Can a Catholic be Cremated?

[@oscarmartinez2538]

I love the Catholic Church . I feel grateful to be Catholic. Catholicism provides me with peace

[@jimmy5634]

Oscar Martinez Jesus provides peace.

[@ameliadiaz8040]

Agree!

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

@s I agree so much. The Church is a big family. 😇😇😇💜

[@1978UA]

s the Catholic Church is Satan’s Church.

[@imshadrach]

@@jimmy5634 Do not get yourself confused Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.this what St Paul said. In as much as Jesus Christ is the Head and we are the body,so you cannot separate the two. As a Catholic when I think of the Church everyday of my Life I think of Jesus Christ because that what He has come to do for us,so that we will be one with Him just as He is one with God the Father. That is why He said anything you did to least of these my brothers and Sisters you do to me (Mathew25:40).

[@leilanigaston8434]

I am a Catholic and I believe in resurrection that when the time comes with the power of God even if we are already ashes we can be restored completely and with his mercy amen

[@heru-deshet359]

"Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust". Doesn't matter. Bodies become skeletons after a certain period of time anyway. Resurrection will still be done. God is awesome!

[@dansnydar8709]

This video was an excellent explanation. I am still undecided about which route I will take. Prior to the Church easing its hardcore stand on cremation, I often wondered about Catholics who may have perished in plane crashes, for example. Thru no fault of their own, their remains are vaporized and spread around. Cremation, with the ashes properly inurned in a cemetery, should be acceptable.

[@ramaraksha01]

You can't run away from life - this is the life that God created - you can't hope to go live in a fantasy - a cartoon world Hinduism says if such a world is what you want, then you will get it - as a Tree or a Dog - the dog is innocent, it views the world with innocent eyes - what does a Dog Do all day? Nothing! What troubles does a Tree or a Dog have? None! Free food, place to stay, sheltered, protected, cared for - Heaven!

[@heru-deshet359]

@@ramaraksha01 Why are there so many videos of sic, buffering and abused dogs then? What of trees constantly harvested for lumber, burned, or rotting?

[@ramaraksha01]

@@heru-deshet359 Good question. Life teaches us that nothing good comes without a price. Assume you are a very good basketball player - the coach comes to you house, says he will take good care of you and you choose to play for him. Suddenly the coach turns into an evil being - yelling at you - you have to practice long hours, study, barely get any sleep or free time. You envy those who don't play - they get to watch movies, have dates But then game day comes - the crowd is cheering YOU, you make the basket that wins the game - you are the hero! Everyone wishes they were you You see what happened here right? You paid the price for glory Christians & Muslims don't want such glory - they want out of human life - they want an easy life of sitting about doing nothing while a Sugar Daddy takes good care of them And so they are opting for a lower life form as a Tree or a Dog But here again there is a cost - first the cost of human life 2nd the situations you described - that is the risk that comes with life But you can go lower - like the common dust bunny that is munching away in your carpet Free and lots of food, surrounded by family, the easy good life Or even lower down to a microscopic form - even better even less danger, even better life Finally a ROCK! Does a rock have life? maybe. But it has no problems, nothing can harm it, it lives for eternity! Heaven! So you see as you move up to a higher level of life, the dangers increase, the easy good life is still there but as a Tree or a Dog you face dangers. But the beauty here is the lack of a brain. A tree doesn't even realize it is being cut down! You can abandon a dog - many families have done that - it doesn't even realize that its family has done this to him, the dog is spared the pain that would kill a human being We as humans get the worst of all - lots of pain & suffering but that is the cost of this Gift of life as a human being We can create great music like Mozart, look up to the stars and wonder - no other animal on earth is given this Gift! Alas, most people do not see this Gift and choose to go down to a lower life form where the living is easier - but it is their choice and God will not stop them

[@Xenia7200]

I am a Catholic from northeastern part of India my mom died when she underwent treatment in South India Tamil Nadu & she instructed me to bury her there & take back home only a part of her hair & buried it in my grandfather's grave I fulfilled her wished 18 years back... she was buried in our own Catholic graveyard in Tamil Nadu. RIP Mom.

[@igormoreau1994]

Hello, I am a Catholic from Brussels. I would like to thank you for your great job! Every video you make teach me something I didn't know. So thank you and God bless you.

[@raulbaquero5081]

Hey brother is cool !, ja ja ja, just keep yourself close to a Franciscan and you'll be up date always right !! -:)

[@mijnbook]

I’m a Belgian catholic as well! 🇧🇪💒

[@igormoreau1994]

@@mijnbook Leuk! Fijne avond 🇧🇪🎆

[@mijnbook]

Igor Moreau Dank u wel. 🙏🏻

[@emmad6683]

Les frites c'est génial, je suis aussi une chrétienne Belge ... chrétienne bi et transgenre

[@nyebe6598]

This is what I love about the Catholic Church...they have a concrete explanation behind rules, regulations and traditions. Theirs is not something out of "feelings", "personal opinions" or because it conforms with a certain lifestyle.

[@loslingos1232]

Same

[@alwayslia2986]

But think about this VERY important question, WHERE DOES IT SAY IT IN THE BIBLE?? The Catholic Church just makes stuff up and enforces it on everyone.

[@nyebe6598]

@@alwayslia2986 Think about this too...the very word "Bible" was never mentioned IN THE BIBLE...and yet all Christians believe in every word written in it. There are legit sources out there to provide info. You can do research about your query if you wanted to, it only requires a few clicks, but here you are on KZbin instead.

[@alwayslia2986]

@@nyebe6598 so your saying we can just make Stuff up? There’s nothing wrong with cremation, the Bible never forbids it in ANY WAY, so you can’t just go around demanding that everyone follow a rule YOU made up.

[@nyebe6598]

@@alwayslia2986 Did you read what I said? RESEARCH. There are explanations for Catholic teachings/traditions. Are you even Catholic? If yes, good for you. If not, why are you so bothered about something that has nothing to do with you?

[@darienchalecki8564]

the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit....a teaching not so often talked about these days!

[@raulbaquero5081]

Ja ja ja you are right !, there are x list but this one is one of them..

