Catholic Cremation
Reprinted with Permission, for the Ohio Cremation & Memorial Society, Inc.

Background The church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites. The cremated remains are to be treated with the same respect as the body before cremation. This includes the use of a "worthy vessel" or urn for the cremains. The cremains should be buried in a grave, entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. Scattering the cremated remains at sea, from the air or on the ground, or keeping the cremated remains at home is not the reverent disposition the church requires.

A Death Takes Place Seeing the body of a loved one or friend gives us a chance to pause and consider the mystery of life and death. We are reminded that Jesus himself died, was entombed and rose gloriously from the dead on Easter Sunday. This is the reason the church shows reverence for the body during its burial rites.

Three Choices for Cremation

The Order of Christian Funerals, Appendix 2: Cremation, gives instructions for three different possibilities:

1. When cremation takes place following the Funeral Liturgy.
2. When cremation and committal take place following the Funeral Liturgy.
3. When the cremated remains are present during the Funeral Liturgy

In the case of the third option, the cremated remains are to be placed in a worthy vessel on a small stand positioned where the casket normally would be. The urn may be carried to its place in the entrance procession or may be placed at the front of the church before the liturgy begins.

The Rites The Order of Christian Funerals prescribes three separate and ideally sequential rites to celebrate the journey of the deceased from this life to the next:

1. The Vigil or Wake, at the funeral home or church.
2. The Funeral Liturgy at the church.
3. The Committal at the cemetery or columbarium.

The principal celebration is the Funeral Liturgy, which is typically a Mass and is held in the church. A Mass is never celebrated in a funeral home. Two smaller celebrations should also take place. The wake service usually occurs in the funeral home. The vigil service provides the opportunity to share memories with each other about the deceased person's life. The final celebration is the committal service at the cemetery or columbarium.

Catholic Responsibility We are responsible as Catholics to pray for the repose of the souls of our deceased brothers and sisters.