Louisiana monks thankful for right to sell caskets

Last updated on: March 22, 2013 at 8:00 am by CNA Daily News

Louisiana monks thankful for right to sell caskets 2013-03-22T08:00:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

New Orleans, La., Mar 22, 2013 / 02:00 am (CNA).- After fighting a lawsuit for over five years, Benedictine monks in Louisiana finally won the right to sell their handmade wooden caskets when a federal appeals court ruled in their favor March 20.

“This is great news for us…we're first of all very grateful,” said Abbot Justin Brown of the Covington-based Saint Joseph Abbey.

“We noted that the news came to us the day after the feast of St. Joseph, so we felt that we certainly had a friend and an intercessor in St. Joseph throughout these years we've been involved in this case,” he told CNA March 21.

The Abbey was forced to file a suit against the members of the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, who claimed the sale of caskets within the state could only be done by a state-licensed funeral director at a funeral home.

Wednesday's ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the decision of a lower court that the funeral directors' policy denied the monks' rights to equal protection and due process.

“We have felt very much vindicated…we felt from the very beginning that we were being denied our constitutional rights with this law, that said we could not sell our caskets in Louisiana.”

“We could sell them outside Louisiana, but we couldn't sell them inside Louisiana.”

The abbey started its casket program on All Saints Day, 2007. It had previously received income from its timberland, but it had been wiped out by Hurricane Katrina and “the Abbey began looking for other revenue sources,” the appeal court's decision explained.

The month after their casket business began, the Louisiana embalmers board “ordered the Abbey not to sell caskets to the public.”

The court wrote that the State Board's rule granting funeral directors a monopoly on Louisiana casket sales “adds nothing to protect consumers and puts them at a greater risk of abuse including exploitative prices.”

The simple wooden caskets made by the monks are sold at prices “significantly lower than those offered by funeral homes.”

“The funeral directors have offered no rational basis for their challenged rule and, try as we are required to do, we can suppose none,” the court concluded.

The case may go to the Supreme Court, as the Fifth Circuit's decision is at odds with the Tenth Circuit's 2004 decision upholding a similar law in Oklahoma.

Abbot Brown said the decision “is helping us certainly support our ministry and life here at St. Joseph Abbey, and it means a lot also to those who purchase our caskets for their loved ones.”

St. Joseph Abbey is nearly 125 years old, and operates a college seminary that serves dioceses in the South. It also has a retreat center, and a bakery that provides bread twice a week for New Orleans' poor, in addition to their casket business.

The caskets have “good craftmanship,” Abbot Brown noted. “They're very simple but very well done.”

“We feel that not only for us but for others, this is a victory for economic liberty. Especially for small businesses, that run against these kinds of regulations, and we hope this victory can help others.”

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 22, 2013

US help for jailed Iran pastor 'woefully' inept, congressmen charge

Next Post

March 22, 2013 Young entrepreneur's life defined by dreams, not disability

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Redeemer" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

One who conquers One who judges One who buys back One who gives