Cremation and the burial of cremated remains

Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana

Guidelines from the Office of Worship

Cremation and the Burial of Cremated Remains

Disposition of the bodies of deceased Catholics by means of cremation is a fairly recent development. At one time the Roman Catholic code of canon law forbade the practice of cremation. In 1963 the instruction Piam et Constantern issued by the Holy Office (now the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) stated that “the practice of burying the bodies of the faithful is by all means to be kept,” but that allowance could be made for cremation in cases of necessity as long as it was not chosen as a sign of denial of the Christian teaching of the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soul. This 1963 concession is provided for in the 1969 Ordo Exsequiarum, the Latin edition of the revised Catholic funeral ritual. It was later incorporated into the 1983 Code of Canon Law in canon 1176:

“The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed; it does not, however, forbid cremation unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching.”

The current Order of Christian Funerals for Roman Catholic Churches in the United States was published in 1989. In 1997 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops requested and received from the Apostolic See an indult to permit the diocesan bishop to allow the presence of the cremated remains of a body at the Funeral Liturgy in the dioceses of the United States. The texts and adaptations for the celebration of the funeral rites were published as an appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals. This Appendix on Cremation is to be used in funeral rites in the presence of the cremated remains of a body.

The Appendix on Cremation addresses the issue of the burial of the cremated remains of a body in section 417:

“The cremated remains of a body should be treated with the same respect given to the human body from which they come. This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the ashes, the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and the final disposition. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. Whenever possible, appropriate means for recording with dignity the memory of the deceased should be adopted, such as a plaque or stone which records the name of the deceased” [italics added].

Excerpted from the USCCB Reflections on the Body, Cremation, and Catholic Funeral Rites and the Appendix on Cremation from the Roman Ritual Order of Christian Funerals. For additional information, please contact the Office of Worship at 337-261-5554.