La. Benedictine monks banned from selling homemade caskets sue state, allege casket cartel
By Alan Sayre, APThursday, August 12, 2010
La. Benedictine monks sue state over casket sales
NEW ORLEANS — An order of Benedictine monks in Louisiana wants to sell simple cypress caskets to help make ends meet, but the monks say the funeral industry is thwarting their efforts.
The monks of St. Joseph Abbey charged in lawsuit Thursday that the Louisiana Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors is trying to maintain a casket cartel through regulations dominated by the funeral industry.
The 36 monks of the 121-year-old abbey decided a few years ago to sell caskets with simple white cloth interiors to support the abbey, which does not receive funding from the Roman Catholic Church.
Acting on a complaint filed by a funeral home, the funeral board subpoenaed the order in March and threatened fines.
A board attorney said the board is simply enforcing the law.
