1
123Strontium
Guest
I thought they weren’t allowed to be cremated because of the resurrection of the dead, so how was this change allowed/ reasoned?
- Status
S
Sirach2
Guest
Yes, this is now allowed. The main stipulation is that the cremains be buried and not held on one’s mantle, for instance, in a receptacle. After cremation, there can be a memorial funeral mass for the decedent.
The costs incurred for cremation far outweigh that of burial in a casket. Opening the grave to admit a large casket costs at least seven time as much. The cost to dig a hole for a box approx. 1 ft. x 1 ft. is minimal in comparison. You may still place a stone of your choosing on the gravesite. Funerals today, with viewing and all the accessories, are increasingly beyond the price many can afford.
The costs incurred for cremation far outweigh that of burial in a casket. Opening the grave to admit a large casket costs at least seven time as much. The cost to dig a hole for a box approx. 1 ft. x 1 ft. is minimal in comparison. You may still place a stone of your choosing on the gravesite. Funerals today, with viewing and all the accessories, are increasingly beyond the price many can afford.
J
Joe_5859
Guest
From Canon Law:
Can. 1176 §3. The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the deceased be observed; nevertheless, the Church does not prohibit cremation unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine.
The reason cremation was initially prohibited was because people chose it as a means of denying the resurrection of the body (basically telling God to “try to resurrect this”).
I would wager that almost no one who chooses cremation nowadays does so for that reason.
People die in all sorts of ways that render the body less than whole. In time, we all wind up as dust. None of this makes it impossible for God to resurrect our bodies at the end of time.
Can. 1176 §3. The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the deceased be observed; nevertheless, the Church does not prohibit cremation unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine.
The reason cremation was initially prohibited was because people chose it as a means of denying the resurrection of the body (basically telling God to “try to resurrect this”).
I would wager that almost no one who chooses cremation nowadays does so for that reason.
People die in all sorts of ways that render the body less than whole. In time, we all wind up as dust. None of this makes it impossible for God to resurrect our bodies at the end of time.
A
aidanbradypop
Guest
Yeppers. They cannot be scattered, mixed with others, divided up among family members…etc. The remains must remain as if they were a body in a casket for burial. You cannot put grandma above the fireplace or Uncle Earl in his favorite fishing pond. 
They must be buried or put in a vault.
They must be buried or put in a vault.
J
Jeanne_S
Guest
This thread brought up some questions and concerns I have re my brother in law’s remains.
He was a devout Catholic,as was my sister,or so I thought.At his death,she capitulated to the desires of her adult children on that my bil was not given a proper Catholic service/burial.Add to that he was creamated(perhis wishes) yet his ashes were scattered at various locations.So this is my concern,does this jeopardize his eternal soul,or is the onus on my sister and family?
He was a devout Catholic,as was my sister,or so I thought.At his death,she capitulated to the desires of her adult children on that my bil was not given a proper Catholic service/burial.Add to that he was creamated(perhis wishes) yet his ashes were scattered at various locations.So this is my concern,does this jeopardize his eternal soul,or is the onus on my sister and family?
A
aidanbradypop
Guest
He cannot be held accountable for what is down with his ashes once he has died. Does your sister and family know of the correct Church teaching on this?
L
LaSainte
Guest
I have my dad’s ashes in our house. My mom gave them to me and to be honest I have no idea what to do with them. We can’t afford to have them buried right now, and even if we could, I am moving away and nobody else lives in my town, so they would just sit there alone. On top of that, my brother wants them to keep if I don’t. Not sure what to do or how serious this is.
I’ve heard I can bury them in the yard and take them with me when I go, but it seems a lot more disrespectful to bury them where I buried my cat than to keep them safe in our home.
Can I put them in an armoire with some holy items like a blessed rosary and some holy water, a blessed picture of the Sacred Heart, etc? That doesn’t seem much different from a columbarium to me.
I’ve heard I can bury them in the yard and take them with me when I go, but it seems a lot more disrespectful to bury them where I buried my cat than to keep them safe in our home.
Can I put them in an armoire with some holy items like a blessed rosary and some holy water, a blessed picture of the Sacred Heart, etc? That doesn’t seem much different from a columbarium to me.
A
aidanbradypop
Guest
I am sure your father would like the respect of a proper burial. I understand how you feel about moving away. Consult your parish priest for some answers.
