In pondering death, we are also given an opportunity to reflect on God’s promise of eternal life. With it, we can contemplate the Church’s rich and symbolic teachings regarding Catholic funeral rites, reverence for the body, cremation and resurrection.
Presented here are a series of articles and resources that explains the Church’s teaching regarding cremation, a pastoral examination of the symbolism of the funeral liturgy, and the Church’s belief in the resurrection of the body.
Reflections on the Body, Cremation and Catholic Funeral Rites, a booklet published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy states, “at the center of Christian faith is the belief that God has destined the human family for eternal life with Christ, the risen Lord…. For this reason, the human person, created in the image of God, has always been held in highest esteem in Catholic tradition. All creation is holy, because it was brought into being at God’s command. But humankind is especially cherished, since the human person, individually and in community, reflects the divine reality and is destined for eternal life.”