[@raulbaquero5081]

** there are a big list **

[@brandonnance4107]

Excatly

[@efandmk3382]

The Holy Spirit does not remain in a dead body. Why would it? Not to mention that is gross.

[@samray3297]

The Kingdom of God is within you. Meaning God (The Holy Spirit) is within us. Surely not in a sinful body! But in the Soul in each one of us!

[@SteveAubrey1762]

I LOVE the holy Catholic Church!!! I am so grateful God led me out of Protestantism to the one TRUE Church. JA

[@virginiafonacier8795]

Welcome home.God bless us all...

[@raulbaquero5081]

Peace and Good brother Jack !, ALLELUYA !, to do that on these days means to me...you have great and strong FAITH, God bless you . Ave Maria Immacualte ! .

[@Name-le2cc]

Welcome home @Jack Aburey

[@SteveAubrey1762]

@CheMaldz Adz It was a slow process, over a lifetime. I'd find "bread crumbs," as it were, here and there. God was patient, very patient. Probably the biggest influence was Catholic friends. I was raised in a very strict Southern Baptist family but schooled in an Assemblies of God private school. Both taught me that essentially Catholics were all going to "heck" on greased rails. One day, at about 12 years old, I found myself in downtown Agana, Guam, and I wandered into the Dulce Nobre Cathedral, the biggest Catholic Church on Guam. I was curious. Amazingly, I didn't burst into flames when I crossed the threshold. There was no mass going on, but even as a child, I was dumbstruck with the presence of God. I never had experienced a pervading sense of peace like that anywhere. I ended up just quietly sitting in a back pew for a while. I remember thinking how good it would be to live my life for God. Then I went back outside and the currents of my life swept me away. We moved back Stateside, and it just so happened we moved into a very Irish neighborhood, we're of Irish ancestry as well, haha! My friends were all Catholic it seemed, I mean all of them, I don't know why it just happened that way. They would occasionally invite me to attend mass with them, and every time I would experience that original presence of peace I had felt in Guam. I especially loved going to "midnight mass" at Christmas. My brother committed suicide in 1992, shot himself in the head. I was in the other room when it happened. He had struggled with drug/alcohol addiction for years. Finding him like that really messed me up. He had met a Catholic friend though and converted to the Catholic faith. Several times in the weeks after his death, protestants I had met would come up and tell me my brother was in hell b/c he had committed self-murder. It got so bad, I went to a Catholic priest at my brothers Church and asked him. The priest was so wise, so kind, and so insightful. I was so incredibly grateful to him. I went into a spiritual wasteland that lasted decades. Then I started turning back towards God. I went to a Baptist church, overheard some of the church leaders talking about firing the preacher, etc. That didn't make sense. I found out each individual church, even though part of the Southern Baptist Convention, was an autonomous entity. I found most protestant churches were like that. I felt that was wrong. Churches needed a government, a central authority that all of them were unified under.I began studying the history of Christianity. History points to the "rightness" of the Catholic Church. I would read my protestant bible, which it turns out is a castrated version of the Catholic Bible. Even so, God spoke to me with what truth I had. I studied the history of Protestantism and was NOT happy with what I found. In the spirit of a true pilgrim, I decided to accept the use of Catholic sources-gasp! This opened my eyes to facts I had NEVER been exposed to! I could not believe in this day and age such misinformation and sometimes bald-faced lies would be disseminated by preachers who claim to be servants of God, and their congregations eat it up without question! The more I studied Catholic sources, the more I became convinced the Catholic Church was right....my own heart was bearing witness to it, it was like I could just sense the truth. I still had some issues- the whole Mary thing, the Saints thing, Confession, Baptism. Baptism was easy, I found verses in my protestant bible saying baptism was essential for salvation- how could protestants just ignore this?! Same with the confession issue. Next to fall was the Saints issue, it fell the same way, the protestant bible proved the rightness of Catholicism. One day, I felt I needed to start attending church. I drove around town, in typical protestant fashion, trying to find a church that caught my attention. Nothing. I was on my way home when I came upon a Catholic Church. What the heck? I pulled into the parking lot and there was a HUGE red sign over the door with big white letters that said "Welcome Home." My eyes teared up and I began to shake. It was as if God himself had said: "Here's your sign." My burning bush, as it were. I ended up going to RCAI and converting to the most wonderful, blessed holy Catholic Church. Praised be Jesus Christ for His infinite mercy on a lost fool. My wife and son joined soon after, and so did my mother and my daughter just converted last month from Islam! Oh, that Mary thing, that had been bothering me? My beloved mum passed away in August of 2014. She was the best Christian woman I had ever known. Before she passed away, I spoke with her. I told her I had no doubt she would be with Jesus. I asked her, in all sincerity, "when you speak to Jesus, would you ask Him to go easy on me?" Months after her death, the thought came to me, "Was that not asking for intercession?" It was. Later, another thought came to me, "Do you not adore your mum?" Naturally, of course, I do! Then is it so far fetched to think Jesus would feel the same way about HIS mother?" I was floored! Yes! It made perfect sense. I then began reading "Why We Are Catholic" by Trent Horn and Behold Your Mother, and The Fathers Knew Best." I attend mass with a joyful heart. And you know what? Every time I go into Church, I feel that peaceful presence I did back in the early 1970s in Guam. I apologize for this being so verbose, its very dear to me and well, you know. Blessings on anyone who reads this, JA

[@HenryC04]

@@SteveAubrey1762 damn, that's a long explanation. can relate though

[@samuelmelcher]

I’m not Catholic, but I see these videos and go: “huh, I’ve never thought about that. *Can* Catholics get cremated?”

[@ellenseiger8222]

Thank you, for sorting the subject out for us Father Casey!! Informative!!

