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Gerry_Hunter
Guest
I’ll be pleased to pray for your Bishop, but don’t panic.
The Church has indeed been wary of cremation for many years, but the reason had to do with its use amounting to the following of a pagan rite, or a denial of the resurrection of the body referenced in the Creed. She never condemned cremation per se, in and of itself.
There have been norms of cremation for a number of years now, and they were drawn up in recognition that the prospects for confusion had lessened, and were structured so that the confusion could not return. In these parts, for example, the body itself is to be present for the funeral mass, and the cremation to take place after. Also the remains are not to be scattered, or placed on the mantle piece in the living room, but to be interred or deposited in a fitting and reverent manner.
It’s a sad fact that a cemetery burial plot in many parts of North America is becoming a very expensive commodity, and in-earth burial of a body is beyond the means of many. The Church is not slackening in her teachings when she accommodates these and other considerations.
Blessings,
Gerry
The Church has indeed been wary of cremation for many years, but the reason had to do with its use amounting to the following of a pagan rite, or a denial of the resurrection of the body referenced in the Creed. She never condemned cremation per se, in and of itself.
There have been norms of cremation for a number of years now, and they were drawn up in recognition that the prospects for confusion had lessened, and were structured so that the confusion could not return. In these parts, for example, the body itself is to be present for the funeral mass, and the cremation to take place after. Also the remains are not to be scattered, or placed on the mantle piece in the living room, but to be interred or deposited in a fitting and reverent manner.
It’s a sad fact that a cemetery burial plot in many parts of North America is becoming a very expensive commodity, and in-earth burial of a body is beyond the means of many. The Church is not slackening in her teachings when she accommodates these and other considerations.
Blessings,
Gerry
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KathleenElsie
Guest
As land becomes more in demand for the use of the living cremation makes more sense. A family of 12 or more can be buried in the space it now takes for one. As long as the remains are treated with respect and placed in one crypt or grave it can also be a very valid and respectful service.
The only difference is that the funeral is in two parts. The body is taken for a full Catholic Funeral at church on day one. The body is then taken to be cremated.
Day two happens when the family and priest are notified of the delivery date of the remains and the priest then goes with the family to the cemetery and holds the graveside service.
The only difference is that the funeral is in two parts. The body is taken for a full Catholic Funeral at church on day one. The body is then taken to be cremated.
Day two happens when the family and priest are notified of the delivery date of the remains and the priest then goes with the family to the cemetery and holds the graveside service.
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
I think you mean that the only difference is that the two parts of the funeral are now separated by days rather than a drive to the cemetary.
The funeral was always in two parts. The part at the Church and then the gravesite service. The Church part would finish then everyone would drive to the cemetrary for the gravesite service. With cremation the Church service will end and the body will go to be cremated. After that is completed then the gravesite service will be done.
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puzzleannie
Guest
there is an ad on the back of Catholic Digest for June for a tasteful burial urn from the Vatican Library Collection “officially sanctioned” from Eternal Image co. It looks like an award or trophy to me. I though cremated remains had to be buried and could not be kept at home by the family, so what is the purpose of the urn? Am I missing something. The kids found an urn in the shape of Yankee Stadium and are thinking of getting it for DH for father’s day so we can keep it on reserve for that sad day. But I don’t know what I would do with it after he’s gone, I’m certainly no Yankees fan. If it is acceptable to have a repository for the cremains (what a grisly word) I am thinking of going into business selline ossuaries on E-bay, with your choice of 1st century inscriptions.
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KathleenElsie
Guest
You are right that is what I ment.
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KathleenElsie
Guest
The urn is placed in a crypt or ground vault. Just like the casket would be. I prefer remains to cremains.
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Nohome
Guest
Cremation does the same thing to remains as burial, it is just a lot quicker about it. A buried corpse slowly decomposes, releasing CO2 and leaving the mineral remains behind. It is the exact same chemical reaction as combustion, just slower.
The church was never really opposed to cremation so much as to what happened to the ashes. Some anti-Catholic sects would spread their ashes or toss them in the sea in defiance to the belief in a bodily resurection. Just bury the ashes as you would bury the body.
There is a company in Sweden that will freeze dry the remains of a loved one and grind it into granuals. The thought is to bury the body in a shallow grave (no casket) and plant a tree over it. The body provides nutrients to the tree as it grows. It sounds odd at first, but so did cremation.
Nohome
(Who would request a crimson maple)
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vern_humphrey
Guest
Our little church has lots of land – we were given 20 acres by a parishoner.
However, another parishoner – a retired undertaker – advised against establishing a cemetary because of the colvoluted bureaucracy and rules governing cemetaries and the associated cost. So we’re building a columbarium.
However, another parishoner – a retired undertaker – advised against establishing a cemetary because of the colvoluted bureaucracy and rules governing cemetaries and the associated cost. So we’re building a columbarium.
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Ani_Ibi
Guest
Brief detour: Happy Memorial Day everyone!
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KathleenElsie
Guest
Yes and they take a lot less maintenance so the young people won’t have to provide an expensive grounds keeper.
