of respect, which some still have for these occasions, they would clean up the graveyard and its environs.

There is usually a very large crowd for the blessing in Rush and people often travel quite a distance. I know people who come from Galway, Tipperary and Tyrone to the Rush blessing in Whitestown

cathy01

jamie72 wrote: »

Why do you keep referencing the council? Why would they be involved in something like this?

Because fingal coco own the graveyard .it doesn't matter what religion what you are you still need to be buried .

cathy01

cathy01 wrote: »

Because fingal coco own the graveyard .it doesn't matter what religion what you are you still need to be buried .

Also to purchase a grave cost about 2k payable to Fingal coco

Uriel.

cathy01 wrote: »

Also to purchase a grave cost about 2k payable to Fingal coco

They don't run religious services though which is what the blessings of the grave is. That's the responsibility of the specific religious organisation

sNarah

Was this the first time the blessing was on at this cemetary?
Not an excuse, I know, but maybe it was oversight from the governing parish...
So hopefully it will be addressed next year!

cathy01

sNarah wrote: »

Was this the first time the blessing was on at this cemetary?
Not an excuse, I know, but maybe it was oversight from the governing parish...
So hopefully it will be addressed next year!

Yes, it was the first time.I do think it was an oversite. A shame for all involved.

rpurfield

slightly different to the blessings but how do peoplefins getting access to flemington graveyard?anytime i drive past it it seems to be locked up

cathy01

rpurfield wrote: »

slightly different to the blessings but how do peoplefins getting access to flemington graveyard?anytime i drive past it it seems to be locked up

The big gate does be shut , but there is a gate you can walk in .

schemingbohemia

cathy01 wrote: »

Because fingal coco own the graveyard .it doesn't matter what religion what you are you still need to be buried .

Yes but organising a priest to sprinkle water over the graves and say some prayers has absolutely nothing to do with Fingal County Council, nor should it ever.

The Hill Billy

I disagree. If any organization wishes to hold a service or commemoration on FCC property, they should seek approval from FCC first.

schemingbohemia

The Hill Billy wrote: »

I disagree. If any organization wishes to hold a service or commemoration on FCC property, they should seek approval from FCC first.

Yes, you're right actually. However, having given approval FCC should not be held responsible for anything else, the quality of the priest, who could or could not hear etc...

SpaceTime

I'd say you'd probably want to give the Bishop a ring about that one.
I don't think the council would have much control over the quality of a ceremony.

Religious issues aside, it's basically a non-profit organisation providing a service free-of-charge to the parishioners who can make donations if they wish.

The county council would only be involved in maintaining physical infrastructure and that kind of thing.

L1011

I suspect the council would be quite bemused at even being contacted about it.

cathy01

The priest gives actually i think he said recieves a list if all the graveyards and flemington wasn't on it.
I contacted Fingal coco because they own the grave yard and I wanted them to know the speaker system wasn't working.
To be fair the priest did say sorry.fingal did say nothing to do with them.
I'd live to k ow who purchased the system, who's responsible for its up keep.its in Fingal coco property so I assumed them.
Anyway I met on the girls who's husband is buried there and told her.
She had been told no flowers are to be out on the grave as in planted sorry.sime people have pot plants sitting in the grave .somw have lot plants buried into the grave ,like sunken in if that makes sence.
She had gone up and her husbands grave was bare as she was instructed then she seen all the other graves ,some with flowers planted as in seeded and got upset.she called her daughters and they all rallied aroun to get wreaths etc.
I think it's a bit well , unclear .
Flower over grave
Flowers in grave
No flowers at all.
I don't understand my self but I believe it's something to do with the maintance if the yard.they want to be able to just have grass .
Anyway.my 10 year old daughter had a tiny sandstone cross with " grandad" written on it with green maker :-) i couldn't say no to we so just put it on the grave .what an you ?
Anyway thanks all for the replies .

Uriel.

cathy01 wrote: »

The priest gives actually i think he said recieves a list if all the graveyards and flemington wasn't on it.
I contacted Fingal coco because they own the grave yard and I wanted them to know the speaker system wasn't working.
To be fair the priest did say sorry.fingal did say nothing to do with them.
I'd live to k ow who purchased the system, who's responsible for its up keep.its in Fingal coco property so I assumed them.
Anyway I met on the girls who's husband is buried there and told her.
She had been told no flowers are to be out on the grave as in planted sorry.sime people have pot plants sitting in the grave .somw have lot plants buried into the grave ,like sunken in if that makes sence.
She had gone up and her husbands grave was bare as she was instructed then she seen all the other graves ,some with flowers planted as in seeded and got upset.she called her daughters and they all rallied aroun to get wreaths etc.
I think it's a bit well , unclear .
Flower over grave
Flowers in grave
No flowers at all.
I don't understand my self but I believe it's something to do with the maintance if the yard.they want to be able to just have grass .
Anyway.my 10 year old daughter had a tiny sandstone cross with " grandad" written on it with green maker :-) i couldn't say no to we so just put it on the grave .what an you ?
Anyway thanks all for the replies .

If the audio system was a fixed system and not connected as part of a Church building then it is likely that the organisation responsible is the relevant cemetery trust (similar to Glasnevin and Dardistown for example) or the local parish management. It would be the local parish office if it was connected to a church building, but don't think there is a church building at this particular site (?)

As to the issue of flowers, yes unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your stance) most new cemeteries are developed as "lawn cemeteries" and are usually managed by a trust. Technically no flowers are allowed on the grave itself, except for on the headstone base. As you correctly intimated this is for easy management and upkeep of the grounds. A ride on lawnmower or tractor can simply drive along the graves cutting the grass.

It's a good simple solution I suppose, but I prefer older style graveyards myself. For some reason I also much prefer to use the word graveyard as opposed to cemetery. Just realised that. Weird.

Again Dardistown out by the airport is prime example of a lawn cemetery graveyard