C
Carmel1
Guest
At one time unbaptised persons we’re allwed to be buried in consecrated ground… is that still the practice today? or was it changed?
Thanx
Thanx
- Status
T
Trishie
Guest
Welcome to CAF, Carmel 
I’ll see what else I can find, but for the moment I found this
Since it is an honor granted by the Church, it follows that the Church may determine who is worthy of it. The general practice of the Church is to interpret certain prohibitions of Christian burial as mildly as possible*****. Doubtful cases are referred to a bishop. If the burial is to take place in a cemetery that has not been consecrated, the grave must be individually blessed before a Catholic person is interred.
from Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary
Just a question from me, Carmel…As consecration is a religious blessing and dedication, why would a non Christian wish to be buried in consecrated ground. Agnostics or athiests, or nonChristian people would have no desire to be buried in consecrated ground, would they, do you think?
Do you have a specific instance in mind?
*this would indicate that the Church does allow exceptions
I’ll see what else I can find, but for the moment I found this
Since it is an honor granted by the Church, it follows that the Church may determine who is worthy of it. The general practice of the Church is to interpret certain prohibitions of Christian burial as mildly as possible*****. Doubtful cases are referred to a bishop. If the burial is to take place in a cemetery that has not been consecrated, the grave must be individually blessed before a Catholic person is interred.
from Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary
Just a question from me, Carmel…As consecration is a religious blessing and dedication, why would a non Christian wish to be buried in consecrated ground. Agnostics or athiests, or nonChristian people would have no desire to be buried in consecrated ground, would they, do you think?
Do you have a specific instance in mind?
*this would indicate that the Church does allow exceptions
C
Carmel1
Guest
Yes…
Im referring to a child who might of died before receiving baptism… I have an uncle who was borndead and was buried outside the cemetery… this happened more than 50 yrs ago… does that help?
I see by my original post my typing and thoughts did not match.
ok… at one time unbaptised persons were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground, does this still hold today? sorry for any confusion
Im referring to a child who might of died before receiving baptism… I have an uncle who was borndead and was buried outside the cemetery… this happened more than 50 yrs ago… does that help?
I see by my original post my typing and thoughts did not match.
ok… at one time unbaptised persons were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground, does this still hold today? sorry for any confusion
T
Trishie
Guest
Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, announced in 1984 that Limbo has never been Church dogma: “**Limbo has never been a defined truth of faith. Personally, speaking as a theologian and not as head of the Congregation, I would drop something that has always been only a theological hypothesis”. **
On April 22, 2007, the International Theological Commission released a document, originally commissioned by Pope John Paul II, entitled “The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die without Being Baptized.”[21]
The document, authorised by Pope Benedic XVI, states:
Our conclusion is that the many factors that we have considered above give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision. We emphasize that these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge. There is much that simply has not been revealed to us.[22] We live by faith and hope in the God of mercy and love who has been revealed to us in Christ, and the Spirit moves us to pray in constant thankfulness and joy.[23]
What has been revealed to us is that the ordinary way of salvation is by the sacrament of baptism. None of the above considerations should be taken as qualifying the necessity of baptism or justifying delay in administering the sacrament. Rather, as we want to reaffirm in conclusion, they provide strong grounds for hope that God will save infants when we have not been able to do for them what we would have wished to do, namely, to baptize them into the faith and life of the Church.
From this it can be inferred that unbaptised infants can be buried in consecrated gound.
On April 22, 2007, the International Theological Commission released a document, originally commissioned by Pope John Paul II, entitled “The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die without Being Baptized.”[21]
The document, authorised by Pope Benedic XVI, states:
Our conclusion is that the many factors that we have considered above give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision. We emphasize that these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge. There is much that simply has not been revealed to us.[22] We live by faith and hope in the God of mercy and love who has been revealed to us in Christ, and the Spirit moves us to pray in constant thankfulness and joy.[23]
What has been revealed to us is that the ordinary way of salvation is by the sacrament of baptism. None of the above considerations should be taken as qualifying the necessity of baptism or justifying delay in administering the sacrament. Rather, as we want to reaffirm in conclusion, they provide strong grounds for hope that God will save infants when we have not been able to do for them what we would have wished to do, namely, to baptize them into the faith and life of the Church.
From this it can be inferred that unbaptised infants can be buried in consecrated gound.
- Status