New Catholic Rules on Cremation and Storing Ashes (Dec 2023)

On December, 9 2023, Pope Francis and the Vatican introduced some new rules about what Catholics can do with the ashes of their loved ones after cremation. These updates are a big change from the old rules and here’s what they mean:

• Mixing Ashes Together: The Church now says it’s okay to put the ashes of different people together in one place. This is new because before, everyone’s ashes had to be kept separate.
• Keeping Ashes in Special Places: Families can now keep a small part of their loved one’s ashes in places that are important to them. This is different from the old rules, which said ashes had to be kept together in a cemetery or a church.
• Why These Changes Matter: These new rules show that the Catholic Church is trying to keep up with what people want nowadays, while still sticking to its main beliefs. The Church still prefers burying people, but they understand that some people want to do things differently.
• What the Church Says About the Changes: The Church is careful to say that even with these new rules, the way ashes are treated should still respect their beliefs. They don’t want the ashes to be treated in a way that goes against what they believe about life and death.

This article is going to tell you more about these changes, why they were made, and how they might affect Catholic families and funeral practices. It’s a big deal for the Church and shows how they’re changing with the times.

Read the letter updating the rules.

Read: What does the Bible say about cremation?

Historical Perspective on Cremation in the Catholic Church

Historically, the Catholic Church’s approach to death and burial has been deeply rooted in its teachings on the resurrection and dignity of the human body. Traditionally, the Church strongly opposed cremation, viewing it as contrary to the belief in the resurrection of the body. This stance was reflected in canonical laws and practices, where burial was preferred as a means to show respect for the deceased and as a symbol of hope for resurrection.

However, in 1963, the Church’s stance on cremation began to shift. Recognizing the changing social and cultural landscapes, the Church lifted its outright ban on cremation. This change did not signify an endorsement of cremation but rather an acknowledgment that, under certain conditions, cremation could be an acceptable practice for Catholics. The 1983 Code of Canon Law and the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches incorporated this permission, though with clear preferences and guidelines to maintain the sanctity of the practice.

Overview of the New Guidelines

The latest update from the Vatican, announced on December 9, 2023, marks a further evolution in the Church’s approach to cremation. The new guidelines, approved by Pope Francis and detailed by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, address specific questions and concerns raised by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, reflecting a response to the increasing number of Catholics choosing cremation.

The Dicastery’s statement acknowledges the growing preference for cremation due to various reasons, including economic and social factors. However, it emphasizes that these choices should not be driven by beliefs contrary to Christian doctrine.

In the words of the Dicastery, these updates are meant to “correspond not only with the requests of family members but more importantly, with the Christian proclamation of the resurrection of the body and the respect due to it”​​.

Key Changes in the Vatican’s Guidelines on Cremation

The Vatican’s new guidelines on cremation introduce several notable changes.

Commingled Ashes

Introduction of Communal Cinerary Urns (places to store ashes)

• What’s changed: The Church now permits the creation of communal cineraries for the collective storage of ashes. This marks a significant shift from the earlier requirement of storing individual ashes separately.
• Significance: Cardinal Victor Fernandez, in the document approved by Pope Francis, emphasizes that this approach allows for the preservation of ashes in a dignified manner while respecting the memory and identity of each individual​​. The rules for ashes will now align with the rules for bones, which are permitted to be commingled in ossuaries.
• Quote: “…a defined and permanent sacred place can be set aside for the commingled accumulation and preservation of the ashes of deceased baptized persons, indicating the identity of each person so as not to lose the memory of their names”​​.

Partial Retention of Ashes

Keeping a Portion of Ashes in Personal Places

• New Rule: If approved families may now keep a small part of their loved one’s ashes in a place with personal significance, provided it aligns with Christian beliefs.
• Conditions: This practice is permitted only if it does not lead to pantheistic, naturalistic, or nihilistic misunderstandings and the ashes are still treated with respect​​. Requires approval from catholic authorities.
• Quote: “the ecclesiastical authority, in compliance with current civil norms, may consider and evaluate a request by a family to preserve in an appropriate way a minimal part of the ashes of their relative in a place of significance for the history of the deceased person, provided that every type of pantheistic, naturalistic, or nihilistic misunderstanding is ruled out and also provided that the ashes of the deceased are kept in a sacred place”​​.

Sacred Respect and Locations

Emphasis on Reverence and Appropriate Locations

• Importance of Respect: The guidelines stress the need to maintain a sacred respect towards the ashes, which should be stored in places conducive to prayer and remembrance.
• Recommended Locations: While allowing for some flexibility, the Church still recommends storing ashes in sacred places like cemeteries or dedicated areas near churches​​.
• Quote: “…an attitude of sacred respect toward the ashes of the deceased, which are to be kept in a sacred place suitable for prayer, sometimes located near the churches visited by the family and neighbors of the deceased.”

Stance Against Pantheistic, Naturalistic and Nihilistic Beliefs

Maintaining Doctrinal Integrity

• Avoiding Misinterpretations: The guidelines caution against any interpretation of cremation practices that contradicts Christian doctrine.
• Religious Significance of Ashes: The Church reiterates the importance of treating ashes as part of the deceased’s journey and as a symbol of their identity and dignity​​.
• Quote: “…rejects every type of pantheistic, naturalistic, or nihilistic misunderstanding…”​​.

Continued Preference for Burial

Preference Remains For Traditional Burial Practices

• Burial as Preferred Practice: Despite the new allowances for cremation, the Church continues to prefer burial, in line with its teachings on resurrection and respect for the body.
• Theological Rationale: This preference is rooted in the belief that burial more clearly symbolizes hope in resurrection and maintains a stronger connection between the living and the departed​​.

Where Separating Ashes Are Not Allowed

The announcement specifies that a small amount of ashes may be preserved separately so long as it is not for pantheistic, naturalistic or nihilistic reasons. Here’s some more about what this may mean for ash storage.

Pantheistic:

• Definition: Pantheism is the belief that the universe and nature are equivalent to God, or that everything composes an all-encompassing, immanent deity.
• Church’s Instructions: The Church’s guidelines caution against storing ashes in a manner that suggests pantheistic beliefs, such as scattering ashes in nature to symbolize a fusion with the universe, which contradicts the Christian view of a personal, transcendent God.
• Permitted Storage: Keeping ashes in a dedicated sacred place, like a church cemetery.
• Not Permitted: Scattering ashes in the forest or sea with the intention of symbolizing a return to or unity with nature.

Naturalistic:

• Definition: Naturalism is the philosophical viewpoint that everything arises from natural properties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual explanations are excluded or discounted.
• Church’s Instructions: The Church advises against naturalistic interpretations of death, such as seeing it as a purely biological or natural process without any spiritual significance.
• Permitted Storage: Storing ashes in a sacred place that acknowledges the spiritual significance of death and the hope of resurrection.
• Not Permitted: Treating ashes in a purely secular or non-religious manner, like keeping them as a mere memento without any religious context.

Nihilistic:

• Definition: Nihilism is the belief that life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles.
• Church’s Instructions: The Church’s guidelines explicitly reject nihilistic attitudes towards death, which would deny the Christian beliefs in the sanctity of life, the resurrection, and the afterlife.
• Permitted Storage: Storing ashes in a context that reflects hope, respect, and the expectation of resurrection.
• Not Permitted: Disposing of ashes in a way that suggests life or the individual had no meaning or spiritual significance, such as casually discarding them.

Questions on New Catholic Rules for Cremation