A post about something very VERY right

A lot of times I post or talk about things that are wrong with the world, but I wanted today to share a story about something that was very VERY right

The funeral of Benjamin Zachary Durcholz.

Ben had a rare disease that usually takes the life of its victims around 13 or 14.  Ben made it to 14, but at the end of last week, an infection took his life.

Ben's parents Chris and Annette had met with me and our music director, Mr. Edward Atkinson, several months ago to plan the funeral.  They wanted it to be more traditional, and they asked for servers, incense, and a schola to sing sacred music at Mass.


The funeral this morning was one of the most beautiful things I've ever been a part of.

The Church was standing room only - a strong testimony in opposition to our culture of death that is starting to whisper that if a child has some sort of "genetic imperfection" parents might just want to go ahead and abort.


All of our high school servers were on Spring Break today and so they were almost all able to serve the funeral Mass today.  Although Ben has been confined to a wheel chair, and has been unable to communicate for several years, the high school guys who serve at Mass all have felt a special closeness with Ben through the years, and that closeness was evidenced by the tears that were running down their faces throughout the Mass today.


The schola sang music that was not "gaudy" nor was it chosen to showcase their skills, it was simply beautiful.  The musical pieces from the funeral today conveyed both the sadness of death, and the hope that intermingles in with sadness when someone dies as faithful and practicing Catholic.



Today I was able to be a part of something truly special - a special funeral for a special person, and I just wanted to pass on that I'm really thankful to have been a part of it.


Ben Durcholz, may you rest in peace.