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vern_humphrey
Guest
I point out that funerals are really for the living, not the dead – and we ought not to place a burden on those we leave on this earth. Or, as Robert Service put it,
"At last I spoke, Bill liked his joke.
"But still, goldarn his eyes
"A man ought to consider his mates
“In the ways he goes and dies.”
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francesco920
Guest
I guess you guys are right, but when I first read the article it sounded kind of wrong to me. It is true that the Church still prefers burial to cremation, though, isn’t it? There must be some reason why that is.
Also the points about the amount of space left and the cost are also very good points. I just hope that this “wave of the future” doesn’t devolve into a New Age sort of thing. I suppose catechesis is the answer.
Nohome, I do not think that the Church would approve of what that Swedish company does. Still, it is kind of funny to think about bodies becoming fertilizer for trees. Hmm, what kind of tree would I like my body to become food for…
Well, anything but a pine tree would be fine I guess…a pine tree might get chopped down for Christmas and then all I’ll have is a stump to mark my grave
That is a very good point, and I guess this makes the cremation issue rather irrelevant.
Also the points about the amount of space left and the cost are also very good points. I just hope that this “wave of the future” doesn’t devolve into a New Age sort of thing. I suppose catechesis is the answer.
Nohome, I do not think that the Church would approve of what that Swedish company does. Still, it is kind of funny to think about bodies becoming fertilizer for trees. Hmm, what kind of tree would I like my body to become food for…
Well, anything but a pine tree would be fine I guess…a pine tree might get chopped down for Christmas and then all I’ll have is a stump to mark my grave
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vern_humphrey
Guest
Dates back to the French Revolution, when the revolutionary government rejected Christianity, and many people chose cremation as a direct rejection of the resurrection of the body.
Although why a cremated body couldn’t be resurrected any more than one that has completely mouldered away is beyond me.
Mark Twain (in Tom Sawyer, Aeronaut as I recall) has a long section about how “nutritious” Missouri River water is, with all the sediment in it, and cites the big trees in “Saint Louis graveyards” as proof.Nohome, I do not think that the Church would approve of what that Swedish company does. Still, it is kind of funny to think about bodies becoming fertilizer for trees. Hmm, what kind of tree would I like my body to become food for…
Well, anything but a pine tree would be fine I guess…a pine tree might get chopped down for Christmas and then all I’ll have is a stump to mark my grave
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Nohome
Guest
Our Parish is considering the incorporation of a columbarium into the walls of a new church. There isn’t a Catholic cemetary in the county and the feature would attract life-long membership.
The only problem is they are planning a $9 million church when they told the community it would cost only $6 million. People still have a year to pay off their pledges for the initial $3 million raised and all that was blown on a $4.1 million narthex! So there you have it, $1.1 million of debt plus an additional $9 million for the church. Add in the Archdiocese tax on funds raised and they need nearly $12 million. Needless to say, it will be a very long time before we see a columbarium!
Nohome
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Gerry_Hunter
Guest
When we read articles like this in the secular press, we always have to be aware of the intrinsic anti-Christian and anti-Catholic disposition of the North American media. If they can make it look like there’s some sort of a controversy, or shift in stance, or disagreement in the Church, they’ll jump on it like a dog on a bone, to sell more papers, etc.
The tone of the piece, as printed, was somewhat suspect, and tried to make it appear as if the move was predicated on responding to and appeasing popular opinion, rather than an act of pastoral concern.
Blessings,
Gerry
The tone of the piece, as printed, was somewhat suspect, and tried to make it appear as if the move was predicated on responding to and appeasing popular opinion, rather than an act of pastoral concern.
Blessings,
Gerry
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Nohome
Guest
Exactly! I think what God means by a “bodily resurection” remains to be seen.
Nohome
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vern_humphrey
Guest
Aren’t church-building and church expansion projects supposed to be submitted to the diocese and approved every step of the way, just to prevent things like this?
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Nohome
Guest
It has been my observation that the Archdiocese, while lead by pious men, has precious little understanding of even the most basic principles of finance. The Bishop wants a new church and the Parish council follishly believed that people would buy into the underfunded project once they saw the fruits of their labor. Instead, people are angry that we got a $4 million door way instead of a church.
The Archdiocese is much more concerned with liturgical considerations and they are in love with the tax they collect from fund raising. I suspect they don’t have the business sense to realize they moved too soon.
Nohome
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Biblioassistant
Guest
When I die, I know that my body will be resurrected so I really don’t care what happens to it in the meantime. I want prayers - lots of prayers. You can keep the fancy casket and expensive funeral, I won’t be around to enjoy it.
The Zoarastrians expose their dead in the tops of towers so that the vultures can eat them. They don’t bury them - that would pollute the earth. They don’t cremate them - that would pollute the fire and they don’t bury them at sea since that would pollute the water.
The Zoarastrians expose their dead in the tops of towers so that the vultures can eat them. They don’t bury them - that would pollute the earth. They don’t cremate them - that would pollute the fire and they don’t bury them at sea since that would pollute the water.
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