[@bluetigerlozano59]

In my family, we have always buried our loved ones when they passed. In my own personal life, my family buried my maternal and paternal grandparents, along with a funeral and requiem mass with the grave blessed by a priest. When both my parents both passed (my father in 2004 and mother in 2012); my siblings and I buried them at the same cemetery with a funeral mass and rosaries prayed afterwards, and following our custom with prayers for 40 days after their repose. My oldest brother was cremated because he passed away without leaving a will and his wife at the time of his passing decided to have him cremated, but my sister kept his cremated ashes at her home until the day of the funeral, at which time we brought his ashes to the parish of Saint Michael (in Poway California) and a priest celebrated a requiem mass with his ashes present there after which, we brought them to be buried in the same cemetery not far from our parents and grandparents. My brother was fortunate because he had a wife to pay for his expenses. I and my brother are essentially paupers and do not have money for burial. When I pass away, my preference and wish is to be buried in the ground but not in a casket but in the ancient custom of a simple shroud in the ground (what they call a “green burial”) and the money spent for a box given instead to the poor and needy. So in all likelihood I will be cremated. I belong to an Orthodox jurisdiction (canonical- Moscow Patriarchate) so when I die cremation is not blessed and no funeral nor service permitted without a body present and even if my ashes can be buried in the ground no priest is permitted to bless my remains so I say this in all seriousness that I know many Catholics who are poor and don’t have the money for exorbitant funeral costs with expensive caskets and plots at cemeteries, appreciate the more recent Catholic allowance for cremation (provided the ashes are buried in the earth which suits us), as opposed to the Orthodox attitude currently which is to not offer any prayers (officially) for the departed, which is rather sad and uncharitable in my opinion, especially because for many like myself it is not done for any theological nor doctrinal difference of opinion with the magisterium of the Church nor what Catholics have been taught in regards to the body and a Christian death. Thank you for the explanation as many are unaware and concerned about this issue.

[@victoriamarks5441]

ash Wednesday "from dust your are created , and to dust you shall return"

[@efandmk3382]

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

[@urmorph]

There's someone under my bed, but I can't tell if he's coming or going.

[@gabeeaglesland1378]

That doesn’t mean you can get creamated!

[@RenaissanceSpirit]

Father, thank you for your channel and for your kindness (which really shines through your videos). I've been watching and enjoying your videos for about a year now, but for the past week, week and a half, I've been really binge-watching, and I've relied on your videos for information, solace, and to strengthen my faith. Which, in all honesty, needed (needs) strengthening. My mom just passed away comfortably last night, and I think that I was able to be a comfort to her because of you as well as the compassion of a local diocesan priest. And her last act, knowing Jesus was there for her, was a smile on her face for me. Your videos on creamation and passive euthansia were instrumental in my mom's last days. Many lay folk such as myself don't know all the ins and outs, and to have you explain it all to us is crucial in the continued journey of our faith. I have a greater understanding of Catholicism because of you, even after years of Catholic School as a child. The Holy Spirit certainly works through you, and I look forward to your future videos. I'll also look into a Franciscan retreat after what I'm sure will be a hectic few weeks. God Bless!!

[@suzannemuliolis6066]

"Remember man that you are made of dust, and to dust you shall return." God can restore you wholey and immediately. No worries...

[@drvijil]

The Big Lebowski scene cracked me up !!! Thanks for clarifying this issue. I didn’t know that dispersing of the ashes (in nature, etc.) was prohibited. Great job, as always.

[@danielthomas791]

...burial.....I can dig it...…….

[@bluemarshall6180]

Elba M Looks like.

[@trioan3500]

U ok?

[@dravenocklost4253]

100th like. Boo, to your pun, lol

[@iamcjan]

Lol

[@MaggieCandy999]

*Badum tish* 🥁

[@lance7607]

I'm currently sitting in on RCIA classes and will officially start RCIA this Fall. Your videos are very helpful, thank you.

[@giovanniradhitioputrasadew9100]

Padre, I think you need to make another video to explain about relics. I mean their body parts can be literally scattered all over the places. I remember a story about a Portuguese general used to wear St Teresa Avilla's index finger as his necklace. I even have a small crucifix with some bone fragments of 5 different saints in it. So why the "scattering" rule does not apply for saints?

[@MZONE991]

i love this channel, i wish you were my parish priest

[@raulbaquero5081]

Well, is not " the channel ", we have hundreds of them, it IS how effective is his speeachs on us, all right to the target which is usually the Franciscan spirituslity, to the roots !, not walking on the branchs of the tree...-:)

[@normamcgiboney9925]

Paladin Christian it’s a good thing he’s not he still has his eyes closed I pray that he opens them soon before the Lord says to him I never knew you

[@frankrault3190]

I fully do agree with the need of treating the (cremated) body with care and due respect. We know that millions of people found the end of their life in the gas chambers of Nazi Germany. Their ashes were (randomly) spread all over the area. I believe God to be more than capable to "find" their appropriate and by then sanctified bodies once the time of the final resurrection has begun.

[@AntonioSantos-hk3wr]

I do not want a chemical-filled cariogenic body of mine to be ditched in a hole down there that is so disrespectful to my body. Instead, I want a simple unbleached cotton to be rapped around me , put me in a cardboard box and bury me in a shallow whole next to a tree. So that it may feast upon me slowly

[@tafazzi-on-discord]

many martyrs died a glorious death being mauled and eaten by lions, but we don't conclude it's appropriate to feed a cadaver to animals.

[@Orfiad]

You should make a video on purgatory and indulgences

[@sennahoj777]

Yes! As raised lutheran that's basically the first two things I used to take issue with when thinking of the catholic curch

[@itburns5756]

Does the concept of indulgences still exist today?

[@wiseowl282]

I have made videos on purgatory. Go to KZbin and go to purgatory from the wiseowl2.

[@eribertosalmo2497]

Purgatory and Indulgences are not in the Bible, so these are false teachings.

[@Orfiad]

Eriberto Salmo there’s not a single koala, kangaroo, or platypus in the Bible, I guess Australia’s unbiblical and a false teaching then

[@patriciam1550]

Father thank you for making this so clear and cogent. I finally understand this important part of being a Catholic.

[@theclapaolini4322]

Fantastic Father Casey That needed to be explained and you did it best.thank you again.

[@november132]

I believe cremation is only acceptable if the ashes will be buried at a cemetery. Not "scattered" somewhere or kept at home or even more sickening, be made into jewelry!!!!!

[@allandejager5963]

Cremation is not allowed in the Church. Only burial. Church teaching does not permit you to have personal beliefs on what is acceptable to church teaching or not. The key point is that VII is not the Catholic Church.

