[Cronos]

Ok, now I get what you were saying. But what would the alternative be, in your opinion? I take it that it comforted your brother

As to not being respectful to sincere Catholics -- I would to some extent agree, but state that unless the deceased really went against Church teaching (like Kennedy, T), I, personally, would not be offended.

[Rashputin]

The best thing those who lose a loved one can do is to avoid hurting others who survive the loved one by waking up all those sleeping dogs they tiptoed around for years.

[wintertime]

But what would the alternative be, in your opinion?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I tried to persuade my brother to have a very quiet Mass with just him, my other brother, me, and our spouses with a quiet interment at the cemetery, and then invite the extended family for a luncheon and a reunion.

I know that the Mass would have been very comforting for my Catholic brother and he seemed to need this ceremony, but I did not think it was appropriate or respectful to subject the believing and practicing Catholics among the extended family and friends to a religious spectacle celebrating the life of an **avowed** , unrepentant, and open atheist, and an unrepentant and openly non-practicing Catholic.

Honestly,...I don't think this is what my parents would have wanted. Given that extended family and friends knew my parents standing with the Catholic Church, I believe they attended only to be polite to my brother.