"When words are inadequate, have a ritual." Rituals are symbolic
activities that help us, together with our families and friends,
express our deepest thoughts and feelings about life's most
important events. Baptism celebrates the birth of a child and
that child's acceptance into the church family. Birthday parties
honor the passing of another year in the life of someone we
love. Weddings publicly affirm the private love shared by two
people. The funeral ritual, too, is a public, traditional and
symbolic means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings
about the death of someone loved. Rich in history and rife with
symbolism, the funeral ceremony helps us acknowledge the reality
of the death, gives testimony to the life of the deceased,
encourages the expression of grief in a way consistent with the
culture's values, provides support to mourners, allows for the
embracing of faith and beliefs about life and death, and offers
continuity and hope for the living. Unfortunately, our mourning-
avoiding culture