[@gregbrogan9061]

@@allandejager5963 - Did you watch the video?? It was the entire discussion of the vid and seems you didn't get it.

[@lpr4778]

@@gregbrogan9061 Just because a Modernist friar says something does not mean it represents 2,000 years of Catholic teaching. His views are degenerate.

[@aliu8914]

@@allandejager5963 allowed.Who said not allowed?

[@gregbrogan9061]

@@lpr4778 - No, it doesn't represent 2,000 years of Catholic teaching. It represents the Catholic Church TODAY in 2020!

[@rigopinedagarcia]

Hello Father Cole. I really enjoy the way you explain things and situations about our church. You are a gifted wise young priest. God bless you, and keep it up doing these beautiful videos we appreciate so much. Regards from Nicaragua.

[@hushpuckena2637]

How would wearing ashes in a piece of jewelry as a sign of the love one had for the departed be any different from having relics of a saint scattered about in multiple churches?

[@bethanyann1060]

Yeah I was wondering the same thing.

[@mariaesparza4067]

relics are not body parts or ashes, they are usually items or articles that belonged, worn, or owned by the saints. prayers for your understanding.

[@hushpuckena2637]

@@mariaesparza4067 With respect, Ma'am, some saint's relics are body parts.

[@bethanyann1060]

@@mariaesparza4067 Yes some relics are definitely body parts. Bones, pieces of hair, etc.

[@Bbbbbbbbbv]

Yes, lots and lots of relics are body parts of saints. I would also like this question answered.

[@lenbantay3993]

Thank you so much for clearing these up.

[@tysonsmith9711]

We get our bodies back in the end! Thank you God!

[@tysonsmith9711]

SkillsDND It is the teaching of the saints that those who are in the resurrected world will be 33 and perfect. They may wear the wounds of their sanctification like Christ still has His five wounds in heaven.

[@tysonsmith9711]

SkillsDND God is love. “Why must we suffer? Because here below pure love cannot exist without suffering.” St Bernadette May I ask what you mean by ‘the churches’? Do you mean plural?

[@imshadrach]

@@tysonsmith9711 Just as you stated you stated pure Love cannot exist without suffering. He paid the price for us by denial of himself talking the Human flesh due to Love inorder to reconcile us back to Himself. He has shown us the way That's why we must follow Him by first of all denial ourselves of every pleasure Which go contrary to His word. Such as fighting so that people will not see as dump, quarrelling so that people we not see as fool etc. You see all these want are contrary to word of God. For us to not please ourselves of sin we must denial our flesh and follow Him which is painful to flesh but pleasing to the Spirit of God.

[@yethtizon5246]

Thank you fr. Casey. Your the greatest gift sharing us what you have learn. From Philippines.

[@patrickcarbonell627]

This brings me to light. Cremation has always been a gray area to me. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[@johnduffy6546]

Well presented. Thank you for answering my questions

[@reginasmith3149]

Thank you for this. I do wonder, though, why it's okay then to spread relics of saints. Are their bones dispersed to different locations?

[@BreadofLifeChannel]

Great question! I hope he answers!

[@recalcitrantradical7312]

If I may, being in close physical proximity to holy people dates to early Christian practice. The entire skeleton of a Saint is not used for first class relics, but just a miniscule part, or hair, also just a clip. Second class relics (clothing for example) are abundant.

[@jesseholthaus8357]

Regina Smith relics of saints are always put in a place of reverence where the public can come to honor them. In other words, the body is always sacred, even after death. The Church is promoting the veneration of a saint by allowing churches to display their bodies. Also, while there were times in the Church where pieces of saints were divided up, her general stance is to try and keep a body whole and intact while only taking a tiny bit from what is considered an nonessential part of the body like a sliver of fingernail or hair.

[@raulbaquero5081]

The perfect example of this is St Teresa de Jesus ( Avila Spain )

[@RocknRoRose]

@@recalcitrantradical7312 explain the skull if Saint John the Baptist and I believe there is a jaw of a saint. Jaw bones are not small miniscule pieces of the skeletal body.

[@joannebywaters4154]

Thank you!! Much appreciated as that is a very clear explanation!!🙏💞

[@robertsullivan4773]

Nice Job, I have been critical of you in the past on other of your videos but you nailed this one, very good. But I personally still ascribe to the burial of the body.

[@sameash3153]

Anglican churches often keep ashes of their congregants in a sacred chamber where respects may be paid. Like the catacombs and graveyards, it connects generation to generation of believers and worshippers, from the past, present, and the future (in that we all will be there one day). Also, the liturgy of Ash Wednesday feels much more resonant with the idea of cremation than with a bodily burial. The priest does not bless you with bones but ashes.

[@karnowo]

Agnostic here. Genuine question, what of the cost of burial compared to cremation, a plot of land for burial is growing more and more expensive with every passing year, and will continue to do so unless we desecrate the resting places of the deceased. If a family cannot afford a plot of land, then how are they to bury their deceased? Only just found the channel recently, and it is wonderful. An amazing educator and communicator.

[@brobro3944]

Hey I can’t answer your question, but I wanted to say to come to Christ. What’s there to wait for. If anybody says your too much of a sinner or something like that, nobody but Jesus is perfect. So, come to Christ today, and thanks for the open mindedness

[@rossiele]

I think such things depend on where you live. I live in Milan, Italy, and here burials are expensive. But, especially, they are not forever... When you get buried in Milan, your burial lasts for 20 years. Then it's excavated out, bones are collected and put in a smaller case that is placed in a wall of the cemetery. The bad part is that a relative of the deceased must be present to the unburial and casket opening, and that 20 years are often not enough to reduce the body to bones (in this case, the casket is closed and buried for another 10 years). My grandparents got buried, and for my mother it was devastating to go watch their unburials 20 years later (which were not enough in her mother's case, so she had to repeat that 10 years later). So, both she and my father chose to be cremated in order to spare that to me (or to my brother)

[@alexcharneski7597]

My grandmother died in 2022, she was cremated and is now laid to rest in a Catholic mausoleum. It’s nice to have a place where we can visit her and remember the lives she gave us.

