[Magdalen] Cremation? We know where Rome stands (maybe).

[Lynn Ronkainen]

.... the Catholic diocese of Galveston/Houston has these rules already 
FIRMLY in place. No wiggle room. They were shocked that I didn't want to 
embalm my mother for her Mass of Catholic Burial AND THEN cremate her....

just sayin'
Lynn

website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
attributed to Erma Bombeck
 "Either Freedom for all or stop talking about Freedom at all" from a talk 
by Richard Rohr

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From: "M J _Mike_ Logsdon" <mjl at ix.netcom.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2016 8:34 AM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: [Magdalen] Cremation?  We know where Rome stands (maybe).

> CDF issues instruction on cremation, affirms Church’s strong preference 
> for burial
> Catholic World News
> October 25, 2016
>
> The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has released Ad resurgendum 
> cum Christo [To Rise with Christ], an instruction on the burial of the 
> deceased and the conservation of the ashes in the case of cremation.
>
> The instruction, approved by Pope Francis on March 18 and dated August 15, 
> was made public on October 25. Its twofold purpose is to emphasize “the 
> doctrinal and pastoral reasons for the preference of the burial of the 
> remains of the faithful and to set out norms pertaining to the 
> conservation of ashes in the case of cremation.”
>
> Since the Church first permitted cremation in 1963, “the practice of 
> cremation has notably increased in many countries, but simultaneously new 
> ideas contrary to the Church’s faith have also become widespread,” the 
> Congregation noted.
>
> “Following the most ancient Christian tradition, the Church insistently 
> recommends that the bodies of the deceased be buried in cemeteries or 
> other sacred places,” the Congregation stated. “In memory of the death, 
> burial and resurrection of the Lord, the mystery that illumines the 
> Christian meaning of death, burial is above all the most fitting way to 
> express faith and hope in the resurrection of the body.”
>
> The Congregation continued:
>
>    By burying the bodies of the faithful, the Church confirms her faith in 
> the resurrection of the body, and intends to show the great dignity of the 
> human body as an integral part of the human person whose body forms part 
> of their identity. She cannot, therefore, condone attitudes or permit 
> rites that involve erroneous ideas about death, such as considering death 
> as the definitive annihilation of the person, or the moment of fusion with 
> Mother Nature or the universe, or as a stage in the cycle of regeneration, 
> or as the definitive liberation from the “prison” of the body …
>
>    The burial of the faithful departed in cemeteries or other sacred 
> places encourages family members and the whole Christian community to pray 
> for and remember the dead, while at the same time fostering the veneration 
> of martyrs and saints.
>
> Turning to cremation, the Congregation established:
>
>    “In circumstances when cremation is chosen because of sanitary, 
> economic or social considerations, this choice must never violate the 
> explicitly-stated or the reasonably inferable wishes of the deceased 
> faithful.”
>    “The Church continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of 
> the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem towards the deceased. 
> Nevertheless, cremation is not prohibited, unless it was chosen for 
> reasons contrary to Christian doctrine.”
>    “When, for legitimate motives, cremation of the body has been chosen, 
> the ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place, that is, 
> in a cemetery or, in certain cases, in a church or an area, which has been 
> set aside for this purpose, and so dedicated by the competent ecclesial 
> authority.”
>    “The conservation of the ashes of the departed in a domestic residence 
> is not permitted” except in “grave and exceptional cases dependent on 
> cultural conditions of a localized nature” with permission of the bishop. 
> “Nonetheless, the ashes may not be divided among various family members 
> and due respect must be maintained regarding the circumstances of such a 
> conservation.”
>    “In order that every appearance of pantheism, naturalism or nihilism be 
> avoided, 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.”
>
> “When the deceased notoriously has requested cremation and the scattering 
> of their ashes for reasons contrary to the Christian faith, a Christian 
> funeral must be denied to that person according to the norms of the law,” 
> the Congregation concluded.