I have to plan my funeral for a school assignment??!?

Question

I think this is the dumbest assignment I've ever been given! I go to a Catholic school and, every once in a while, the parish pastor comes and gives classes an assignment. My class's assignment is to plan our own funeral! We have to choose who will be lectors, who will be our poll bearers, what songs will be sung, and we have to PREDICT WHAT DAY WE WILL DIE and WRITE OUR OWN EULOGY!! (You'd have to be extremely self-centered to write your own eulogy.) I really don't want to do this assignment. It's depressing! What do you think? If you were given this assignment, what would you do?

I'm not kidding or making this up. I swear. This assignment is due next week and I'm really uncomfortable with writing my own eulogy and stuff.

Yes, my school is in the US.
And Father (referring to the pastor here, not GOD) wants us to do this because he says that we should not be afraid of death because it's a great thing and also because he wants us to think about our goals in life. (There are so many ways to "think about your goals" other than planning a funeral!!)

Oh- and we CAN'T make it fun. I asked. It has to be 100% serious. Only church songs and blah blah. I wanted my funeral to be held outside- but NO- it can't be outside. It's against the "rules".

Answer 1

I know exactly how you feel, I go to a Catholic school and we're given ridiculous assignments alarmingly often. I actually had to write a paper on whether God was more like a nerf ball or a golf ball. Idiotic, I know, but just to make them mad I wrote an entire paper about my religion, Wicca, to see what they would do. They actually didn't do anything, they just sort of ignored it. If you're really uncomfortable with the assignment, perhaps you could ask one of your parents to speak with the parish pastor about how you feel uncomfortable doing this. If nothing works, just write the paper on how you want a viking funeral. It would probably at least amuse you while you're writing it ;]

Answer 2

You need to report what this pastor has asked you to do to the principal of your school. This is a totally inappropriate assignment and an inappropriate subject for you and your classmates. I'm surprised that other parents in your parish haven't already been complaining. I am also sure that your parents will complain about it when they find out about it, which they will. That this priest has this much power over what happens at the parish school surprises me- our parish has a school too, but our priest does not have anywhere near this much say in how it is run.

If you don't want to do this, then don't, but make sure your mom and dad know what you are up to first. They can protect you in case your teacher decides to give you a bad grade, or something else happens, like you are sent to the principal's office. I don't blame you for being depressed by this. Kids your age don't need to be thinking about such a subject yet- there will be plenty of time for that later on, when you are grown up. Planning a funeral does NOT help one set goals for life- in fact, it just causes most people a lot of grief. That's another reason I am concerned for you- it sounds as though this priest has some serious mental issues he needs help with. He may be the one who really needs to get some help, not you.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Answer 3

that seems like a kind of fun assignment. A little creepy though. I attended a funeral recently and inbetween singing movements of the requim i was actually thinking about my funeral and what that was going to be like and the kind of reactions people would have etc. I personally would want Mozart's Requim sung at my funeral... But really the whole predicting the day of my death and writing my own eulogy... ya thats going a bit too far I think...

best of luck on your assignment:)

Answer 4

Where do you go to school? Like in the US or what?
I wouldn't do it. I can't believe a Catholic School would do such a thing(well, maybe I can). That's really creepy and strange. Talk to your parents about it, ask them what they think. If you were my kid I would be 100% supportive of you taking the zero. Funerals and death are painful. Why not have you guys write a paper about whats most important to you? Whats wrong with schools these days. I went to Catholic School, and never had an assignment like that. Thats just crazy!!

Answer 5

I would take this assignment, exactly as the professor wrote it, and go speak to the head of the department. Tell her that you want to be anonymous until an arrangement has been reached. Request an alternative assignment. Or request that the the papers are graded with only the students identification number on them and the grades are then turned into the department head, who will match the student identification numbers to the student in the grade book. Inform the department that you question the GOALS of this assignment and consider it an unnecessary invasion of your privacy. Remember to to remain calm, be courteous and organized. When you request the meeting ask immediately that it be done on the condition of anonymity. This will show the department head how much your privacy means to you.

Answer 6

I've had an assignment like that for a creative writing class it was really weird! I thought it was just plain creepy. You having to write how you die and your own eulogy is crossing the line kinda.

Answer 7

I've actually gotten an assignment like that. We had to make a tombstone, and write an epigraph of how we died. It was actually fun for me though. Just knowing if you were ever to ie, your parents could look back in your schoolwork and go "Well, now we know exactly what they want their funeral to be, so we can't mess up."

Answer 8

Actually I think it's an interesting assignment. You get to plan about what you want to achieve in life, who you want to be - and remembered for that.

If this is a real assignment, make the most of it.

I remember a famous actor saying he was obsessed with his death notices that they have in the newspaper. For example he wouldn't want to have "Always remembered for the nude scene he did in __" but something like, "Had the passion to act and direct movies, and did it well".

Answer 9

Well I'd work on how your life is now. Look deep and see what you think of yourself and write it down. Combine it all into what you miss. When my friend died I had to make a eulogy. I had to think of what she really meant. I remember it still. Something you'll never forget. On the plus side work on the flowers.

Answer 10

If I where your parent, I would not allow you to such a ridiculous assignment. I can't believe someone would expect a child to plan something so depressing! If I where you I would definitely refuse to do it, but I'm sure that's not an option. Talk to your parents, and let them know how this makes you feel, maybe there is something they might want to do about it.