The following comes from an October 25 Catholic News Agency article by Hannah Brockhaus:
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released an instruction Tuesday regarding burial and cremation, reiterating the Church’s teaching that cremation, while strongly discouraged, can be permissible under certain restrictions – and that scattering the ashes is forbidden.
Ad resurgendum cum Christo, or “To rise with Christ”, published Oct. 25, states that while cremation “is not prohibited” the Church “continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem towards the deceased.”
The document explains that after “legitimate motives” for cremation have been ascertained, the “ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place,” such as in a cemetery or church. It goes on to state that is not permitted to keep the ashes in a home or to scatter them “in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way, nor may they be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewelry or other objects.”
“The burial, the last liturgy for us, is an expression of our hope for the resurrection,” Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the congregation wrote, “and therefore the Church continues to teach that the normal burial of the body is the normal form.”
As the document explains, “[the Church] cannot, therefore, condone attitudes or permit rites that involve erroneous ideas about death, such as considering death as the definitive annihilation of the person, or the moment of fusion with Mother Nature or the universe.”
Since the Vatican once barred cremation but now says it’s okay, when will the Vatican change its mind on the disposal of cremated ashes?
I hope everyone takes the time to read the Instruction “Ad Resurgendum” (“To Rise with Christ”), as I have been able to do so. It isn’t very long:
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20160815_ad-resurgendum-cum-christo_en.html
The instruction is an encouraging reminder that, preferably, the Church recommends burial of the deceased (#3), because ” burial is above all the most fitting way to express faith and hope in the resurrection of the body.”; but it permits for understandable “sanitary, economic or social considerations”, cremation—however, no scattering.
I am still disturbed that a once-very Catholic priest and former teacher at USF (he had been a Jesuit for about 35 years, but disgusted with the goings-on in the order, left the order and was incardinated in a diocese, but continued teaching) a few years back had cremation and subsequently, by his explicit request, the scattering of his ashes at “Land’s End” in Lincoln Park, San Francisco. I only found out this turn of events by e-mailing the late Fr. Michael Kotlanger, SJ, to find out where A. was “buried”. (Fr Michael didn’t have anything to do with it.)
This instruction says, the faithful departed “should not be forgotten” (#5). His choice of scattering, in my opinion, obliterated his memory, and there is no place to…
…visit and pray for his soul. At times one wonders if he every “existed” (although his scholarly publications still survive, many in the USF library collections). It still very much disturbs me, especially every November.
The departed, regardless, should not be forgotten, as “Ad Resurgendum” says.
Bless you, Steve Phoenix! I, too, would be very upset and disturbed! The Church should have TOTALLY FORBIDDEN this priest’s final request! He certainly had NO DECENT RELIGIOUS TRAINING, for a Jesuit! A priest’s body is also HOLY– and “married to God!” Well– if there is something I cannot stand– it is the COLUMBARIUM over at St. Dominic’s, in San Francisco– and they invite anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic– to have their urns of ashes, placed there, at life’s end!! The Dominicans have NO RELIGIOUS TRAINING, either!!
Being incinerated and turned into ashes is not the same as “to dust you shall return.”
I have commented in the past on the careening career and chaos of the late Fr. Richard Purcell, OFM (d. Aug 4, 2011). He was a revolutionary in every sense of the word, and if confirmation of that is needed just read his own autobiography, “Conversations with Richard Purcell: The Adventures and Reflections of a San Francisco Renegade Priest.” (see Amazon.com).
When he knew he was dying of AIDS, as he made preparations for his death he decided he wanted cremation and his ashes scattered “to the winds” at the San Tan (“St Anne”) Catholic Indian Cemetery on the Sacaton Indian Reservation.
However, some of the Papago Indians came forth themselves and remonstrated with him not to do so: they themselves said his spirit would…
..wander without rest forever, if he were to do so. He relented and allowed instead his urn to be interred in a ground urn plot at the cemetery.
So, “a word to the wise” regarding ash-scattering from what the Native Americans know.
As I understand it, in certain areas where space is at an extreme premium, burial vaults are reused every hundred years or so, after the the previous occupant has desomposed into the proverbial pile of ashes.
Further, the prohibition against scattering ashes seems to deny the omnipetence of God. If God wants all the ashes in one place, or the human body restored at the end of time, all God has to do is wish it and it will happen instantly.
This prohibition sounds a bit like the old rule against eating meat on Friday.
mike m– Cremation always reminds me of the horrors of the Holocaust, of World War II. A human life is so precious, made and deeply loved, by God! It is one of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, to bury the dead. A baptized and confirmed Catholic, who has devoutly practiced their Faith over a lifetime, remaining close to God, and always receiving the Sacraments– may be filled with much Divine Grace, at life’s end! It may be hard for us to understand some of the great mysteries of God, such as the Resurrection of the Body. But it is very important for us, at life’s end, to receive the Last Rites, and to also receive a proper Catholic funeral Mass, and burial in a consecrated Catholic cemetery.
You never know of the possible sanctity, of a beloved, ordinary, devout Catholic family member, at life’s end! Throughout the history of the Church, many ordinary Catholics have become Saints, including children! Your beloved Grandma, who went to daily Mass, and said many Rosaries for you and other family members, and was always doing many loving little things for everyone– might be full of many wonderful graces of God, at life’s end! We are so blessed, to perhaps have many ordinary Saints all around us, who help us a little each day, in many small ways, to slowly walk the pathway to Heaven!
Personally, I will take a pass on cremation – I’ll burn enough in Purgatory.