When you die...

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Holland

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I have no idea where to put this post so I will put it here. My sister said that Catholics can’t be cremated and you have to be buried in a Catholic Cemetery. Is that true? I have no clue where to find information on this.
 
My husband died this past November and we had talked about burial vs. cremation. He was of the same thought as I am that death is final and he didn’t need to be “pickled” so I had him cremated and we went out on the ocean in a boat and buried him at sea with lots of flowers and leis. It was a memorable ocasion and his children (who are adults) were comfortable with my decisions and their memories. I have a personal aversion to open caskets, I want to remember my loved ones as they were, when they were happy, not stiff with lots of makeup etc. So with that in mind I am comfortable with my decision on the services for my husband and I hope that when I join the Lord I will be treated with as much respect and love.
 
So I looked at the threads mentioned and got a little info. I couldn’t find the “helpful summary” on cremation on the USCCB website. I am not sure how cremation could demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of body. That’s pretty confusing to me. Do you have to have the funeral Mass prior to cremation? And what about the ashes? Could someone just keep the ashes or do they have to be disposed of?
 
Holland said:
So I looked at the threads mentioned and got a little info. I couldn’t find the “helpful summary” on cremation on the USCCB website. I am not sure how cremation could demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of body. That’s pretty confusing to me. Do you have to have the funeral Mass prior to cremation? And what about the ashes? Could someone just keep the ashes or do they have to be disposed of?
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A funeral Mass is celebrated with the body present and cremation takes place after. The ashes are place in an urn intact. This urn is buried in a cemetery in a blessed grave, at sea or in a columbarium (sp?). They are NOT permitted to be scattered or kept by the family.
 
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