What's the Catholic Church's position regarding cremation?

Question

And why? I attended a Catholic funeral today and I assume because of the condition of the body and the lack of a coffin, that the person was cremated, but I thought Catholic's didn't believe in it.

Answer 1

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 to 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. The scattering of the cremated remains or keeping the cremated remains in a home are not the reverent disposition that the church requires.

Answer 2

Half the funerals I did as a priest were cremations. The problem before (back in the 50's I guess) was philosophical. Some people promoted cremation as a way of saying there was no afterlife - that death was the end. The Church objected to that. Now its just an alternative to burial.

Answer 3

Catholics along with most Christians believe in the eventual resurrection of our bodies.

Cremation has been looked at as a denial of this doctrine but modern teaching recognizes that God is all powerful and cremation is not really an issue to our bodily resurrections.

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.

An interesting sidelight: Scientist says cremation contributes to global warming: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070418/lf_afp/lifestylewarmingdeath_070418143046

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

The Catholic Church teaches that cremation is deliberate desecration of the body, which the Bible calls "a temple." Therefore, Catholicism holds that cremation is a sin.

Answer 5

Cremation is okay. The Church only requires that out of respect for the remains that they be properly buried in a cemetary and not placed on a fireplace mantel or scattered over the ocean.

God bless.

Answer 6

The do not like it. Because, they have nothing left to dig up after a while and see if it is a Saint or not.

(They actually do this, if a body decays slower than other bodies than they call it a Saint)

Answer 7

they believe it is a mortal sin however there is no Scriptural support for this Belief and as a CHRISTIAN I find nothing wrong with it as My spouse was cremated best wishes Gorbalizer

Answer 8

i think they find it permissable as they cremated millions of Jews in 1940's http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/former_hitler_youth_elected_pope.htm
http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2005/04/22/catholic-nazis
we can see when they operate death camps they favor the cremation method

Answer 9

It's fine unless you do it just to say "Ha! Try to put me back together in heaven now, god!"

They used to say it was a mortal sin.

Answer 10

Its acceptable as long as all the other rituals of death are observed.