A gift of true communion at my mother’s Catholic funeral

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My journey led to ordination as a priest and a 30-year ministry. Once the culture shock wore off, my parents proudly told the world, including their pastor and his assistant, “Our daughter is a priest.”

As my mother’s congestive heart failure approached its end stage, she and Dad informed their pastor that they wanted me to participate “up front” at her funeral. When she told me that the priest had agreed, I cynically thought, “The Second Coming will arrive first.” But I said I would ask about funeral participation when the time came.

Mom died in the early morning hours of a beautiful autumn day, and in the afternoon I called her priest to inquire about funeral planning. Prepared to be put in my place as an apostate, I gingerly approached the subject of participation, asking if I might read a lesson or lead the psalm.

“Oh, more than that. You can do anything you want,” Father responded.

“Anything?”

“Anything,” he repeated.
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When I asked if they needed to get approval for my participation from their (very conservative) bishop, they gently informed me it is easier to seek forgiveness than permission, a practical rule I’ve invoked several times in parish ministry. I was awed by their courage in responding pastorally and compassionately to my family even though it might bring them harsh discipline from their hierarchy. (I decided not to name the church here, just to be on the safe side.)
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/embraced-by-the-catholic-church-at-the-funeral-for-my-mother/2012/03/15/gIQAV12CHS_story.html

Now contrast this with the story about the lesbian who was denied communion at her mother's funeral.
This story highlights 2 very different approaches. The one taken by the hierarchy is restrictive and IMHO not in the manner of Christ. The path taken by the priest in his story shows how a truly compassionate and loving church would act.