Can Catholics be Cremated?
Most Popular
•
1m 30s
Yes, the Catholic Church permits cremation, but full-body earth burials are still preferred.
The Catholic Church has permitted cremation since the Second Vatican Council, though the strong preference remains full-body burials. Cremation is permissible in situations of limited burial space, inadequate finances, or similar concerns. The deceased person’s cremated remains—also called cremains—must be placed in sacred ground, not scattered, made into jewelry, distributed among relatives, or dispersed in any way.
“Cremation can oftentimes lead people to ‘short-circuit’ the Order of Christian Funerals and the profound healing that comes through that process.”
The Church advises against cremation, not because she wants to inhibit our agency, but because she desires greater freedom for us. A full-body earth burial allows for a final goodbye in a way that storing cremains in an urn on the mantle, for instance, does not. We must not fast-forward through grief, but neither should we delay the healing process. Like the Ten Commandments, the laws of the Lord given through the Church are always ordered for our good and happiness.
Up Next in Most Popular
-
La corresponsabilidad con los hispano...
¿Damos limosna o traemos una ofrenda? ¿Conoces el impacto de no entenderlo correctamente? El reconocido orador y teólogo mexicano Luis Soto, nos habla del tema de la corresponsabilidad y de nuestro deber de administrar correctamente los dones que Dios nos dio.
Con su forma muy peculiar y dire... -
Developing a Family Plan of Life
Adele Collins invites mothers to create a plan of life to welcome God into the ordinary moments of their day. Say “yes” to God and allow Him to work through the busyness of your day-to-day life.
-
Finding Your Identity in Christ
Insecurity, shame, and depression all convince us that we are incapable of receiving daughterhood in Christ. Mary Bielski reminds us that the spirit of God dwells within us. Open the Word with Mary to discover how we can find our personal understanding of our identity in Christ.
