While cremation is no longer banned by the Catholic Church—a change that happened in 1963—it is still not as widely encouraged as traditional burial. One of the main reasons for this is the respect that the physical body deserves in Catholic tradition. Many people still feel that cremation services in Southfield fly in the face of this respect.
However, there are ways to ensure that your loved one’s cremation is in line with Catholic burial traditions. It all comes down to treating the body and the resulting cremated remains with respect, and to do that, it is important to know what you cannot do with those remains.
Do Not Scatter Remains
The Church commands believers to keep their loved ones’ bodies intact for burial whenever possible. While cremation may be allowed, scattering the ashes is considered an affront to this rule and disrespectful to the body and to God.
Do Not Keep Cremated Remains.
Keeping cremated remains is also against Catholic burial guidelines. The body should be buried on sacred ground, and this is not possible if the family keeps the remains with them in their home. While it might be tempting to purchase a stylish urn to display these remains in, it would not allow your loved one to enjoy a traditional Catholic burial.
Do Not Divide Remains Between Loved Ones.
Yet another secular burial tradition that often accompanies cremation services in Southfield is the separation of remains to divide them between loved ones. This way, each person in a family can have a small portion of their loved one’s remains, keeping them close in their own way. While this might sound nice, it is in direct opposition to the Catholic tradition of respecting the body and leaving it intact to bury in sacred ground.
The best way to ensure that your loved one’s cremation meets the Catholic burial guidelines is to bury their remains as closely as possible in the traditional way. They should be buried either in the ground or in a mausoleum in a Catholic cemetery, with a traditional Catholic funeral service. Contact Holy Sepulchre Cemetery for more information.