D
DexUK
Guest
While scattering is not acceptable to the Catholic Church (because of the dignity we should give to the body that once was the temple of the soul) the fact that it is done ‘against the rules’ won’t affect the resurrection of the body at the end of time.
If it did, then how would we consider the remains of those people who die in house fires or on 9/11…?
God is not limited by the condition of the physical remains (many of which have completely returned to the earth anyway). We should just respect the physical remnant of the person as a sign of thanks for what God imbued it with. The best respect is to find an appropriate final resting place in either a cemetery or appropriately consecrated garden of rest, or a Catholic columbarium.
If it did, then how would we consider the remains of those people who die in house fires or on 9/11…?
God is not limited by the condition of the physical remains (many of which have completely returned to the earth anyway). We should just respect the physical remnant of the person as a sign of thanks for what God imbued it with. The best respect is to find an appropriate final resting place in either a cemetery or appropriately consecrated garden of rest, or a Catholic columbarium.
J
Jeanne_S
Guest
I would think my sister would.It is troubling because they didn’t have any kind of funeral service for him.Nothing!
A
AllyC1991
Guest
I heard that we must still have the ashes at the funerals. We can’t go and sprinkle them on the person’s favorite places. (my aunt wants to be sprinkled on the shopping malls oye) But the ashes must also be buried. Personally I think its just gross.
J
Joe_5859
Guest
I think this is one of those issues where even a good number of relatively knowledgable Catholics are under-catechized.
The “romantic” notion of having one’s ashes scattering at personally meaningful locations is so pervasive in our culture that it is difficult for many to see the problem this poses in light of our Catholic faith.
V
VivienneJ
Guest
I don’t know about where you are, but where I come from there are public health regulations that prohibit sprinkling or scattering of ashes just anywhere and you can be prosecuted for scattering ashes in a public place like a shopping mall, public park, beach, etc.
B
Bezant
Guest
I don’t know why the Church permits it today, although I strongly suspect high funerary costs have something to do with it. In my great-grandparents generation, the community gathered within a day or two to bury the dead in a plain box. Today, most families delay the funeral so that scattered friends and relatives can attend, and that often requires embalming the body in addition to other costs (transportation, flowers, headstone, grave, donations to the parish, meal after the service, etc). Cremation isn’t cheap either, but it’s not as expensive as a burial.
Nevertheless, I would describe the Church’s attitude toward cremation as “Mehhh.” Burial is the peferred option.
S
Sirach2
Guest
That is not true. I had a memorial mass for a deceased family member and it was not reqjuired that the cremains be present at the funeral liturgy. This is the customary way of handling it.
OTOH, you may have a funeral mass with the casket present, and then have the decedent cremated after the liturgy, but this truly increases the cost. It is an option, however.
T
Timothysis
Guest
Embalming is required by law. I would hate to think of the nightmare of opening a mausoleum to entomb a body and be hit with the stench of un-embalmed corpses.
When looking at caskets for my dad’s funeral, there was a very nice plain, pine box for $600. Both my sister and I said “that’s the one for me!” Funerals and associated costs can be kept low if necessary.
B
Bezant
Guest
Why embalm a body if you intend to cremate it? I don’t know about your local laws (or mine for that matter), but I imagine it depends case by case. As another example, observant Jews are forbidden to embalm or cremate their dead; I don’t think observant Muslims do, either.
S
Sirach2
Guest
If the body is to be placed in a casket for viewing or for a funeral mass, it has to be enbalmed. Cremation laws do not require enbalming prior to cremation unless the body is to have a brief viewing before cremation. I had my family member enbalmed for a one-hour viewing and prayer service in a rented casket at the funeral home prior to cremation. Afterwards, I had the memorial mass celebrated.
S
Seeker1961
Guest
I’m going to have to deal with this when my Mom passes. She is INSISTANT that I take her ashes to her favorite vacation spot. I had to push her pretty hard to have a Catholic funeral for my Dad. He also chose cremation, but his ashes have been interred at the veterans cemetery.
I don’t know how I’m going to deal when that time comes.
J
Jeanne_S
Guest
Do what you know is right for your Mom unless you will be dealing with resistance from other family members,I think in this case not carrying out your mother’s wishes,would be the correct option,
- Status