[@spindleforceengraving750]

Father, There is a chapel with skulls and bones all around the walls, ceiling and on the sides of the altar. The chapel even has 3 skeletons dressed in Capuchin habits. Some say the Franciscans own such a chapel. Can you please explain why this chapel was made this way? Thank you

[@boku5192]

I don´t think it is only one. But the reason this might be done is probably because when you dig new graves on cemetery you will eventually run into many very old forgotten graves with some bones with in. And since they can´t just throw it away or stop digging new grave because of two bones and a scull they built a chapel with everything made out of bones so they are basically buried in it. Similarly very rich nobles built themselves small chappels/toombs to be buried in. So this might be version of this but for common people who died 300 years before you because there is no way you can build a grave for every single scull you find. Also their bodies are respected and resting in peace by being made in something beautiful (although very spooky ounce you find out that the cool chandelier is made out of bones).

[@IONATVS]

The traditional practice of cemeteries, before embalming became commonplace, and when the same graveyard was used by the same village for dozens of generations, was to bury the dead until a couple generations later when their flesh and coffin had rotten away and no one in town had strong memories of them, at which point their skeletons were dug up and moved to the Ossuary, a building in the graveyard or gallery in a church crypt filled with little boxes, each *just* big enough to cram in all the bones that make up a skeleton, when you don't care about their orientation and positioning, but do care about not breaking them. Thus, the priest or an old widow or other person feeling particular charity towards the dead in general could still come to the ossuary to pray for the "long departed" and see the rows on rows of boxes of long dead people with little name plates if they care to look for relatives, but the cemetary could keep the limited space in the small field free for the more recently departed who are more likely to be visited regularly. This style of cemetary is rare today but was the norm back then. As to the practice of 'bone chapels' in specific, there are like 3 famous ones that still survive today, but they used to be more common across Europe--most were removed because of the unsettling macabre-ness of it all, even though that is exactly the reaction they are supposed to elicit: discomfort. If I remember correctly, a lot of people whose skeletons are on display in such a chapel specifically requested to have their bones interred in such a public manner as a Memento Mori--a genre of art intended to remind the viewer of their own mortality so that they do not take their short lives for granted and make good with God before they meet him in person. Generally the idea to build a bone chapel would be proposed in a parish or monastery after a plague or other catastrophe had swept through and taken a lot of people before their time, when the community had just had a vivid and painful reminder of their own mortality and how quickly one could go from youthful vigor to pallid rigor. The donors would be buried like normal, but instead of being moved to the ossuary after their skeleton had been picked clean by the worms, they were moved onto public display in these chapels...and if they didn't get enough donors, there were always enough skeletons in the ossuary that could be pulled out to fill the vacancy--which could be seen as an upgrade, since more visibility generally = more prayers for your immortal soul. The dressing up of the skeletons and having them posed to look as though they are engaging in normal human activities was a particular staple of Mementos Mori--both in more common paintings or bas reliefs, and in this kind of display--as it shows just how the hour can come like a "thief in the night"--the characters were living as if nothing is out of the ordinary up until the very moment they died, and likely were no more ready for it to come than you would be. A particular sub-genre of the Momento Mori leans into this conceit even further: the Danse Macabre. In a Danse Macabre, the personification of Death (usually as a skeleton in a cloak, sometimes with a scythe, sometimes as just a cloaked or pale figure, sometimes as an angel with macabre symbols around him) links arms with a long chain of people (sometimes skeletal, sometimes not) as they dance a simple jig together happily; and each person dancing with death wears distinctive costume to signify the status, power, wealth, or lack thereof they had in life, with the point being that death comes for ALL of them. Death shows no partiality for the rich, death cares not whether you were the town drunk or the knight in shining armor, or a well-respected lady, or an innocent child, or even the Pope, when he comes, the only thing you can do is accept it and 'join the dance'.

[@CroatiaSurvival]

The Capuchins in Rome had to move from their old monastery to a new one. They decided to take their deceased brothers, who were buried under the old monastery, with them. Instead of burying the bones, they decided to decorate the basement of the new monastery with them.

[@lisderoa]

In Paris there are the "Catacombes du Paris" that were originally a mine for the stone used in most buildings. The problem was than no one took the job of consolidating the excavations and there were falls and even buildings on the surface falled when the ceilings of the galleries yielded. The mines were closed and remained empty till a moment of great deaths and the city found there was no more place for the corpses in the cemeteries. So the dug out all the old bones and decided to put them in those mines. The people who did it made decorative walls closing the little caves in the mine and put the smaller bones behind. In each "cave" there is notice saying from which cemetery were taken the bones.

[@leemarie5019]

Good to know. Thank you, Fr. Casey for the very clear explanation.

[@mro2352]

My wife and I lost our son a week before he was born. We cremated him as a practical consideration as I was a contractor and we had no place to bury him. We have the urn with us now. The idea is that whoever dies first will have his urn buried with them.

[@dannyp2058]

Father, I have watched a few of your videos since waking and really enjoy the topics I have heard you cover, I did start with the 10 Catholic jokes which were surprisingly good I say so sabi dont normally get too many jokes you do explain things in a easy and pleasant way so I subscribed and look forward to seeing more of you. God bless

[@amoschannel6982]

Yes, agree so much... I prefer cremation to burial, because maintaining a grave is costly today...

[@ElizabethBattle]

Just started OCIA classes this month...for me, one of the big attractions to the Catholic Church was that they have answers. Protestants (which I was for 50 years) struggle so much to figure out issues like what's essential to the faith, predestination, how to know if you're saved, etc. The Catholic Church has already addressed that and much more in the course of 2000 years of existance. There is great rest in the Catholic Faith. There is no need to strive for answers and struggle with difficult concepts of the faith.

[@anawfullongway]

And what about organ donation? That would also mean your body isn't 'whole' anymore, right?

[@kianacunningham6273]

An awful long way no not in that sense. Organ donation is encouraged because then it’s giving the gift of life to someone else.

[@boku5192]

Well in the end it will be burred in grave so i see no problem here. Also it your kidney is not really dead and dies with person receiving it. It´s like when you lose your limb. It get´s properly disposed of.

