Bishop: Blessing of tombs are free

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David urged the public to report to cemetery administrators anyone seeking payments for blessing the tomb of their loved ones as he also called on priests to avoid asking fees for such service.

David, who is also the vice president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the blessing of tombs should be given for free and that priests could only receive voluntary contributions.

He stressed that the Church was already doing away with the arancel system, or the practice of paying fees for a particular service, given that sacraments shouldn’t be denied to anyone just because of lack of money.

“Let us give consideration, especially to the poor,” David said over Church-run Radio Veritas, adding that anyone who would impose a particular fee for such service should immediately be reported.

For All Souls Day, David will lead a Mass for the departed at the La Loma Cemetery. Along with seminarians and other ministers, David will also conduct a blessing of the tombs there.