Information provided by the Interfaith Funeral Information Committee (IFIC) and the Arizona Consumers Council. Web Site; http://www.xroads.com/~funerals/home.html

RECENT MEDIA EXPOSES AND NEWS

These reports generally discuss the American scene, but most of the large funeral services chains are playing an increasing role in the Canadian market.

#"DON'T DIE BEFORE YOU READ THIS: The Death Care Business; How the funeral business makes money off your grief" cover story and extensive report by U.S. News & World Report magazine, March23, 1998.

Articles:

"The Goliaths of the funeral industry are making lots of money off your grief'

"Opting Out: A home funeral for her husband"

"Don't Get Stiffed: Useful tips for a tough time"

The articles have extensive coverage of our IFIC's efforts to inform and protect the public from the harmful, nationwide industry, mortuary and cemetery tactics to deceive and over-charge families; low, fair prices for funerals, caskets and cremation; tactics of high priced mortuaries and chains; and contracts made with chains by some religious leaders to profit from the ripoff of their own people.

# "FUNERAL CHAINS EXPOSED," report by CBS_TV's 60 Minutes program, February 1, 1998.

The program reported on the SCI (Service Corp- oration International) chain secretly buying many mortuaries and cemeteries in communities, often raising prices nearly double, keeping the mortuaries' old names__ misleading families to think they are dealing with the same mortuaries and prices as in the past.

Darryl Roberts, former owner of mortuaries and cemeteries, urged all families to phone a number of mortuaries and cemeteries for their prices before choosing one. (A TV survey showed that 14 million families watched the program, but chains will continue to take extra millions from families because they think that most people won't remember the program, nor follow the advice to phone ahead for prices in order to protect themselves.) (Churches, groups or individuals should survey local prices and offer them to TV stations newspapers and parishioners.)

#"AT THE HOUR OF DEATH," report by U.S. CATHOLIC magazine, February 1998.

The article provides information on how to assist the dying; how to arrange a beautiful, creative funeral (without the expensive help of a mortician) in which family and friends help with preparations, decorations and ceremonies. A priest, Fr. Wasielewski, points out that the FAMILY is the "FUNERAL DIRECTOR@ of its own funerals (not morticians who have decided to call themselves "funeral DIRECTORS") and that families can arrange everything as they wish without permission or expensive help of a mortician.

Prices: He says: A the most important thing is to know what a reasonable price is.

Reasonable, low prices that families should be able to find at a few mortuaries in most U.S. communities are: Complete funeral and metal casket available in several pleasing colours for $1,800 to $2,200 total; Direct cremation for U.S. $350 to $550 total B although most mortuaries in these communities probably needlessly charge two to five times more for the same funerals and caskets. Families should phone mortuaries until they find one with fair prices like the above, and have viewing and all services at their local church or synagogue so that they can use one of their areas's few fair-priced mortuaries regardless of where it is located (even up to 50 or more miles away ). Parishes should phone for the prices of all nearby mortuaries and the prices of some fair, low-priced mortuaries in nearby areas or cities, and provide the surveys to all parishioners. The article provides an example of the ripoff of a family and the financial harm to families caused by pastors who distribute advertising calendars of high-priced mortuaries.

FUNERAL GIANTS TARGET CATHOLIC MARKET: Conglomerates see high growth potential in alliance with church, extensive report by the National Catholic Reporter news- paper, January 30, 1998.

Harmful contracts: The report=s articles describe how the Archdioceses of Los Angeles and Montreal have not opened mortuaries providing low, fair prices to their people (ads described in the item below have urged dioceses to open such mortuaries), but have signed contracts with the high-priced chains. Los Angeles has contracted with the Stewart Enterprises chain of Louisiana to build six of its own commercial mortuaries on church cemetery property. Several priests and morticians who spoke to the newspaper, commenting about the injustice and coming harm to families, did not want their names mentioned, apparently fearing the displeasure of Cardinal Mahony's office.

Confidential newsletters:. Several confidential industry newsletters quote analysts speaking of the new contracts as "the atomic blast of the industry," etc __ apparently indicating that nothing this century has ever affected the industry and hurt families .as much as these contracts will __ and predicting that "the Catholic Church will reap big money from its lease arrangement with Stewart.

Publications refer to a recent document of the National Catholic Cemetery Conference which recommends that every diocese should help families by; 1) owning and operating its own funeral homes" or 2) setting up "parish-based funeral networks@ which would each either a) have a central embalming facility and a licensed mortician, or b) affiliate itself with one or more funeral homes willing to provide these services. However, the Los Angeles and. Montreal archdioceses are doing the opposite of providing low, fair-priced funerals __ instead, they are joining with commercial chains to make huge profits from Catholic families.

YOUR DIOCESE NEEDS TO OPEN MORTUARIES WITH FAIR PRICES AND SALES TACTICS!" advertisements, in the

National Catholic Reporter national weekly news- paper (Monthly ads from May 2, 1997 to Jan... 23, 1998). The ads encourage readers to urge their denominations and dioceses to OPEN FAIR _PRICED mortuaries at their cemeteries -- with the dioceses operating and controlling them, keeping the prices low and fair. Small mortuaries without chapels can be opened quickly and inexpensively, with all funeral services held at families' own churches.

Church leaders should NOT ALLOW HIGH _PRICED CHAINS to build mortuaries at their cemeteries __ with the dioceses joining with chains to RIPOFF THEIR OWN FAMILIES by $20 to $50 million per year. Seeking to share handsomely in harmful ripoff of their own people, the archdioceses of Los Angeles and Montreal have recently contracted with the Stewart and Service Corporation International (SCI) chains

Some Catholics are calling it a "sellout@ of families by their own bishops and cardinals __ and calling for people to BOYCOTT the Stewart and SCI mortuaries, and to PICKET the archdiocese offices and STOP CONTRIBUTING to the archdioceses and parishes until the unjust contracts are cancelled. Some compare it to Judas saying "How much will you give me if I deliver all my people to you to fleece?"

The National Baptist Convention recently cancelled a contract that their leaders made with the Loewen chain. People complained about high prices and payoff to the denomination.

Baptists compared the contract to Judas' 30 pieces of silver.

AT YOUR DISPOSAL: The Funeral Industry Prepares for Boom Times,@ in HARPER'S

Magazine (8 pages), November 1997.

Regarding "sealer" caskets; "far from protecting the body, the expensive protective seal is the best way to guarantee that anaerobic bacteria will turn the body into goo in record time."

Information from Ont. Coalition for Social Justice.