This is a form of denial of death, and a flippant disregard for its consequences.
This denial represents a clear departure from traditional Catholic views on death. We are, without a doubt, one of the most delightfully morbid religions in the world. Our liturgy reminds us of its approach every day; we are told to always be in a state of grace, that we never know when it might strike.
Our altars are built over the bones of the martyrs, we kiss and caress the bones of the sanctified dead, and the most omnipresent symbol of our Faith is a man being brutally tortured and murdered.
Death for Catholics
Our God Himself deigned to die. The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of that murdered God-Man. And there lies the heart of it. That consecrated Body is alive, and that Blood flows freely.
Death for Catholics is just a transient stage of life, the fulfilment of one chapter and the commencement of a far greater one. The presence of death in our lives is a reminder of what comes after it: Judgement, then an eternity of delight in God or a tormented separation.
Atheists enjoy claiming that the religion is built on fear of death, that is simply a safety blanket for those who are afraid of the dark.
I have never met a truly devout Catholic who is afraid of death. It is hard to fear something when you hope and pray that it will grant you an eternity with your Beloved.
And even in the midst of the grief caused by death, we have rituals to give us comfort, and duties of prayer to uphold towards the deceased. And they remain in the Church forever, our brothers and sisters Triumphant and Suffering; they continue to watch over us and pray for us.
Death for the non-religious
But the non-religious experience a profound discomfort and disorientation around death. They profess that the person they loved who lies dead has no destiny beyond feeding the worms of the grave, or being scattered by the four winds. That is a hard reality for anyone to comprehend about a child, or a parent, or a wife. You can celebrate a life, but what are mere memories compared to a shared and abiding love?
REGINA | 61