Bishop Sheridan answers question on cremation

Bishop Sheridan has just completed and printed a new brochure on Funeral Rites so that the laity will know the church's teachings on the proper burial of a loved one. Those brochures should be available shortly at your parish.

On a related note, one of the more hotly disputed topics in church circles regarding the death of loved ones is cremation. This is a recent practice that the church has had to discuss because of the growing number of Catholics who want their remains cremated after they die. While the church does allow for cremation, it does not encourage it. For a brief but thorough explanation, go here.

Bishop Sheridan had an interesting question posed to him today regarding cremation and he has allowed us to print his response.

Q: I was wondering why the church teaches against the separation of ashes (i.e. dividing them up into smaller urns so each family member can keep some cremains of a loved one). Can you explain to me why we are not supposed to? Is it evil? Is it a sin? What if the rest of the family members decide to do it anyway? What happens then?

BISHOP SHERIDAN: It is forbidden to divide the ashes into several containers. It is also forbidden to retain the cremated remains in the home. Our respect for the sanctity of the human body requires that we give proper burial to the entirety of the remains. We would not cut up a body up and divide the parts between family members. So we should not do something similar with the cremated remains. To do so is to disobey an important law of the Church and thus commit a sin.