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Christian Burial
The Church asks spiritual assistance for the departed, honors their bodies, and at the same time brings solace of hope to the living. The celebration of the Christian funeral brings hope and consolation to the living. While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to the Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God's mercy and judgement and meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis.
From Vatican City—October 25, 2016:
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released an instruction Tuesday regarding burial and cremation, reiterating the Church’s teaching that cremation, while strongly discouraged, can be permissible under certain restrictions—and that scattering the ashes is forbidden. Ad resurgendum cum Christo, or “To Rise with Christ”, published October 25, states that while cremation “is not prohibited” the Church “continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem towards the deceased.” Many practices with cremains have arisen and are considered sacrilegious.The Church aims to instruct the faithful with correcting those practices.New Guidelines state:
- Cremated remains should be kept in a “sacred place” such as a church cemetery.
- Cremains should not be kept in the home, but are to be buried properly.
- Ashes should not be divided up between family members.
- Ashes may not be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewelry or other objects.
- Ashes must not be scattered anywhere—in the air, under a tree, in the sea, in space, etc...
The Church has allowed cremation for decades, but the guidelines make it clear that the Vatican is concerned that the practice often involves “erroneous ideas about death.” Death is not the definitive end of life. Our bodies do not fuse with nature or enter another cycle of rebirth. In recent years, “new ideas” contrary to the Catholic faith have become widespread. The new instructions names pantheism (the worship of nature), naturalism (the idea that all truths are derived from nature, not religion), and nihilism (a deep skepticism about all received truths) as particularly problematic. The new guidelines state that if cremation is chosen for any of these reasons, the deceased should not receive a Catholic burial.“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,” the new guidelines state.
To view the instruction Ad resurgendum cum Christo, www.vatican.va
RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults includes the celebration of the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist, but also all of the rites of the catechumenate. The initiation of adults is a gradual process that takes place within the community of the faithful.
Together with the catechumens, the faithful reflect upon the value of the paschal mystery, renew their own conversion, and by their example lead the catechumens to obey the Holy Spirit more generously.