Articles: Cremation

I never gave a second thought to the topic of cremation per se before. It was only after Fr Steve O’Donnell’s death[1] and his subsequently cremation, here in Lismore, this nagging thought, “cremation is wrong!” would not go away. I knew there was something that was not right about it for, before Vatican II, the Catholic Church had always condemned cremation as a pagan practice, if not Masonic.

According to the Wikipedia: “Cremation is the practice of disposing of a human corpse by burning which often takes place in a crematorium or crematory. Along with burial, cremation is an increasingly popular alternative for the final disposition of the dead[2]”.

- Cremation furnace

The place where the cremation takes place is called crematorium. The crematorium consists of one or more ovens or furnaces and facilities for handling of the ashes. A cremation furnace is a industrial furnace capable of reaching high temperatures up to approximately 870-980 °C (1600-1800 °F) with special modifications to ensure the efficient disintegration of the corpse. One of these modifications is the aiming of the flames at the corpse's torso, where a majority of the corpse's mass rests.

Crematoriums will allow relatives to view the insertion and sometimes this is done for

religious reasons, e.g., Hindus.^[13] However, notwithstanding the respect with which the deceased is treated, this is fundamentally an industrial process, and not recommended for the sensitive or faint-of-heart.

Cremators are a standard size. Large cities will have access to an oversize cremator that can handle deceased in the 200+ kg range. However, the morbidly obese cannot always be accommodated and must be buried instead.

A body to be cremated is first placed in a container for cremation, which can be a simple corrugated cardboard box or a wooden casket. Most casket manufacturers provide a line of caskets specially built for cremation. Another option is a cardboard box that fits inside a wooden shell designed to look like a traditional casket. After the funeral service the interior box is removed from the shell before cremation, permitting the shell to be reused.

Funeral homes may also offer rental caskets, which are traditional caskets used only for the duration of the services, after which the body is transferred to another container for cremation. Rental caskets are sometimes designed with removable beds and liners, replaced after each use.

In Australia, the deceased is cremated in a coffin supplied by the undertaker. Reusable or cardboard coffins are unknown. If cost is an issue, a plain, particle-board coffin known in the trade as a 'chippie' will be offered. Handles (if fitted) are plastic and approved for use in a cremator. Coffins vary from unfinished particle board (covered with a velvet pall if there is a service) to solid timber. Most are veneered particle board.

The box containing the body is placed in the retort and incinerated at a temperature of 760 to 1150 °C (1400 to 2100 °F). During the cremation process, a large part of the body (especially the organs) and other soft tissue is vaporized and oxidized due to the heat, and the gases are discharged through the exhaust system. The entire process usually takes about two hours.

Jewlery, such as wristwatches and rings, are ordinarily removed and returned to the family. The only non-natural item required to be removed is a pacemaker, as a pacemaker could explode and damage the cremator. In the United Kingdom, and possibly other countries, the undertaker is required to remove pacemakers prior to delivering the body to the crematorium, and sign a declaration stating that any pacemaker has been removed.^[15]

After the incineration is completed, the bone fragments are swept out of the retort, and the operator uses a pulverizer called a cremulator^[15] (also known informally as a crembola^{[citation
needed]}) to process them into what are known as cremains which exhibit the appearance of grains of sand (note that this varies with the efficiency of the cremulator used, and recognizable chips of very dry bone may be seen in some final product cremated remains, depending on origin and facility). Cremulators usually use some kind of rotating or grinding mechanism to powder the bones, such as the heavy metal bearings on older models.^[16]

This is one of the reasons cremated remains are called ashes although a technical term sometimes used is "cremains"^[17][18] (a portmanteau of "cremation" and "remains"). The ashes are placed in a container, which can be anything from a simple cardboard box to a fancy urn. An unavoidable consequence of cremation is that a tiny residue of bodily remains is left in the chamber after cremation and mixes with subsequent cremations.

Not all that remains is bone. There will be melted metal lumps from missed jewellery, casket furniture, and dental fillings, and surgical implants such as hip replacements. Large items such as titanium hip replacements are usually removed before grinding, as they may damage the grinder. After grinding, smaller bits of metal are sieved out and later interred in common, consecrated ground in a remote area of the cemetery[3].

The above description was only the technical part of cremation. Now the religious side of it; what has the Catholic Church to say about cremation?

Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI, in “Cremation? Not for Catholics” [4] has this to say:

Christian Opposition to Cremation

Religious motives inspired opposition to cremation in the early Christians. They opposed the practice since destruction of the body by fire symbolized annihilation and the materialistic idea that death is the absolute end of man’s life. Indeed, their pagan persecutors often burned the corpses of martyred Christians to mock their belief in the resurrection of the body.

