About Cremation
Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Understanding Church Teaching
Since 1963, cremation has been an acceptable option for those of the Catholic faith. Whenever possible, however, the Church always prefers the interment or entombment of the body because it gives fuller expression of our Christian faith.
When cremation is chosen, the preferred sequence for the final rites is for cremation to take place after the Funeral Mass. Whether cremation takes place before or after the Funeral Rites, the Church expects these families to seek an appropriate final resting place for the cremated remains of the body in a Catholic cemetery.
When cremation is chosen, the preferred sequence for the final rites is for cremation to take place after the Funeral Mass. Whether cremation takes place before or after the Funeral Rites, the Church expects these families to seek an appropriate final resting place for the cremated remains of the body in a Catholic cemetery.
Importance of Being Buried in a Catholic Cemetery
Catholics are strongly encouraged to be buried or entombed in a Catholic Cemetery where there is an assurance that the remains of the person will be treated with reverence and perpetual care.
The Church recommends that the burial or entombment of the cremated remains occur without delay, and should be done after the cremation process is completed.
The scattering of the cremated remains or keeping the cremated remains in a home are not reverent disposition that the church requires.