Offensive and heartless. (Letters: you may be right).

I was surprised and offended by the November cover story, "What makes a good funeral?" (interview with Thomas Lynch). I really couldn't accept the many references to the "bad news" and the deceased as "the dead guy."

The tone of the article is offensive and heartless. I would like to remind Lynch that the body of the deceased is not where that person is any more--he or she is with God and in the hearts and minds of those whose lives he or she has touched. The church is certainly the place to call attention to the good this person has done, even though the time taken may upset the funeral director's schedule.

Please be more careful with the tone of your excellent magazine.

Maureen Heisse
Parkville, Md.

May I express my deep disappointment with the Thomas Lynch interview. It does a great disservice to your readers. If Lynch is a funeral director, he should show more respect for both the deceased and the grieving families.

Today any parish pastoral minister or liturgy director would disagree with his statement: "The best funerals aren't planned at all; they happen." Nonsense! Death happens, but funeral liturgies need to be planned.

The whole tone of the article was disappointing, if not disgusting in places. I ask you to interview a person who will portray the reverence, sensitivity, and faith we bring to our Catholic understanding of death and the funeral liturgies.

Catholics need to be informed of and encouraged to experience the consoling liturgies available at this time. Certainly, planning is an important part of this process, and many of our parishes have personnel ready to be of assistance.

Please give us an informative, faith-filled article, one that helps us to see our participation in the dying and rising of Christ. This is the heart of our faith. As a Catholic publication intended for the faithful, you owe it to us.

Sister Mary Pattison, O.S.B. via e-mail