The body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Further, the early Christians understood the dignity of the human body. Destruction by fire seemed to them a serious lack of reverence for a body that had been the temple of the Holy Ghost. Anointed in baptism, Confirmation and Extreme Unction, and fed with the divine food of the Holy Eucharist, our bodies are sanctified. St. Paul states, “Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you? ... Glorify God and bear him in your body” (I Cor., 6: 19-20).

Needless to say, destruction by fire cannot prevent God on the day of resurrection from reuniting the elements which had constituted a particular human body. Yet this fact does not excuse a lack of respect for the bodies of the deceased. St. Paul compares the burial of the Christian to the sowing of seeds. “What is sown in corruption rises in incorruption; what is sown in dishonor rises in glory; what is sown in weakness rises in power; what is sown a natural body rises a spiritual body ” (I Cor., 15: 42-44). Indeed, Christ rose from the dead after His burial, “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor., 15:20).

The word “cemetery”. The very word “cemetery ” is a Christian word, taken from “koimeterion, ” the Greek word for dormitory. Our use of this word, then, indicates our faith in the resurrection of the body, which is asleep in the cemetery until that final triumph. The faithful of various countries have other terms for cemeteries. Thus in England, in Catholic times, it was called “God’s Acre”, while in Italy a cemetery is called Campo Santo, the “Holy Reserve”. These terms express that truth of our Faith, so well phrased by St. Augustine: “Death is not death for us, but sleeping; for those we call dead are keeping a vigil until their resurrection.”

The Catholic Tradition

In the writings of the early Church Fathers, we find references to burial as an expression of our Faith. Even Julian the Apostate:

“noting how Christians regarded the burial of the dead as one of their corporal works of mercy, ... listed their religious care of the dead as one of the means by which they obtained so many converts; and therefore as one of the first things to be suppressed if Christianity was to be stamped out of existence” (Rumble, L., M.S.C. (1960). Is Cremation Christian? St. Paul: Radio Replies Press Society, p. 7).

Did not Our Lord Himself commend the good work of Mary, who poured ointment on His head and feet, saying, “She has done this for my burial”? Further, as St. Augustine says in the City of God, the Gospel has crowned with eternal praise those who took down the body of Jesus from the Cross and gave it honorable burial. And what of the blessings bestowed upon the holy women, who went early the first day of the week, in order to anoint the body of Our Lord?

Consecrated ground. Reverence for the bodies of the deceased is also evident in the Church’s ritual for the dedication of a cemetery — a ceremony performed by the Bishop or his delegate. The elaborate ceremony consists of prayers and chants, during which the ground is sprinkled with holy water, sanctifying it as a fitting resting place for the bodies of the faithful. The consecrated ground of the cemetery is normally located close to the church, indicating the respect it deserves. Moreover, Church law directs that a fence or barrier be placed around the cemetery, segregating it from unconsecrated ground and keeping out animals, lest the sanctity of the cemetery be profaned.

The faithful have always desired to be buried in ground blessed by a Catholic priest. It is considered one of the greatest of misfortunes to be denied Catholic burial, to be buried in unconsecrated ground. That is why the priest, when he performs a burial in a non-Catholic cemetery, always blesses the individual grave as part of the graveside ceremony.

Revival of Paganism

As stated above, the practice of cremation was not revived until the 19th century. Let us take a look at the forces which brought about this change.

The Age of Reason. Freethinking philosophers in the 17th century inaugurated a movement which later became known as the “Age of Reason,” but which in fact was nothing more than a revival of paganism. The way was prepared by English philosophers such as Hobbes (died 1679) and Locke (died 1704) and by the inauguration of Freemasonry in London in 1717. Voltaire, a French philosopher, traveled to London, where he was initiated as a Freemason in 1726. Together with Rousseau and Diderot, he promoted the cause of secular liberalism in France, bitterly attacking the Church and her customs. These efforts eventually bore fruit in the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which was issued during the French Revolution. As a result, churches were confiscated and desecrated, religious orders were suppressed, and the worship of “Reason” was substituted for the sacrifice of the Mass.

This movement gave rise to the atheistic Republican Government in France which, in 1797, proposed the revival of cremation as a substitute for Christian burial. Although there were a few scattered incidents of its use, however, the movement would not catch on for more than 75 years. Customs do not change easily, but a movement was born. Societies were formed to urge cremation as a way of impressing people with the idea that all is over with death. Cremation was considered an apt symbol for the naturalistic concept of annihilation.

The Cremation Movement. Various subterfuges were used to justify the cremation movement. People were told it would be more sanitary, that earth burial might cause pollution of the soil, air or water — claims that have been proven groundless. The real motive behind the movement, however, can be seen in a quotation taken from a Freemasonic publication:

“The Brethren of the lodges should employ all means to spread the practice of cremation. The Church, in forbidding the burning of bodies is... merely seeking to preserve among the people the old beliefs in the immortality of the soul and in a future life — beliefs overthrown today by the light of science” (quoted by M. A. Faucieux in Revue des Sciences Ecclesiastiques, 1886).

