Is cremation allowed for Catholics? Why?

Answer 1

The policy of the Catholic Church is: "While the Church recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed, cremation is permitted as long as it had not been chosen for reasons contrary to Church teaching.

Cremated remains are to be treated with the same respect given to the remains of a human body, and should be buried or entombed. The scattering of cremated remains on the sea or on the ground, or keeping them in the home, is not the reverent final disposition that the Church requires.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Mary B and Ladydeb are correct. Recently the Catholic church changed the rules and allowed cremation. Not sure exactly when or why the change. I don't doubt some older and more traditional Catholics don't agree, but that is the teaching for now.

In the past, Catholic doctrine said that we need our bodies for the second coming and the resurrection. Apparently God/Jesus can turn water into wine but not ash into flesh and blood. Maybe I shouldn't be so snide.

BTW Catholic teaching still says that ashes must be buried together, as opposed to scattered, in a Catholic cemetery. Must keep the burial plot revenue coming in after all.

Answer 3

No. Traditional Catholics (those who practice the faith before the heresy of Vatican II) cannot be cremated because it is destroying our body and having a lack of faith in Christ's words that we would use our bodies again after the end of the world. The body is a temple of the Holy Ghost and it is to be preserved, not destroyed. A Christian burial has always consisted of burial.

As it accurately says in the Lord of the Rings (written by a traditional Catholic), "We shall burn his body like the pagan kings of old." Cremation is a pagan practice.

Modern "Catholics" will tell you it is fine to cremate. But they would be wrong because popes throughout the centuries have always upheld Christ's teachings that the body should not be burned after death. (Sidenote, the last five "popes" have not been true popes, but rather men who spoke heresy and lead much of the Catholic flock astray.)

Answer 4

No it's not allowed. They say that were suppose to be raised from the dead.I guess the bodies will return to what they used to be.Not if they have been cremated. But what happens to good catholics that suffer a really bad death and there is nothing left of their bodies?Good Luck!

Answer 5

There's no blanket ban. It's allowed in the UK. Elsewhere, it's up to the bishop taking into account local customs.

On the last day we will all rise again. It won't make much difference whether we've been cremated, composted or eaten by worms, we'll all need the new body we're allocated.

Answer 6

Yes, it is permissible for Catholics to be cremated.

This has changed recently (maybe in the past 10-20 years).

I am not sure what prompted the change, but I have my own opinions.

1) The cost of burials.
2) The transportation of the deceased back to family burial plots from distant places (for example, the deceased has a burial plot in Ohio, but died in Florida)
3) Changing the times

Just my opinion

Answer 7

So I believe, but don't worry too much about it as the soul has already left the body at the stage of cremation.

Answer 8

I don't know for sure, but my mother in law is Catholic and my husband (who was raised Catholic) told me to never tell her I plan to be cremated. I think they are against it, like just about everything else...LOL

Answer 9

Why not? As cremation is legal, it is legal for everybody, regardless of their religious affiliation.
And if any organised religion would try to ban a legal process for their members, it would be a violation of the common law of the land and illegal.

Answer 10

Yes it's allowed. Catholics believe in the body resurrection at the end of the time and they don't mind about the body conservation in the human reign.

Even if we look at how many body guards has pope Ratzinger we can have some dubt about how many he minds about the conservation of his old body.