August 28, 2022, 12:00 PM
Cremation is the process of applying intense heat to reduce the body to bone fragments, which are then pulverized and placed within a temporary container awaiting burial.
Cremation was the custom in the ancient, civilized world. By the 5th Century, the Roman Empire largely ended cremation because of Christian influence. For many years the Church banned cremation because it was considered a rejection of the Christian belief in the resurrection of the body. The Church first allowed cremation in 1963 saying a person can be cremated so long as all the Funeral Rites are performed on the body. For the Mass, the family normally processes in with the cremains and places them on a table. The covering of the urn with a Pall is omitted.
One Rite, the Rite of Committal, is a series of prayers that serve as the final goodbye and act of respect and kindness toward the deceased. It is normally celebrated at the place of burial. The Catholic burial practice calls for the cremains to be buried in an urn within a consecrated grave or placed inside a mausoleum. Keeping ashes at home or scattering them on land or sea, even when civil law says it is legal, is prohibited due to the Church's deep reverence for the body. Catholics do not have the option of having ashes spread in favorite places or kept in one or more urns by family members.
The number of cremations is increasing for three main reasons. First, there is a growing shortage of burial spaces in some sections of the Nation. Second, in a mobile society where many people move often, it's much simpler to transport ashes than a casket to the place of burial. Third, cremation typically costs significantly less than a full-scale burial in a casket. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2301) says, "The Church permits cremation, provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.” Now you know!
Cremation was the custom in the ancient, civilized world. By the 5th Century, the Roman Empire largely ended cremation because of Christian influence. For many years the Church banned cremation because it was considered a rejection of the Christian belief in the resurrection of the body. The Church first allowed cremation in 1963 saying a person can be cremated so long as all the Funeral Rites are performed on the body. For the Mass, the family normally processes in with the cremains and places them on a table. The covering of the urn with a Pall is omitted.
One Rite, the Rite of Committal, is a series of prayers that serve as the final goodbye and act of respect and kindness toward the deceased. It is normally celebrated at the place of burial. The Catholic burial practice calls for the cremains to be buried in an urn within a consecrated grave or placed inside a mausoleum. Keeping ashes at home or scattering them on land or sea, even when civil law says it is legal, is prohibited due to the Church's deep reverence for the body. Catholics do not have the option of having ashes spread in favorite places or kept in one or more urns by family members.
The number of cremations is increasing for three main reasons. First, there is a growing shortage of burial spaces in some sections of the Nation. Second, in a mobile society where many people move often, it's much simpler to transport ashes than a casket to the place of burial. Third, cremation typically costs significantly less than a full-scale burial in a casket. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2301) says, "The Church permits cremation, provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.” Now you know!