[@boku5192]

Also radon123456 please go and be edgy smartass somewhere lese

[@hayleybartek8643]

The new body your body part is put into won't last forever, either.

[@jasonthomas9364]

That was very informative, thank you

[@jsphfalcon]

It cost 10k to bury someone these days. Some family end up leaving the body to the hospital or to research. Also cemeteries in Italy are running out of room and pulling bones out and sending remains to relatives to make room for new bodies

[@maryjurisons4648]

Joseph Rodrigo You don’t have to fall into the trappings of a funeral home and spend $10,000. I hurried a brother last year, and it cost me about $1,200. I had him cremated. Luckily, he was buried at a national cemetery, so I didn’t have to pay for his spot. There are many things family members can do too to save money.

[@lpr4778]

10k? Only if you need a coffin of gold.

[@laurahuynh8333]

Yeah. Also keep in mind that burials are bad for the environment.

[@ramaraksha01]

@@laurahuynh8333 Burial traps the soul under the ground for all eternity. We all know who resides down there & once he gets his hands on you there is no escape. Fire consumes the body and sets the soul free to join God & be Reincarnated Cremation is the obvious and correct choice

[@laurahuynh8333]

Ramaraksha I agree.

[@piarossi6831]

Very sensitive, reasonable, and compassionate guidelines.

[@Zitterion2016]

Thanks this made me a stronger Catholic

[@greenoak1]

baptized catholic, catholic school, confirmation, brother is a Benedictine monk... Left the movement long ago for a myriad of reasons. I found this channel recently and it is amazing - really well written, engaging and funny at times. It is a flood of memories of nuns and catechism. It is indeed why someone would be a catholic. But for me it is such a relief that I made the right decision to move away. I was considering the priesthood at 16-18. It was at that time I bailed completely. The canon, the hierarchy, the history, the... well let's just leave it at that. I dig that you're a Franciscan. Love your vocation - and you do a fantastic job! Keep up the good work.

[@candyclews4047]

I totally agree with not having body ashes/parts preserved in mementos, jewellery or other objects. Just wondering how this affects relics? I know you are not allowed to trade in relics but they still give me the creeps, when I've seen them on display.

[@samray3297]

Thank you for this valid video!

[@mariaeugeniamunozosuna7582]

Thanks a lot for all your teachings, Father Casey. I am Catholic, I have gone to Catholic schools, but nobody ever explained things as clear as you do. Greetings from Spain!!🇪🇦

[@strangeroamer3219]

That's because you cannot rely on the church to teach you everything. Read the Bible. It is the word of God and you will know everything that God approves and disapproves of. Reading the Bible is a must for everyone in my opinion. Read it cover to cover and do not skip any books or chapters.

[@teemarks8527]

Greetings from Botswana 🇧🇼. Wow! Father Casey, thank you so much for your continued enlightenment on our Catholic Faith. May the Good Lord God Almighty bless you always 🙏🏾🕊️

[@willowdesautelle2049]

Love your videos. I do have a comment about the cost of cremation vs. burial. I think a lot of people choose cremation because of the price. We had to for my husband's son.

[@TeeBoyd88]

It wouldn't just be for affordability but the fact that some people (myself also) are very uncomfortable with the rising cost of traditional coffin burial. I'd rather my family have that money plus a donation to my chosen charities.

[@brunogiambroni1422]

Hahaha, somehow knew the Big Lebowski scene would be at least referenced! Thanks for the info and video 🙏🏼

[@normieross2507]

The church created this law but I’m sure God dose not mind. Personally, I do not want to be lingering around for centuries.

[@margemiller8017]

Remember, wherever you are, you're lingering there.

[@normieross2507]

That’s not the point of my comment.

[@versastyle5007]

@@normieross2507 can you please explain what your point was?

[@conniemcfeely4115]

Thank you very much for all the information...it's extremely helpful to me 🙏🙏🙏😇

[@paulziolo9241]

Love your videos! God bless you! What is the Church’s position if someone’s body is totally destroyed by some natural catastrophe or accident, or is lost at sea?

[@HenryC04]

using this to study for theology final. good work,great vids.

[@livetroy]

What about relics of saints being spread around the world?

[@DanUtley]

I had the same thought! It just raised questions in my head and did not provide answers. I think the difference probably lies around the fact that they are Saints, and relics are for public veneration and prayer, not mementos. I just googled this and got basically that answer. First class relics MUST be available for public veneration, and treated with proper respect (and authorized by a Bishop). And funerals/burials are for public veneration if the deceased. Basically, makes them available for us to properly respect and acknowledge their entire person, and that there is always a place you can go to venerate them/remember them with their actual body present. Also of note, a first class relic is considered to contain the entirety of the person (obviously not their soul which is in Heaven, but you get it). So if you have a toe bone, you have a relic of St. So and So, not a relic of St So and So’s Toe.

[@fwcolb]

@@DanUtley Like the Holy Cross of which there are enough relics to build Noah's Ark. For every saint there are enough relics to construct an elephant and for a few, enough to construct a whale.

[@Roydolli]

I believe that their remains were not cremated. Only their bones or incorrupt parts of the body are spread around the world and not their ashes.

[@notazazel]

I love this channel, and am so grateful for it, but it's probably best to cut out the funky intro for just this one vid due to the nature of it's subject

[@jonhall4816]

Can you follow this up with a video on organ donation, and on bodily relics of past saints that have been spread around the world, rather than buried whole?

