Accommodating all religions is a "question of survival"

“On a busy weekend at our office on Sherbrooke Street, we can simultaneously find seven different communities, all with their own rituals,” said Claude Fournier, president of Magnus Poirier, a funeral company that has been in business in Montreal for 85 years.

Roman Catholics rubbing elbows with Muslim, Vietnamese, or Chinese people is a sure bet. Funeral homes must know the different cultures’ rituals and customs in order to accommodate everyone.

According to Poirier, the industry adapts itself to different situations and demands every day.

“I’ve been working here for 47 years. Respecting different religions is nothing more than a question of survival for the industry,” Fournier added.

Yvan Rodrigue, president of Urgel Bourgie, pointed out that the church does not play as much of a role as it used to among Quebecers, which has lead to change in funeral homes.

“Today, it’s up to us to organize ceremonies that are meaningful and personal. It’s our job to accommodate people’s different rituals. Before, it was the church that took care of everything. But now, people organize ‘5 à7’s’ and give video presentations. All kinds of different tributes are possible,” said Rodrigue.

But Diane Laflamme, who has a certificate in death studies from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), said what funeral homes are doing is not ‘reasonable accommodation.’

“They’re offering services, and it’s normal for a business to expand their horizons to respond to different needs. They have to constantly adapt to demand, but I wouldn’t call it ‘reasonable accommodation.’ In this case, there is no general formula about how to proceed. We’re at the level of mourning and rituals, but not at the level of rights.”

According to the corporation’s director, Nathalie Samson, the observatory will support university research and the collection of statistics. It will also show the trends of the industry, she said.

“We’re going to work with different universities, like UQAM. As for our members, we ask them to stay informed. That’s why we give training on different religions and funeral rituals. This permits thanatologists to feel comfortable with every client that knocks on their door. We’ve been accommodating everyone for a long time, and it’s become second nature for our members. But, you have to keep up to date in order to allow people to mourn how they want to.”

(Translated by Elyse Amend)

(Photo: Courtesy)