As the November days grow shorter and the nights get longer 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. Our liturgical year is drawing to a close (it will end on Nov. 26, the Solemnity of Christ the King), and our calendar year will also soon be over.
Our Gospel readings for this month will lead us on a journey to consider the end of times and the second coming of Christ. As we remember our loved ones who have gone before us it is only natural that our thoughts turn to ourselves. We, too, will one day die. We are a people of the resurrection, however, and while we know that death will come for us all, we also believe that there is hope in what is to come. We long to be with Jesus, the angels and saints, and all of our family and friends that have preceded us.
Of course if we do indeed want to go to heaven one day, then we need to make sure that our life reflects that desire today. We need to live in a manner consistent with our calling as disciples of the Lord. We need to love as Jesus loved, forgive as Jesus forgave, and serve as Jesus served. We are all dependent on the mercy of God at the time of our death and if we want to receive that mercy then we need to be merciful just as the heavenly Father is merciful.
This talk about death in the month of November is a good time for us to plan now for our own funeral. There are several options for funeral rites in the Catholic Church, and we are ready to assist you in planning for your service. At 12:30 p.m. next Sunday, Nov. 12, we’re hosting a “Planning for Your Catholic Funeral” workshop in the Community Center. I encourage you to come learn how you can prepare your service in advance. Hopefully none of us will need to implement it anytime soon, but it will be a comfort to you and your family to have some things already decided when that time does come.
We’ll present for you the many options available for your service, starting from the time of death and leading up until your remains are buried. We have information on local funeral homes and other considerations to keep in mind. We’ll go over the plans for a vigil and rosary, the Mass of Christian Burial and the liturgical choices for music and readings, as well as what to consider in terms of interment. We’ll have it all in a handy packet and walk you through everything so that you can make informed choices. In that way, your wishes can be honored at the time of your death and your family can find comfort and peace of mind in their time of mourning.
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. Last year 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.
First, it reminds us a basic truth of our faith – through His death and resurrection, Christ freed us from sin and gave us access to a new life, “so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life,” (Romans 6:4). Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning. By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul.
Following the most ancient Christian tradition, the Church insistently recommends that the bodies of the deceased be buried as that is above all the most fitting way to express faith and hope in the resurrection of the body. By burying the bodies of the faithful, the Church confirms her faith in the resurrection of the body, and intends to show the great dignity of the human body as an integral part of the human person whose body forms part of their identity.
In circumstances when cremation is chosen because of sanitary, economic or social considerations, this choice must never violate the inferable wishes of the deceased faithful. The Church raises no doctrinal objections to this practice, since cremation of the deceased’s body does not affect his or her soul, nor does it prevent God, in His omnipotence, from raising up the deceased body to new life.
Ideally the body is present for the funeral liturgical rites in the church and the cremation of the body takes place after the ceremony. 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. None of those options is permitted. The ashes of the faithful must be buried or interred in a sacred place, that is, in a cemetery.
Here is what the new directive states: “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.
“For these reasons, the conservation of the ashes of the departed in a residence is not permitted. The ashes may not be divided among 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 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.”
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. They should never be kept at home on a mantle, scattered to the wind, or divided among family members. Our pastoral staff at CtR is happy to discuss these guidelines and any other questions you might have concerning funerals. Please join us next Sunday so that we might assist you in pre-planning for your funeral.
Peace, Fr. Sean
P.S.: Tickets are on sale after all Masses this weekend for the 4th annual
Chili Cook-Off set for 6- 9 p.m. next Saturday, Nov. 11. Come hungry! We have 26 teams competing for the top prize, and you can sample them all. Plus we’ll have hot dogs, desserts, beer and wine, and all manners of goodies. We'll have both live and silent auctions, too, with many great items up for bid. There will be plenty of activities for the kids as well and we’ve got a big new space on the back parking lot where everything will take place. Tickets are just $20 for adults and $10 for children. Get yours today and join us!