[@IONATVS]

Voluntary postmortem organ donation is performing a final act of Charity on your deathbed, and voluntary self-sacrifice where it will make a real difference is seen as a worthy reason to allow someone to take a small part of your body away from the remainder--but under Catholic theology it *is* seen as a sacrifice, as part of you will not be honored with the rest of you at your grave, so harvesting them without permission, as is commonly done to executed criminals in China, is seen as a form of desecration. As to relics, the official stance has been, for as long as the Church has had an official stance: (1) that saints, whether canonized or not are already resurrected and in heaven, so while desecration is still bad, it will not harm their souls in any way. People pray for saints to pray for the living and the non-saintly dead, but have no need of pray for their own sake. (2) the body of a Saint, like any other body, ought to be respected and kept whole...but 'nonessential' parts, like hair, or fingernails, or the blood that soaked into their garments as they died are ok to separate so more places can experience their blessing (3) when unscrupulous men or the circumstances of their life or martyrdom separate parts of their body, it is *best* to reunite them, but doing so is often politically fraught because each church with a part wants to be the one with the main body of the saint to answer their prayers and bring in pilgrims who make donations. And because of (1) there is no real urgency to resolve the conflict; the saint will be fine, no matter which group of sinners has which parts of their body, and if they're arguing over keeping the saint's arm or skull they probably need the prayer pretty bad. So the Church shakes its head at the squabbling and tolerates the bit of disrespect as it moves on to more important things--solving the issue would just make one church a bit richer, but deprive the other of a friend they have relied on for generations and impoverish them at the same time, surely the saint doesn't want that for any church, let alone one where so many have come to seek his or her aid.

[@carolineduliat]

Thank you Fr. for this explanation.

[@shannon2871]

I personally want to be buried. But everyone else in my family who has passed, was cremated. I told my sister that my wishes are to be buried. And she said I can't because "I would be breaking the family tradition" 😐

[@francisvinquiote300]

I doubt your ancestors also got cremated... Your nearest family broke and changed the tradition in the first place.

[@asterixs259]

Faith over tradition. Tell them that

[@raulbaquero5081]

@@francisvinquiote300 Great answer !!

[@asterixs259]

@@traditionalfascists3303 men have had faith for milleniums, tell me how is it modernist?

[@ngcollin88]

And also, are u in a country that favours cremation mostly due to land constraints?

[@lhurrleherrick]

THANK YOU 🙏🏻 🙏🏻This is a wonderful explanation .

[@timaahhh]

Although generally done in a respectful way, I'd like to hear your thoughts on Burial at Sea. Pertaining to necessity of burial at sea for conflicts or due to natural disaster. Also burial at sea that are not 'necessary' for instance some WW2 veterans have recently been buried at sea as they wanted to be buried with their shipmates. It sounds like due to the thoughtfulness put into these affairs the Catholic Church wouldn't have much of an issue but I'd be interested if it had come up before.

[@dmcgee3]

Are you referring to the USS Arizona and USS Utah? Survivors of those two ships were allowed to have their ashes entombed within the ships.

[@jimastro67]

"Must bury" and yet catholic churches hold fingers and ears of saints in lockets stored in alcoves as relics?

[@kamzalian]

Land for burial is a premium now, after sometime or land will be full of burial places. So how do we handle and manage this issue

[@inarcadia3296]

Quite true, I often think about that when visiting a cemetery.

[@Rmurrayusmc1]

How do we deal with faithful killed, primarily in war time, that have had their body completely annihilated? I understand how as a Christian you should not willingly want your remains scattered, but I also see how we can confine God and his Mercy and cause people to despair and become despondent. Y’all have a really hard job and a delicate line to walk. God bless you for taking on this responsibility

[@neiladrianorilla660]

"You have a completely different body every year.... Poooooooffff!!!" 🤯🤯🤯 Very funny Father Casey 🤣🤣🤣

[@troyleonard8995]

keep up the awesome work brother. You schooled me on so much about our beautiful precious Catholicism

[@ericaoc471]

Some of my husbands father and grandfathers ashes were given to him. What can we if anything do respectfully with these ashes?

[@kianacunningham6273]

Consult a priest and potentially bury them.

[@lapacker]

I've always thought that God can bring our bodies from any state. How many people die in fires, or explosions, lost at sea, etc. Personally I think that the practice of embalming is rather horrific. So, I will be cremated and buried in a Catholic cemetery.

[@jillphilips3788]

“ God Bless “

[@lisderoa]

As the cost of keeping a body in the cemetery was rising, many parrishes of Buenos Aires built communal cineraries. Sometimes the are ceremonies with several urns to be emptied in the cinerary.

[@helenrosario1421]

Sorry just continuing. My husband has not been buried in a cemetery, instead there are photographs of him in the house, where we see him every single day, we smile, say a silent hello, and it’s so complete knowing he’s still around.

[@alisha4012]

You have a point there I can't argue with your points

[@Mman07311]

What about when you're buried to plant a tree? Is that okay because your body is intact and buried or is it not okay because it fertilizes a tree?

[@donm-tv8cm]

I echo that. Regardless of beliefs, EVERY buried body ends up as nutrients for SOMETHING. In the grave, you have bacteria, fungi, and myriad crawling bugs (no, most coffins in the ground don't stay sealed tight forever). Why not be nutrients for beautiful plants, or trees? Either way, your body ends up dispersed eventually.

[@weirdcollarguy]

Fascinating. Thank you, father.

[@slickrick75150]

I don't understand why mixing the ashes with seeds would be an issue considering your ashes would be in one place and buried in the ground and the resulting tree would work the same way as a headstone for remembrance with the added benefit of providing food and shelter to God creatures like the birds and help everyone on the planet by absorbing CO2 and producing O2. Also what about the saints? Their bodies are seperated between different churches? Sorry not trying to argue just trying to understand.

[@UnratedAwesomeness]

I think it's just out of the desire to keep your body intact for the resurrection.

[@juliana-bila]

Father, could you do a video on the resurrection of the dead? My mom has some doubts on it, and I like your way on teaching

[@rgoodwinau]

Interesting and logical approach on cremation well explained. However, I'm not so sure on the scattering thing. Cremation of an 80kg man will leave around 3kg of mainly bone ashes. The other 77kg will be "scattered" into the atmosphere through the crematorium chimney as molecules and atoms that are either directly from the body or are atoms/molecules of the body combined with atmospheric gasses during burning. For me it seems the key issue (particularly in the more secular Western World) is that the body/ashes are treated with respect, for they were part of a child of God, made in the image of God. Whether the remaining 4% of the body is scattered, like the other 96% seems inconsequential.

[@anthonymarbaniang6704]

Very helpful and informative thanks

[@normaajarie4359]

Don't cremate me . lay me to rest. So my family can know where i lay to rest. When burned and ashes is scattered where do u say to families(here ur family was laid to rest) respect ur dead ones. Thank u very much.

