A priest’s reaction to the eulogy at a funeral Mass in Ardee, Co. Louth, has been stirring opinions online.
The eulogy was being read at a funeral Mass on May 13 in the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, Ardee/Collon Parish, and was interrupted by the priest, who stood up, saying “that’s enough”, that a “boy is feeling sick”, and for the reader to “please go.”
The unnamed Italian priest added, “One day, somebody will have to explain [to] me. When in Ireland, you say ‘short reflection’… what you mean by that.”
He said that in Italy “‘short’ means short, [but] in Ireland ‘short’ means 50 minutes.”
It is unclear how long the eulogy was taking, but the video has been circulating online and is dividing opinions on social media, with some people saying the priest’s action was “disrespectful to that family” and “scandalous”.
The Catholic Church does not formally allow eulogies at funeral Masses; however, it is a common practice in many parishes across Ireland.
A person, commenting on X, said that “As a Traditional Catholic, I’m utterly disgusted,” and that the priest’s action was “cold, un-pastoral, and completely lacking in charity”.
“This is shocking, Irish funerals are sacred spaces for mourning and sharing memories, we don’t put a timer on them,” said another person who added, “cutting someone off during reflection at such a vulnerable moment shows a shocking lack of empathy and pastoral sensitivity.”
However, there are people agreeing with the priest. “[The] Priest was correct. A 50-minute eulogy at a funeral Mass is a hostage situation with ‘Thoughts and Prayers’.”
A comment on TikTok reads: “Although many are saying this is rude of the priest… This talk is for the wake or for after the service”.
“Sometimes these eulogies do go on far too much”, another comment reads. “I’ve seen elderly people near fainting at funerals because of these 15 min ‘short’ reflections. No need for it half the time.”