organized opposition toward cremation - is it licit?

[Chris_McAvoy]

Is it licit or possible for any catholic organization, official or unofficial, to oppose cremation and support the near absolute ban of it, while being obient to current canon law that it is an allowable practice?

Saying, this is how we would like it, this is what we think should be the law, but we accept that it is not currently so?

Having a watered down version, more humble version of what one sees here:
sspx.org/catholic_faqs/catholic_faqs__morality.htm#cremation

while giving greater deference to official position and official authority…(but maintaining that Holy tradition is perhaps equal)

 

[SMHW]

Is it licit or possible for any catholic organization, official or unofficial, to oppose cremation and support the near absolute ban of it, while being obient to current canon law that it is an allowable practice?

Saying, this is how we would like it, this is what we think should be the law, but we accept that it is not currently so?

Having a watered down version, more humble version of what one sees here:
sspx.org/catholic_faqs/catholic_faqs__morality.htm#cremation

while giving greater deference to official position and official authority…(but maintaining that Holy tradition is perhaps equal)

I think it depends on what you mean by oppose.

It’s one thing to say that cremation is a bad idea. It’s another to say that it’s immoral under most circumstances.

 

[Maureen1125]

I think cremation would be wrong or immoral if the deceased has specifically told you that they DO NOT want to be cremated and you did it anyway because it was cheaper or what you would prefer.

I think**…and this is an extreme example **- that it would be wrong/immoral if you are insisting on a creamation in order to cover-up a “real” cause of death. Once cremated there would be no exhuming the body if someone brings up questions later.

 

[po18guy]

Well, the SSPX illicitly oppose the Church on many things, so it’s no surprise that they’ve tossed cremation into the mix.

Point: If it is allowable, not against the wishes of the dying, and God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones, what’s the beef?

 

[The_Old_Medic]

Keep in mind that the church does NOT allow you to scatter the cremains at sea, or in a garden, or over a mountain range, etc. There are VERY specific rules about using cremation, and what is done with the cremains. They MUST be kept together (not divided or scattered anywhere), and they must be treated with the same degree of dignity as a body would be.

Since the law will NOT allow anyone to bury me under my rose garden (where my body would be of some use), I will likely choose to be cremated, and have my cremains kept at a Veterans Cemetery. Why put my family (or anyone else) to the expense of a burial? Cremation is so much cheaper, cleaner and less of a bother.

 

[DORIS_HARTSOCK]

I AM A CRADLED CATHOLIC 79 YRS. OLD.I NEVER WANTED TO BE CREMATED BUT MY PARISH HOLY APOSTLES(MERIDIAN , BOISE IDAHO DIOCESE) HAS A PLACE ON CHURCH PROPERTY CALLED COLUMBARIUM CEMETRY WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE CREMATED CAN BE INURNMENTED.I SIGNED UP FOR IT BUT SINCE THEN I READ SOMEWHERE THAT A PERSON SHOULD HAVE A FUNERAL MASS BEFORE BEING CREMATED I’M NEW TO CATHOLIC ANSWERS SO I’LL HAVE TO ASK IF THAT IS TRUE.IT COULD BE SINCE I’LL BE ON CHURCH GROUNDS IT WON’ T MATTER . GOD BLESS ALL.

 

[po18guy]

I AM A CRADLED CATHOLIC 79 YRS. OLD.I NEVER WANTED TO BE CREMATED BUT MY PARISH HOLY APOSTLES(MERIDIAN , BOISE IDAHO DIOCESE) HAS A PLACE ON CHURCH PROPERTY CALLED COLUMBARIUM CEMETRY WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE CREMATED CAN BE INURNMENTED.I SIGNED UP FOR IT BUT SINCE THEN I READ SOMEWHERE THAT A PERSON SHOULD HAVE A FUNERAL MASS BEFORE BEING CREMATED I’M NEW TO CATHOLIC ANSWERS SO I’LL HAVE TO ASK IF THAT IS TRUE.IT COULD BE SINCE I’LL BE ON CHURCH GROUNDS IT WON’ T MATTER . GOD BLESS ALL.

May God bless you too, Doris, and welcome to the forums!

 

[laszlo]

sspx.org/catholic_faqs/catholic_faqs__morality.htm#cremation

What should be our attitude, as faithful Catholics, to this change of legislation? The liberalization of the law forbidding cremation is without a doubt a concession to the ever increasing influence of Freemasons and those who refuse the belief in the resurrection of the body. We have now, more than ever before, the obligation of professing our Faith in this important article of the Creed, for it is precisely by opposition to the doctrine of the resurrection of the body that this custom has become commonplace.

The above sentence, a claim to having obligation to oppose the decision of the Church is against the Unity of the Church, against the Catholic faith.

The resurrection of the body certainly will not made by using the atoms of the body (which are changing during the lifetime any way) but the molecular structures coordinated by the genes, Related to this the cremation does not makes any change.

 

[kentuckyliz]

The church accepts cremation, as long as it’s not being done as a statement against faith in the resurrection of the body.

God created the whole Creation out of nothing. He can find my ash and knit me anew. God is big and strong.

The church also prefers funerals to be done with the intact body present before cremation, but permits funerals with the presence of cremains. That’s what we did for my father.