[@hassiearaya8024]

Bravo this is very important for so many people.

[@rubenantonioperez693]

can a catholic leave their body for science?

[@amoschannel6982]

I think I agree with voluntary organ donor It's an act of giving for another life.

[@samuelcarroll5463]

The body can be but must be buried with a funeral after (I believe)

[@raulbaquero5081]

The right answer is YES !, and not only organs but the whole body too. Peace and Good

[@delvingeorge2807]

A priest did this actually but I personally think we should be buried this shows, how much we love ourselves.

[@november132]

I thought it was wrong to donate organs because you aren't dead when they take their organs, so they kill you after which is a sin

[@fionamacvane3187]

Thank you for this clarification.

[@laurastokes4777]

The soul recreates the body in a healthy way after death. I have seen it The old body is left by the soul and cremation is ok

[@ramaraksha01]

Burial traps the body under the ground for all eternity. WE all know who resides down there and once he gets his hands on you there is no escape Fire consumes the body and sets the soul free so then it can join God and be Reincarnated Cremation is the obvious and correct choice

[@aled8132]

I'm not a Roman Catholic but I very much enjoy learning from your videos, thank you. May I ask how the church chooses what rules it can and can't change? I recently watched you explain why the rules around women priests won't be changed, but I now see the rules around cremation were? I'm not trying to be contentious. I'm genuinely interested. Thanks again for your videos.

[@tafazzi-on-discord]

Hi, still looking for an answer?

[@paulhoward6158]

How is the practice of the veneration of relics, i.e., a piece of bone, or other bodily parts, which are not kept with the rest of the body, consistent with the practice of keeping the bodily remains whole and in one place?

[@donadieu83]

Brother, This was excellent! ever thought of writing a book. Father Answers Questions LOL

[@WashingtonDC99]

I am a Traditional Catholic woman. I love my Catholic Faith. But, for me, personally I do not want to be buried. I want to donate the parts of my body that are in good condition to donate to people in need of an organ. I'm going to donate all my good organs.... and whatever is not good for any used it can be cremated. A funeral cost $9,000 dollars. To send my body back to Honduras 🇭🇳 is $20,000 dollars. I will not get my daughter in debt. I will not spend money in a body that is food for the warns. That money instead can be donated to others in need of food. I want people to love me now. Once, I am dead I don't flowers for funeral. I don't even like funerals. Thank you so much for the topic Father Casey.🙏🙏♥️💙👌👍 GOD blessed you and guide you through the process of life. Sending all my love to all from DC...the Nation's Capital.

[@nicnaknoc]

Oh 🤯 I in no way had imagined that this topic was the one that would have me disagree with Catholicism the most... I'm absolutely mind-blown and chocked at this. Just 🤯🤯🤯🤯 Mkay I'm gonna go think

[@theraginggnome7522]

Although I understand what you have said I still will spread my mom's ashes, mostly as her last wish, in very important places to us. I am Catholic but still don't agree with this idea of you need to bury the ashes. My mom was a very devoted person to the church and to think several priests where refusing to proceed over her funeral, because they didn't want to deal with anyone who was gonna be cremated, angers me. Yes I understand Pagans use to do it yet hasn't our own religion accepted ideas from the Pagans in the past like the idea of Santa Clause? Does that mean she goes to hell? I rarely question my own religion but this is something that makes no sense and no priests have given me an answer to. Plus as someone has mentioned that I have saw what about those saints who have different parts of them spread throughout the world? Isn't that not against what you have said? Not trying to be angry about this, despite what my name is, but it's something I believe the religion can be more relaxed about since in my opinion if God is all powerful he will be able to make us whole again no matter where we are in end times.

[@toxicspiderman3815]

To my knowledge when it comes to a saints bodies in the church it's the whole body so the Saint wouldn't be scattered across the world but I would be in the specific location and usually, churches were built around the saint's final resting place and not the other way around. And the other hand I know it was an example but Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, not a pagan belief.

[@theraginggnome7522]

@@toxicspiderman3815 There are some saints that have parts in different parts of the world and I meant to say Christmas not St. Nick specifically but then again that's why I gave up on this religion since because they make no sense and change whatever fits their agenda but then again that's life I guess

[@smorstarnongbet1707]

Thank you Father a departed souls should be remembered as Christ promised resurrection I am a catholic from North East India shillong archdiocese

[@Zack-kk5xr]

How does this relate to being able to have 1st class relics of the saints?

[@bob91024]

When my wife's sister died in 1986 and was cremated , by a Catholic mortuary, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles did not allow the cremains into the church. Due to the death of the Parrish Priest before the funeral another Priest was called to officiate. When he enter the sanctuary he was amassed that there was only the casket for the deceased Parish Priest and nothing for my wife sister. A quick information session and the funeral went on. The Catholic cemetery did not blink a eye and interned her with her mother. Times have changed in the church.

[@tcc5750]

Did you bring science into this?! I was sweating profusely.

[@dianelippert4710]

How does the division of the bodies of saints for distribution of relics figure into this "keeping the body whole" doctrine?

[@jane-cn6nd]

Both of my grandparents were catholic and chose to be cremated.

[@maxinemcclurd1288]

As will I be.Scriptures say even the oceans will give up it's dead at the end.Any one getting in a twist about cremation needs to donate to people who can't afford traditional burial.

[@mygirlpiper]

Kimberly Painter My Mom and Dad have since passed and my Father just recently as of this past month of May and were associated with our local Catholic Church for 40 yrs - NO WORRIES, if you lived for Christ and died in Christ " cremated or not" JESUS MAKES ALL THINGS ANEW and that includes people that chose cremation over being laid out in a casket and embalmed. I honored both of my parents wishes because they did not want to be laid out in a casket and they did not want to give that lasting image to family members of their dead body laying in a open casket and that's why we chose cremation. Nothing is impossible when it comes to the LORD and those who were cremated and lived for Jesus will see and have there bodies resurrected by our Great GOD IN HEAVEN on judgement day!! - and we had a great catholic funeral mass for both of my parents - NO WORRIES!!!

[@CrystalHempstock]

This explained a lot, thank you.