The first crematorium in modern times was built in Italy (Milan) in 1874. It may surprise the reader to realize that a Catholic country should be the first to have a crematorium. A knowledge of the history of modern Italy, however, easily provides the reason. In 1870 Mazzini and Garibaldi, both Grand Orient Freemasons, had succeeded in capturing Rome, thereby reducing Pope Pius IX to the status of a prisoner in the Vatican. A profoundly anti-Catholic government was then set up in Italy. After the fabrication of the first crematorium in Italy, others were soon set up throughout Europe and America.

Laws of the Church

The authority of Holy Mother Church was not slow in responding to the cremation movement. On May 19, 1886, the Holy See issued a strong condemnation of all attempts to revive the pagan practice of cremation. The decree strictly prohibited Catholics from giving directions for the cremation of their own bodies or the bodies of others. Moreover, bishops and priests were directed to instruct the faithful that cremation is a detestable abuse, and in every way to urge Catholics to refrain from it.

On December 16 of the same year, the Holy See issued another decree which is still more emphatic. It directs that any Catholic cremated as a result of his own previously expressed desire is to be refused the rites of Christian burial.

Finally, on July 27, 1892, still another decree was issued, forbidding priests to administer the Last Sacraments to one who had arranged to have his body cremated, unless he repented of this defiance of the laws of the Church and canceled such arrangements. The Code of Canon Law (1917) expresses these decrees in Canons 1203 and 1240 (see inset at right).

Modern Concerns

The repeated condemnations of cremation by the Church did not derail the cremation movement. It has spread to the point that its practice in our times is quite common. In a recent inquiry, the author was told by a funeral director that at his funeral home, there are as many cremations as burials.

Reasons for cremation. Why do so many people opt for cremation, a practice that is so contrary to our human nature? Certainly one reason is the cost. A query to a local funeral home yielded the following information: A regular funeral will normally cost at least $3,000, whereas cremation can cost as little as $865. Quite a difference! In addition, many people do not want to be bothered with the cost of purchasing a burial plot and seeing to its upkeep. No doubt a lack of genuine charity to the departed in our materialistic age is also to blame. One marvels at the beauty of so many cemeteries in European countries, where the Catholic culture has inspired succeeding generations to care for the graves of their forebears. Many today do not wish to be bothered with such a task. (To counter some of the arguments that are raised in modern times, the Holy See issued still another decree in 1926).

Cremation not intrinsically evil. It is important that Catholics understand that cremation is not intrinsically evil, and therefore it could be tolerated by Church authority for a grave reason. Rather, it is condemned by the Church because of its symbolism and because cremation was promoted by the enemies of the Faith for the very purpose of expressing and advancing their materialistic belief in annihilation. Further, earth burial is so much more appropriate to the dignity of the body and in keeping with our love and respect for our departed relatives and friends.

In the Postconciliar Church. The prevalence of cremation today would hardly be so pronounced had it not been for Vatican Council II. In fact, the modern Postconciliar Church, in its 1983 Code of Canon Law, specifically allows for cremation (“unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching ” Canon 1176, #3). Consequently, the practice is no longer forbidden to the members of the Postconciliar Church. This very fact is just one more proof that this modern church is not of God, is not Catholic[5].

Conclusion

Catholics have long valued the rites of Christian burial. We might say that this appreciation is part of the Sensus Catholicus and is something we imbibe through the devout living of our Faith. As I travel on mission circuits, I am often asked by faithful Catholics if a priest will be there for them when they die — if they will have a Catholic funeral. I have often been impressed by how relieved they are when I assure them that we will provide a priest for their funeral and, if possible, be there in their dying moments. […]

Cremation, as the subtitle says, is the ultimate deception of the Judeo-Masonic cabal, which is gradually eroding the last vestiges of Catholicity. And I believe they did “a bloody good job” too. I know of a few Catholic people who have been cremated, for one reason or another. But when a Catholic priest, Fr Steve O’Donnell from the USA and tragically killed, has been cremated. His brothers who came to Australia for his funeral, decided that was the best [practical] option. I say: practicality has nothing to do with Sensus Catholicus, which has gradually been worn down so that “Catholics” no longer have a Catholic mind.

Finally, cremation tells me that the post-conciliar church is, today, no longer Catholic, because of loss of faith which has been incinerated and vaporized, grinded through the cremulator and then dumped down the drain in the last forty or so years.

[1] See: 1000 GOOBUYS

[2] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation#Cremation_furnace.

[3] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation#Cremation_furnace.

[4] See: http://www.cmri.org/03-cremation_not_for_caths.html.

[5] See: http://www.cmri.org/03-cremation_not_for_caths.html.