For the past 10 years there have been many articles on corporate America reducing the size of what you purchase while maintaining, or even increasing, the price. An oft used example has been the Snickers Candy Bar. Unfortunately I didn’t pay much attention to the same thing happening in the religious sector.

I love to visit cathedrals and many in Europe are beyond magnificent. Lighting a candle to the memory of a beloved was tradition in our family. On a visit to Spain 10 years ago I was shocked to find that candles had been replaced in the Cathedral by a flickering Christmas Tree Light where when you put in a coin the light would start flickering. Now – all I can find in the Cathedral are rows of Christmas tree lights and no candles available at any price.

In my opinion this in bad marketing – destroying century old traditions and replacing them with something cheaper that does not require the human element except to empty the coin box. I had lunch with a priest at the Vatican and explained my point of view only to get the explanation that the Church was suffering financially and economizing was a necessity.

I can’t deny it works because the fake candles are lit and the devoted put their coins in the box. It is sad however to see this happen not only to the Snickers Bar, the potato chip bags, and finally to the memory of my Mother. I cannot adequately memorialize her with a Christmas tree light.