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.
The Church no longer opposes cremation, but it does offer guidelines on how the ashes should be cared for following cremation. To preserve the sanctity of the body, the Church says ashes cannot be scattered or divided among family members.
The newest guidelines from the Vatican state that Catholic people can be cremated, but their ashes should not be scattered at sea, and the urn should not be kept in the home. The guidelines state that the cremains should be kept in a sacred place like a church cemetery.
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.
Catholics are forbidden from keeping the ashes of cremated loved ones at home, scattering them, dividing them between family members or turning them into mementoes, the Vatican has ruled.
In fact, cremation ashes contain very high levels of sodium, from 200-2000 times higher than plants can tolerate. This potentially causes detrimental effects on the environment. The pH imbalance of human ash is a major problem for the earth's soil and plants.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59.
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.
On this special day of reflection, Catholics wear a marking of the cross in ash on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize our mortality – “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” But you might be wondering, where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?
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.
The Catholic church permits cremation, but cremated remains must be treated with the same respect as corporal remains. They must be buried or inurned in a sacred place, such as a columbarium, burial plot or mausoleum ideally within a Catholic cemetery.
If you are looking to promote a healthy grieving process, keeping the urn 'hidden away' within the attic or basement may not be ideal. The attic relates to the future and the basement, to the past. However, if the attic is finished and being used, that could be the exception.
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.
"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."
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.
A. The U.S. Bishop's Committee on the Liturgy has determined that urns must be simple and unadorned. Ostentatious urns, statuary, and space capsules are examples of “designer” containers now being offered that are unacceptable in Catholic funeral practices.
A. You would indeed be able to have a funeral Mass. A Catholic who is divorced and remarried without an annulment is not excommunicated and is surely still a member of the church.
It is typical to receive ashes on your forehead in the Sign of the Cross. Similar to taking communion at Mass, you usually process toward the altar to get ashes. The priest will make the Sign of the Cross and say one of two things: “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.”
Description: During the Mass on Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed and distributed after the homily. The blessing and distribution of ashes may also take place outside Mass. In this case, the rite is preceded by a Liturgy of the Word, with the Entrance Antiphon, the Collect, and the readings with their chants as at Mass.
Also, on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent, adult Catholics over the age of 14 abstain from eating meat. During these days, it is not acceptable to eat lamb, chicken, beef, pork, ham, deer and most other meats. However, eggs, milk, fish, grains, and fruits and vegetables are all allowed.
Make a circle on the ground
Scatter the ashes into a circle in your garden or a local park, then ask friends and family members to step into the circle and say a few words about your loved one. You can then rake the ashes to spread them out across the earth.
No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven.
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.