Such is the conflict behind the Gotti family's dispute with the Catholic Church over the rejected burial Mass of mob boss, John Gotti. Here is the story:
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/Catholic/2002/06/Gotti-Denied-Catholic-Funeral-Mass.aspx
In many of the short stories that we've read, the main character is not always the most likable character, yet we often find ourselves empathizing with them.
- Should there be any sympathy towards Gotti or his family?
- What kinds of ethical values conflict when reading this story?
- How would you resolve it?
I believe that it is wrong to deny burial rites to anyone. That should be against the law. It doesnt matter what a person has done in his/her life. Everyone deserves a final resting place with the same blessings that would be recieved by a "good" person. They are using the excuse that by performing these services they would be rewarding bad behavior. Who are they to judge fellow human beings? If it was up to me, everyone would be able to be burried the way that they desired. Let God judge them how He sees fit.
ReplyDeleteI think that their family should get a little symapthy. Beliefs and moral values, the sanity of oneself becomes a big issue in this story. What the people believe is more important. I think they aren't letting them have the funeral because of his lifestyle and his records. They are more worried about what people would think if they let a mobster's funeral service be held in the catholic church. My resolution would to be to let them have it. If thats where they want the service they should be able to have it no matter what happened in past life or your denomination.
ReplyDeleteThe Gotti family deserves every right to grieve over the loss of John. I think every person has a right to a proper burial even though if he wasn't the most liked or even a murderer. Even though a person is sentenced to death for killing a lot of people he still has the right to a proper burial, this is not any different. It is not the right of other people to judge.
ReplyDeletei think it be for both gotti and his famliy due to the lost of gotti and the son. yes he may have been convicted of murder but was never proven to have done it. the values are what give the right to not let some have burrial rights. by letting gotti be burried next to his son.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I would probably disagree with what John Gotti has done in his past life, death happens and should be dealt with respectively reguardless of what that person accomplished in his/her life. Hopefully forgiveness for John Gotti will be in his future therefore his funeral should celebrate the posotive and good things he did in his life.
ReplyDelete-Nadia
I believe the family should be allowed to have mass with the body. Granted Gotti didn't live the holiest lifestyle, his family shouldn't be deprived the right of praying over him one last time. For the church to keep the funeral mass for a criminal from happening, but not a "holy" citizens funeral mass from happening is passing judgement. God should be the only one to cast judgement, and the fact that the church passes judgement on people is very hypocritical.
ReplyDeleteI haven't really heard of Gotti, so I don't know what all he was involved in. However, a death is a death. Surely there is someone that mourns for him, whether or not they knew what he did. Ethical values are something that I really don't have. I'm not religious whatsoever, so I honestly don't see the the point in the fight with the church. However, the article stated he was responsible for at least five killings. I guess I could see why the church didn't what a funeral mass to attend. I wouldn't be able to resolve this. I'd probably just let the family have a mass, just because it's his family.
ReplyDeleteI think there should be some sympathy towards Gotti and his family. He was a human being, just like the rest of us, and deserves a proper burial. I believe that even though John Gotti killed many people, he still has the right to be buried however he wishes. Why does the government have any say in this situation? They should just stay out of it all together. How is it harming anybody?
ReplyDeleteI can see both sides of this story. It may be against their beliefs to have someone who has taken lives from others to have mass in their Church. The family can still bury him where they please, but they cannot force the church to let them have mass there if they don't think it is right. However, the family is going to still grieve, even if the man killed people. They still deserve sympathy. The family members might not all agree with how he murdered people, so they are not bad people necessarily. Everyone is still going to need grieving time, regardless of the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI feel that it is wrong and should be against the law to deny someone a burial spot. It shouldn't matter what the person has done. If they have done something wrong then God will judge them and punish them when they get to heaven. I think they should give him a burial spot and let his family have a memorial service for him.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that a murderer should get much sympathy, but I do think that he should be given his burial rites. I understand that the Catholic church's position, but I just think that not letting someone have their rites is wrong. He was already punished for his crimes by the courts, and I'm sure that he will get more punishment soon, so the church doesn't need to punish him or his family any more.
