Author Topic: Is providing headstone coporal act of mercy? (Read 996 times)

LaramieHirsch · « **on:** February 14, 2014, 09:03:37 PM »

There are 7 coporal acts of mercy. One of them is to bury the dead. Would providing a headstone be included in this act of mercy?

-Laramie

RomanCatholic1953 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2014, 10:35:27 PM »

Bury the dead is a corporal work of mercy. The headstone is optional and is not counted as a corporal work of mercy.
When you are in the ground, the world forgets about you. What counts
is the Masses and Prayers said on your behalf.

Matthew · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2014, 10:41:08 PM »

On the contrary, I would say that it is! You can't just put a man in the ground with no marker, unless there's a plague or something. In fact, since most cemeteries require a stone of some sort, you'd LITERALLY be burying the dead if you provided this. Because if it couldn't be provided, the person would have to be cremated.

I'd say that's about as "bury the dead" as it gets.

Anything related to the funeral/burial and associated gathering; anything pertaining to the burial of a Catholic would go under the heading "Bury the dead".

Just like you can violate the 5th commandment without killing, and the 6th commandment without literally committing adultery -- you can "bury the dead" without literally picking up a shovel.

What RomanCatholic1953 is referring to is the SPIRITUAL work of mercy, "Pray for the living and the dead".

Which is the more important? Does it matter? We're supposed to be racking up merit under BOTH main headings (Corporal and Spiritual works)

Singing chant at a funeral would actually be both. You're helping at a funeral, plus you're singing chant (="praying twice").

The Novus Ordo tends to over-emphasize the corporal works of mercy at the expense of the spiritual works of mercy. But that having been said, NEITHER should be forgotten! They are both part of a well-rounded Catholic life.

crossbro · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2014, 01:59:42 AM »

I would say that it is.

I recall in Sacramento some years back a mother strangled her boy with a shoe string. The other family was too poor to bury the kid so under county policy the grave could not be marked until the county was paid back for the cost of burial.

A headstone was purchased by donations from law enforcement and others and the city waived the costs due to the circuмstances.

In that case I would say it was corporal act of mercy.

poche · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2014, 09:10:13 AM »

I agree with Matthew and Crossbro. To provide a headstone would be a corporal act of mercy.

Capt McQuigg · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2014, 05:27:35 PM »

I think a big yes is the right answer!