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Catholic Teaching and Resources

We understand you may have questions and concerns during these difficult times and surrounding these challenging topics. We have compiled the following resources in hopes to provide comfort and clarity as you navigate these situations. Here you will find quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Scriptural references, and answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. In addition, there are extended sections exploring Catholic teaching on funerals and cremation.

Catechism

The Church has always believed in and taught the reality of life after death. The following excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarize some of these teachings. See https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM for the full Catechism.

Cremation

Many questions surround the practice of cremation and whether or not it is allowed by the Catholic Church. While the Catholic Church does still prefer burial over cremation, it is permitted for a body to be cremated, provided cremation was not chosen to oppose Church teachings.

It is also preferable that the cremation take place after the funeral celebration, so the body can be present for the final commendation and prayers, but it still permitted for the cremation to take place beforehand, if necessary.

As the body during life was a temple of the Holy Spirit, it should be treated with utmost respect even after death and nothing should be done with the cremated ashes that wouldn’t be done with a full body. This includes provisions against scattering, separating, storing at home, creating memorial jewelry, and so forth. In addition, the ashes should have a dignified final resting place within a cemetery. As well as honoring the body of the deceased, it offers a place to which mourners can go to pray for the soul of the dead and pay their respects

Funerals

All of the Catholic Church’s teachings on dying, death, funerals, and burials can be summed up by Her belief in the dignity of the human person, as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2300 The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy (Tob 1:16-18); it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Prior to death, the relatives of the soon-to-be-deceased have an obligation to assist as much as possible in the transition from earthly life to eternal life.

CCC 2299 The dying should be given attention and care to help them live their last moments in dignity and peace. They will be helped by the prayer of their relatives, who must see to it that the sick receive at the proper time the sacraments that prepare them to meet the living God.

For all of us, as death is a fact of life, pre-planning a funeral is a great gift to those left behind. Through discussions with a trained pastoral counselor or other church worker, all of the details, such as readings for the Mass and committal information, can be decided upon ahead of time, leaving freedom for the bereaved to grieve their loss and not be consumed by the details.

To a believing Catholic, the funeral is one more celebration of our journey towards God. Full of scripture and prayers commending the soul to the Lord, it is a liturgy of hope in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting, as we proclaim each week in the Creed.

Scripture

During times of grief and suffering, we can turn to the Word of God and the following Scripture verses for comfort and support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information.