Frederica interviews Joe Canby, an auto mechanic who doubles as a funeral director, about bringing funerals back into the Church.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks about why funerals require extra attention, some of the challenges (both expected and unexpected) that they bring, and shares some lessons on bringing grace to the experience. He also shares a (satirical) warning about the danger of preaching politics.

Not many people realize it, but it's legal (and cheap!) to handle a funeral yourself.

Grieving families are increasingly taking control of the funeral. But how far can they go?

We spoke to funeral director Kate Spohrer about her work during this difficult time.

Europe's epicentre of the coronavirus, Italy, has banned funerals -so how are Italians dealing with not having families around during this mourning period? Also, how are religions like Judaism, where human contact and comfort are deeply central, faring under coronavirus? And, the clash of rights that comes with the debate over religious freedom.

From May 15, Territorians will be able to sweat it out at the gym, dine at a restaurants and get their nails done. And from June 5, they can get a tattoo or head to a nightclub.

Parishioners in rural communities are increasingly perform the role of priests, taking funerals and Sunday celebrations into their own hands.

For somebody who did less for Britain than, say, Olly Murs, we’re making a dreadful fuss of our late monarch

Who’s your favourite dead king? For me it’s a toss-up between King Henry VIII (likes: Greensleeves, beheadings) and Nat King Cole (likes: chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose). Those are definitely my top two.

Below them, there’s King Kong, King George III, Good King Wenceslas, and about 500 other assorted types of king before you get to Richard III. Never warmed to him. Don’t know why. I’ve just never really been into Richard III. Maybe it’s his Savile-esque haircut, or the fact that his name is widely used as rhyming slang for fecal matter, or just the way he’s routinely depicted as a murderous, scheming cross between Mr Punch and Quasimodo; a panto villain with nephews’ blood on his hands.

"We all struggled with personal protective equipment in the funeral industry," said Eric Bell, funeral director and owner of David A. Hall Mortuary in Pittsboro, Ind.

Ghana is well known for its elaborate funerals and rowdy election campaigns so coronavirus is changing everything.

Rome Newsroom, Apr 30, 2020 / 11:45 am (CNA).- After eight weeks without funerals, Italian families will be able finally to gather together to mourn and pray at funeral Masses for the victims of the coronavirus starting May 4.

In Milan, the largest city in Italy’s coronavirus epicenter, priests are preparing for an influx of funeral requests in the coming weeks in the Lombardy region, where 13,679 have died.

Fr. Mario Antonelli, who oversees liturgies on behalf of the Archdiocese of Milan, told CNA that archdiocesan leadership met April 30 to coordinate guidelines for Catholic funerals as more than 36,000 people remain positive for COVID-19 in their region.

“I am moved, thinking of so many dear people who have wanted [a funeral] and still desire one,” Fr. Antonelli said April 30.

He said that the church in Milan is ready like the Good Samaritan to “pour oil and wine on the wounds of many who have suffered the death of a loved one with the terrible agony of not being able to say goodbye and embrace.”

A Catholic funeral is “not just a solemn farewell from loved ones,” the priest explained, adding that it expresses a pain like childbirth. “It is the cry of pain and loneliness that becomes a song of hope and communion with the desire for an everlasting love.”

Funerals in Milan will occur on an individual basis with no more than 15 people in attendance, as required by “phase two” of the Italian government’s coronavirus measures. 

Priests are asked to notify local authorities when a funeral is scheduled to take place and ensure that social distancing measures defined by the diocese are followed throughout the liturgy. 

Milan is home to the Ambrosian rite, the Catholic liturgical rite named for St. Ambrose, who led the diocese in the 4th century.

“According to the Ambrosian rite, the funeral liturgy includes three ‘stations’: the visit / blessing of the body with the family; community celebration (with or without Mass); and burial rites at the cemetery,” Antonelli explained. 

“Trying to reconcile the sense of the liturgy … and the sense of civic responsibility, we ask the priests to refrain from visiting the family of the deceased to bless the body,” he said.

While Milan archdiocese is limiting priests from the traditional blessing of the body in the home of the family, the funeral Mass and burial rites will be able to take place at a church or “preferably” at a cemetery, Antonelli added. 

During the nearly two months without Masses and funerals, dioceses in northern Italy have been maintaining telephone lines for grieving families with spiritual counsel and psychological services. In Milan, the service is called “Hello, is this an angel?” and is operated by priests and religious who spend time on the phone with the sick, the mourning, and the lonely. 

Aside from funerals, public Masses will still not be allowed throughout Italy under the government’s May 4 coronavirus restrictions. As Italy eases its lockdown, it remains unclear when public Masses will be allowed by the Italian government.

Italian bishops have been critical of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s latest coronavirus measures, announced on April 26, saying that they “arbitrarily exclude the possibility of celebrating Mass with the people."

According to the prime minister’s April 26 announcement, the easing of lockdown measures will allow retail stores, museums, and libraries to reopen beginning May 18 and restaurants, bars, and hair salons June 1.

Movement between Italian regions, within regions, and within cities and towns is still prohibited except under strict cases of necessity.

In a letter April 23, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti of Perugia, the president of the Italian bishops' conference, wrote that “the time has come to resume the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist, and church funerals, baptisms and all the other sacraments, naturally following those measures necessary to guarantee security in the presence of more people in public places.”

Across Africa, centuries-old cultural traditions are being foregone in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen governments impose restrictions on gatherings and other practices around death and burial. Francesca Lynagh reports.

Across Africa, centuries-old cultural traditions are being foregone in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen governments impose restrictions on gatherings and other practices around death and burial. Francesca Lynagh reports.

Funerals must be allowed to take place to enable families to mourn their loved ones, the Government has said.

Their letter says services can be held with "proper measures in place", amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

Both Ultra-Orthodox services were held on Wednesday evening, in keeping with Jewish custom to conduct burial services as soon as possible after death.

Many mourning families and friends are having to lay their loved ones to rest through Zoom, as they're unable to convene in person due to COVID-19 lockdown laws.David Kessler, a grief expert, says it's important to maintain rituals during this time of mass grieving.Zoom funeral attendees are finding both comfort and difficulties in having to participate in a ceremony of grief while also being socially distant.Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.Few words mark the bleakness of the COVID-19 era more than "Zoom Funeral."In another time, the words "Zoom" and "funeral" together might have been just a dark mad-lib, but with over 258,000+ COVID-19-related deaths (on top of deaths from other causes) to date and a ban on large gatherings in many states, digital funerals are a reality for many

Lance Shingler, pictured, died after being found collapsed at his Birmingham home. He went to memorial services for each of his fallen colleagues and bravely battled a mental condition.

NYC Mayor De Blasio personally showed up at an Orthodox Jewish funeral in Williamsburg Tuesday and threatened mourners with arrest for ignoring social distancing.

STEPHEN GLOVER: The other day I learnt that an old friend had died. But although I can accept this as a matter of fact, I can't really take it in because there has been no shared recognition among those who knew her.

The cost of funerals is soaring - rising more than £200 over the past year to an average of more than £4,400 this month. But a decent send-off can still be arranged for less than half of this price.

Across Africa, centuries-old cultural traditions are being foregone in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen governments impose restrictions on gatherings and other practices around death and burial. Francesca Lynagh reports.

Across Africa, centuries-old cultural traditions are being foregone in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen governments impose restrictions on gatherings and other practices around death and burial. Francesca Lynagh reports.

Previewing the May/June issue.