Is cremation acceptable for a Catholic?
Some attention recently came through a revised document from the Vatican on Christian burial and cremation. In 1963, the Vatican lifted the ban on cremation, clarifying that it is not essentially opposed to Christian faith. First of all, cremation does not prevent our all-powerful God from raising the ashes, or cremains, of the deceased person to new life. Secondly, cremation can be chosen for sanitary, economic, or social reasons provided that this choice does not violate faith in the resurrection of the body or the wishes of the deceased. Third, the Church’s preference in cases of cremation is for the body to be present for the Funeral Mass or Liturgy and for the cremation to happen  after the funeral. By the body being present at the funeral, a deeper significance of the meaning of the body is offered.

The revised document does not change the Church’s teaching on cremation, but clarifies it in view of some common abuses committed against the cremains of the deceased. The document notes that the cremains are to be laid to rest in a sacred place, referring to a cemetery or mausoleum. Committing the ashes to a sacred place “prevents the faithful departed from being forgotten, or their remains from being shown a lack of respect” (5). For these reasons, “the conservation of the ashes of the departed in a domestic residence is not permitted” (6). Nor can the ashes “be divided among various family members” (6). The document continues, “It is not permitted to scatter the ashes of the faithful departed 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. These courses of action cannot be legitimized by an appeal to the sanitary, social, or economic motives that may have occasioned the choice of cremation” (7). 

The reason for these prohibitions is to respect and honor the remains of the deceased person and to ensure that family and friends have the opportunity to visit their place of rest for generations to come. If you or someone you know find themselves in this situation, please don’t hesitate to talk to a priest. He will help you make conscientious choices to ensure the remains of your loved one are preserved in the best way possible!

Quoted lines are from the new Vatican document  Ad resurgendum cum Christo with paragraph number in parentheses.

To read the document, please visit:
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2016/10/25/161025c.html