ReplyDeleteOF COURSE sympathy should be shown towards Gotti and his family. His lifestyle might not have been right with God but a sin is a sin in GOd's eyes. And the Catholic church doesn't have the right to say which sins are greater than the next. An alcoholic's deceased body wouldn't be denied a funeral Mass so why should a murder's. The Catholic church shouldn't be allowed to cast judgement upon the Gotti Family and deny them the right to bury their family member the traditional Catholic way. I would allow the family to have a proper burial.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Catholic Church has a right to deny the Gotti Family a service because the family was far from a traditional catholic family, and if they wanted to take part in the church after death they should have been living among the church the whole time. I think it would be very hyprocritical of the Catholic Church to allow the Gotti Family to have a mass there, and prove the stereotype of catholicism that it revolves around money. They could have their own funeral precession that didnt involve the church. but another aspect is, what about all the other mobsters that have gotten "support" from the catholic church in the past.
ReplyDeleteI think that denying a person to be buried is wrong. I dont think anyone should be denied the right to be burried because everyone has mistakes in their life. U shouldnt be judged by your lifestyle of whether u should be buried or not.
ReplyDeleteAndrew
I think it would be wrong to let a convicted killer have a proper burial because he gave up his right to normal everyday privilages when he killed several people. Well, I think that it is human nature to not feel sympathetic toward a criminal, but his family probally feels sympathetic toward him because they are family. I do not have sympathy for him at all. It would be steriotypical for the catholics to let them actually have the funeral. I would just bury the man with his family present, but not have this big thing for him. ~Lindsey~
ReplyDeleteI think that even though he was a killer, he should be granted an equal funeral session just as anyone else would. I just believe that a funeral session, no matter what church its performed at, should be permitted for anyone. Yes he was a killer, but he is still a human. I think the family has a right to be sympathetic, sure, but from an outsiders point of view it's just human nature to not be sympathetic towards a killer. I would resolve this problem by permitting the Gotti family to do what ever they want, burial wise, since it is their own family matter.
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth Garifo
I think that they should've let the family have the Catholic Mass service. He shouldn't be denied this, due to his life of crime, and his past actions. Since he is Catholic, he should get his funeral service. Lkie it says in the article, God is the only one that can make a judgement about a persons life, so why are they going to judge him and not give him his funeral service.
ReplyDeleteI feel sympathy towards the family. Why deny the rights of buriel to a criminal? They say that God judges the person not them, so since they are not God why not give a funeral Mass. I think they should grant him the funeral Mass. I would let him have it. Thats not my problem that he did those things, I'm not God so I won't judge(of course I think it's wrong to do those things)if you can have a funeral Mass or not just because of other factors like criminal life.
ReplyDeleteI believe in giving everyone a chance no matter who they are, what they've done, and where they have come from. That is why I think it was wrong for them to deny him a burial. He may not have been the most amazing and considerate person ever but he still was a human being an just like everyone else who dies, he deserved a proper funeral. Imagine if you were the mob bosses son, you may not have approved of his ways but you would still want whats best for him.
ReplyDeleteThe burial is more for the family. It is not fair to his family to not have a the mass. Although what Gotti did was horrible and wrong, his family shouldn't be held accountable for it. No mobsters should be denied a mass, because they're dead. Its not like the mobsters was the mass, the family does.
ReplyDeleteWho are we to judge? No matter what he did in life he deserves a proper burial like the rest of us. He was sentenced to life in which he would rot in prison anyway. But homeboy is dead. He suffered through cancer. Just like many of the innocent. Give him a burial every human with belief deserves and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteI think that this convicted murderer and his family should be showen some sympathy. Just because he killed people back then does not mean he would now. I think that he should be allowed to be buried anywhere his family wants him to be. He should not be denied basic rights because everyone has made mistakes and no one should judge him regardless of what he has done.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the family should be denied the proper burial right. While it's true that Gotti was a killer, if he was a self-proclaimed Catholic, then that means he deserves all of the rights Catholics deserve.
ReplyDeletePlus, they're saying this isn't a judgement on Gotti's lifestyle (because only God can do that), but this definitely seems that way to me. It's not the role of the church to decide whether or not people should be allowed Mass anymore than it's the role of the church to decide who will go to heaven or hell.
There should be sympathy for the Gotti family; Papa Gotti died, and that is sad regardless of his dirty deeds. The church, however, owns that plot of land in Queens, and can choose who is allowed to have hold a mass and burial. Since Gotti surely "disobeyed" god (thou shalt not kill) then the degree to which he was a practicing Catholic can be questioned. If they find that he shouldn't have a funeral mass, so be it. He will still be buried in a Catholic cemetery with his family, and anyone can come to grieve and visit. I would tell the mob family to forget about it.
ReplyDelete