Author Topic: Burials (Read 1049 times)

Luvtosew · « **on:** September 01, 2009, 06:22:10 PM »

My brother has never been married and has always been alone. I will have to have him creamated if something should happen. Can I have his urn buried in my mother's grave for a fee as they were so close otherwise I dont' know if I could afford a plot for him -he has no money and lives on a fixed income like we do ? Do they allow that.

My husband and I will also be creamated, since it is now allowed. Can we both be buried in the same grave site in our own urn of course.?

I think more and more CAtholics are being cremated now as the money involved.

I know that the ashes can't be spread.

Matthew · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:49:11 PM »

Just to give you the facts, and the Church's views on the matter:

Cremation was a pagan practice from the beginning. "Cremation societies" were started in the USA to make it more acceptable, and it has eventually caught on in popularity in this once Protestant nation.

It tends to destroy faith in the Resurrection of the Body, which is a dogma of the Catholic Faith.

The body was a temple of the Holy Ghost, and should be treated with reverence even after death. I've heard of COUNTLESS cases of people burying their beloved dog or cat. Meanwhile, I burn my trash all the time. (Do the math!)

The Catholic Church allows for cremation in times of pestilence. Other than that, it was forbidden.

We all know the mainstream Catholic Church has opened up to the Modern World since Vatican II, with uniformly disastrous results. We should keep that in mind.

Matthew

Vladimir · « **Reply #2 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:00:30 PM »

Quote from: Luvtosew

My brother has never been married and has always been alone. I will have to have him creamated if something should happen. Can I have his urn buried in my mother's grave for a fee as they were so close otherwise I dont' know if I could afford a plot for him -he has no money and lives on a fixed income like we do ? Do they allow that.

My husband and I will also be creamated, since it is now allowed. Can we both be buried in the same grave site in our own urn of course.?

I think more and more CAtholics are being cremated now as the money involved.

I know that the ashes can't be spread.

While I do not support cremation, I realise that money is a huge factor, and often times prevents one from having a proper Christian burial.

I am not sure as to the answer of your question. I suggest asking a traditional Catholic priest, since each case is different.

Matthew · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:12:26 PM »

You know, the "funeral industry" makes funerals very expensive.

Just like weddings are expensive -- but it's not the church ceremony that costs you.

Likewise, a priest will say a funeral Mass for far less than 4-figures.
True, there are costs like tombstone and burial plot, but a casket CAN be plain wood -- the body is just going to rot anyhow.

If you pay to have liners, barriers, etc. put in, it might make you feel good that you're protecting your loved one from the worms, etc. but actually he's going to liquify into a putrid mess.

Much better to let nature take its course.

"Remember, man, that thou art dust: and unto dust thou shalt return."

Memento, homo, quia pulvis est: et in pulverem reverteris.

Matthew

Matthew · « **Reply #4 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:15:11 PM »

Another point to consider --

The process of cremation takes a lot of energy. You don't just douse the body with lighter fluid and light a match. The body would not burn up very much (it would look like a burn victim; nothing more). To reduce a human body to ashes, high temperatures are needed, and a long duration as well. At the end, a machine still has to physically crush the bone fragments.

I heard that they don't do cremations one at a time -- it's not economically feasible. So you're not just getting the ashes from one person in that urn. But I don't know this for a fact. So I'll point out that I only "heard this from someone" and it sounds reasonable. At any rate, you never know. Even if most crematoria were honest and do one body at a time, who's to stop YOUR crematorium from saving a few bucks by doing two or three at once and dividing the ashes? How would you know?

That's why it's best to perform a corporal work of mercy: bury the dead.

Matthew

Vladimir · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:23:35 PM »

No, it depends. You are cremated in what looks like a huge oven, and everything is reduced to ashes. Its one at a time, from what I could see.

I never thought about how cheap a Catholic funeral could be. Thank you for your insights, sir.