Though the Pope and the Church approve of cremation, scattering of one's ashes is strictly prohibited. In the eyes of the Church, this is a type of desecration and is looked upon as a sign of disrespect to the deceased.
Neither should we keep the cremated ashes at home or scatter them. The new document also says that we bury bodies and so should also bury cremated remains (which are actually a body turned to dust) in imitation of Christ himself who died and was buried in a tomb.
Cremation (using fire and heat) is the process by which the body of the deceased is reduced to its basic elements. Cremation is permitted for Catholics as long as it is not chosen in denial of Christian teaching on the Resurrection and the sacredness of the human body.
In the Bible, there are no passages that prohibit or encourage cremation and scattering of ashes. However, many Christian sects believe a burial funeral aligns with best end-of-life practices. As a result, some Christian clerics may discourage cremation or prohibit it entirely.
While the Catholic Church continues to prefer burial in the ground, it accepts cremation as an option, but forbids the scattering of ashes and the growing practice of keeping cremated remains at home, said Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics, yet receiving ashes is a universal practice among Christians to begin their Lenten journeys. Most Catholic parishes offer Ash Wednesday Mass, and in some places, it is possible to receive ashes without attending Mass.
Your loved one's ashes don't have to stay together either. Families can choose to split the ashes of the deceased among the wider family, where the individual families can choose what they want to do with them.
Nor can the ashes be scattered in the air, land or sea since doing so would give the appearance of "pantheism, naturalism or nihilism," the guidelines said. It repeated church teaching that Catholics who choose to be cremated for reasons contrary to the Christian faith must be denied a Christian funeral.
There are no set implications of keeping ashes in the house. By keeping ashes in the house, you will be allowing the psychic connection between the deceased loved one and the remaining family members to continue, which often helps grieving families come to terms with their loss.
Although the Catholic Church prefers in-ground burial or entombment of a deceased person's body, cremation of the body prior to burial is allowed within the confines of the religion.
As we scatter his (her) ashes, we commit his(her) body to you and pray that he finds eternal rest for the glory of your holy name. Lord, forgive us where we have strayed during this grieving season. Fill us with thanksgiving for his well-lived and full life. In Jesus' name, we believe and pray, Amen.
May Catholics who have been divorced and remarried outside the Church or who have committed suicide be buried with a Catholic ceremony? Yes. Such circumstances of themselves do not exclude the possibility of a Catholic funeral (Canon 1184).
Cremains contain what is known as rest energy, sometimes referred to as free or dormant energy. This type of energy is still subject to the restraints of natural law, and can have no physical or spiritual impact on those around it.
"This rite may be celebrated by a priest or deacon who may be assisted by lay ministers in the distribution of the ashes. The blessing of the ashes, however, is reserved to a priest or deacon."
How long after death should a Catholic be buried? The funeral and burial take place between 2 and 7 days after someone has died — typically around three days after. The ceremonies are usually not held on a Sunday, as this day is reserved for the traditional Sunday church service.
The Vatican decreed that the ashes of loved ones have no place in the home, and certainly not in jewelry. It urged that cremated remains be preserved in cemeteries or other approved sacred places.
The law considers ashes to be the same as a body, so is unwilling to rule for separating them amongst different parties.
On Ash Wednesday many people, including numerous irregularly practicing Catholics, request the imposition of ashes. There is no good reason to refuse anyone, and indeed this gesture might light a spark of repentance.
Cremation occurs at such a hot temperature all micro-organisms are destroyed, and the remaining ashes are inert. After cremation there are no public health risks associated with handling ashes.
It is often possible to inter the ashes in an existing grave or family plot in a cemetery or churchyard although scattering is often not possible. This may be a way of bringing together family remains when there is no space remaining in an old cemetery or a churchyard that is closed for new burials.
Alongside serving the poor, burying or interring of the dead is a very important aspect of our Catholic faith. remembering and honoring them called a funeral which prepares the person who has died to enter into new and everlasting life with Jesus and helps the family mourn their loss.
No, people's remains cannot get mixed up with other people's remains in a cremation chamber. Although some people have been under the impression that two people's cremated remains can get mixed up during the Longboat Key, FL cremation process, this is never going to happen.
The average amount of ash left over after the cremation of an adult is about 3 to 3.5 liters or 183 to 213 cubic inches. For a child this will be 0.8 to 2 liters or 54 to 122 cubic inches and for a (premature) baby 0.3 to 0.7 liters or 18 to 43 cubic inches. Your crematorium will always know the exact volume.
Most crematoria will retain cremation ashes for a month, giving you time to make a decision.