The Legal Woes of the Casket-Making Monks

It turns out, the state of Louisiana is in bed with funeral directors.

They’ve got a law on the books that allows ONLY funeral directors to sell “funeral merchandise.”

So unless you’re a state-licensed funeral director, you’re SOL.

The monks of St. Joseph Abbey didn’t know this when they started making simple wood caskets to help fund their monastery.

But they were quickly enlightened.

In fact, before they could sell a single casket, the state of Louisiana was kind enough to send them cease-and-desist letters that threatened thousands of dollars in fines and potential criminal prosecution.

Of course, the state claims the law exists to protect the people — as if making a casket the wrong way is somehow going to create health problems or something.

Whatever.

It’s obvious the law exists to give state-licensed funeral directors a monopoly in the casket and “funeral merchandise” business.

This stuff goes on all the time at both the state and federal level.

You pay to play.

Pay the state the licensing fee, you get to be part of the state-endorsed monopoly.

Don’t pay the fee — and you’ll be screwed six ways ’til Sunday — even if you’re a celibate monk.

Thank God the monks are fighting back and taking their case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Sounds like Louisiana could use a good smack-down from the casket-making monks.

-Ryan M. Healy

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