Bulletin for Nov. 4

Dear friends in Christ,

As the calendar shifts into November we begin a busy two months until the end of the year. There are a lot of activities at the Church that warrant our attention and participation, and, of course, we’ve all got a lot of family commitments to attend to with the holidays coming into full view. But as hectic as it will undoubtedly get let’s all remember to slow down and focus on the “one thing” that deserves our utmost attention, namely the Lord. As we hear abundantly clear in today’s readings from Deuteronomy and the Gospel of St. Mark, “You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Put that love of the Lord above all else and, like the scribe in today’s Gospel, we too “will not be far from the Kingdom of God.”

As we are in the month of November, with the days growing shorter and the nights getting longer – and maybe, if we are lucky, even cooler – it is an appropriate time to turn our hearts and minds to what lies beyond us. We have already celebrated All Saints and All Souls this past week, and the whole of the month of November is a time of remembrance as well.

Given our focus on the remembrance of “the end times,” November is a good time to remind and encourage you to plan now for your own funeral. There are several options for funeral rites in the Catholic Church, and we at CtR are ready to assist you in planning for your service. We’d be happy to meet with you in advance to choose readings, hymns and other details pertinent to your service. In that way, your wishes can be honored, and it will be a great comfort and assistance to leave for your family.

You can pick up a brochure with information in planning for a funeral at our front reception desk in the Parish Office. It has information on local funeral homes, what to do at the time of death, and other considerations to keep in mind. It can be a great aid to help you navigate through the many things that will need to be decided at the time of a funeral. Stop by and pick one up at any time, and if you’d like to review the material with a member of our pastoral team, we would be happy to meet with you at your convenience.

One of the most frequent questions we receive concerns the desire for cremation. In recent years, this has become a popular option for many families to choose for the disposition of the body. (My own family chose it earlier this year following my mother’s passing in honor of her wishes.) Many wonder if it is permitted in the Church and how it is to be done. A few years ago the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a new instruction on the burial of the dead and on the conservation of the ashes in cases of cremation.

The instruction reiterates the long held view that the Church is not opposed to the practice of cremation, though it continues to recommend that the bodies of the deceased be buried in cemeteries or other sacred places. However the new document insists that ashes should not be kept in private houses and that the scattering of ashes on land or at sea is not permitted. Let me try and summarize a few of the most pertinent points that have implications for those considering cremation.

The most frequently asked question we receive about cremation concerns what to do with the ashes following the service. Some people want to keep them at home, or bury them at sea, or scatter them on a mountain top. The ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place, that is, in a cemetery.

“The reservation of the ashes of the departed in a sacred place ensures that they are not excluded from the prayers and remembrance of their family or the Christian community. It prevents the faithful departed from being forgotten, or their remains from being shown a lack of respect, which eventuality is possible, most especially once the immediately subsequent generation has too passed away. Also it prevents any unfitting or superstitious practices. ...  the conservation of the ashes of the departed in a domestic residence is not permitted ... the ashes may not be divided among various family members and due respect must be maintained regarding the circumstances of such a conservation. It is not permitted to scatter the ashes of the faithful departed in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way, nor may they be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewelry or other objects. These courses of action cannot be legitimized by an appeal to the sanitary, social, or economic motives that may have occasioned the choice of cremation.”

So to summarize: Burial of the body is the preferred option, but cremation is permitted. It should be noted, that if cremation is chosen, it would ideally be done after the Funeral Mass, so that that the body may be present for the liturgical rites. The cremated remains should properly be buried in the ground or in a niche (a “columbarium”) at a cemetery. Again, our pastoral staff at CtR will be happy to discuss these guidelines of the Church and any other questions you might have concerning funerals. Please let us know how we might be assist you. May the souls of all our faithfully departed rest in peace.

I call your attention to our special Mass at 7 p.m. this coming Wednesday, Nov. 7 for families who have lost a child in the womb or at birth. While it is true that memories of our deceased loved ones can bring, after a time, joyful memories of a long life well lived, there are mothers and fathers who grieve greatly for a child lost during pregnancy. Often they can suffer alone or in silence and never really get the chance to properly commend their child to God in the Church. If you or someone you know has suffered a stillbirth or miscarriage, please join us this week as we remember these precious angels to the Lord. It will take the place of our regularly Wednesday evening Mass, but we’ll hold it in the main church instead of the chapel. All are welcome. If you have a picture or sonogram image of your child, or would like to bring a special memento to remember them by, we’ll have a table set-up where they can be displayed.

In other news, let me remind you one final time that tickets are on sale after all Masses this weekend for the 5th annual Chili Cook-Off set for 6-9 p.m. next Saturday, Nov. 10. We’ve got 28 teams lined up to compete for the top prize, and you can sample all the chili your heart desires. Plus we’ll have hot dogs, desserts, beer and wine, and all manner of goodies. There’s an impressive line-up for both the live and silent auction, too, with many great items up for bid. There will be plenty of activities for the kids and everything will take place on the back parking lot with room for everyone. It’s shaping up to be a great night. Tickets are just $22 for adults and $12 for children. Get yours today and join us for a wonderful event benefiting our CtR Catholic School.


Peace,
Fr. Sean