Straight Answers: Cremation

The Arlington Catholic Herald ^ | 7/15/04 | Fr. William P. Saunders

[A.A. Cunningham]

Well, my Dad was cremated and buried at sea. No regrets. Catholicism has all these rules that I could never obey, and this is one of them.

The Catholic Church allows cremains to be buried at sea, just not scattered in the wind. As a "near atheist" you probably dismiss all those rules Christ spoke about as well.

[peter the great]

Just a little FYI that the first cremation in the United States was sponsored by a group of occultists.

[peter the great]

Just a little FYI that the first cremation in the United States was sponsored by a group of occultists.

[tessalu]

Embalmbing of humans began in the USA at about the time of the Civil War. Afterward, it became a money making propisition. My neighbor just died, and his wife paid $10,000 for the funeral. Before the Civil War, it was common for the people in the area of the one who died to make the coffin and to dress the dead. Times have changed.
I think that none of this has anything to do with people going to heaven or not, and I think that men will tell you anything at all.

[MarMema]

I'll have to be buried. Otherwise, how will the Church be able to get precious relics after She canonizes me? ;-)

You know I am so glad you mentioned this, as I was feeling the same. LOL.

[kosta50]

The Orthodox Church to this day does not approve of cremation on the same grounds as the old-time Roman Catholic Church didn't.