What should I do when there is a death in the family?
Please call the parish office and speak with the office staff and the pastor before making arrangements
Cremation in the Catholic Church
Does the Catholic Church allow cremation?
“The Church does not forbid cremation, unless this is chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching.”
The Church prefers that the body be present for the full funeral liturgy and the cremation to take place after the liturgy. Members of the family and community should have a chance to view the body in order to help facilitate grieving. However, if it is not possible for the body to be present at the Funeral Mass, having the cremated remains present at the Funeral Mass is acceptable.
The cremated remains should be placed in a “respectful vessel.” They should then be buried in a Catholic cemetery or entombed in a Catholic mausoleum.
The practice of scattering on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home is not the reverent disposition that the Church requires.
Cremated remains may be buried at sea. The Church requires the placement of cremated remains in a container that sinks to the bottom of the sea and does not release the remains in such a way as to be scattered across the surface.
The subject of cremation should be resolved among family members before death since that determination will have to be made as soon as death occurs.
Whereas many other cultures and religions allow family members to “divide” ashes between several people or even turn them into keepsakes such as jewelry, that is strictly looked down upon in the Catholic religion. The Catholic Church teaches that the body is sacred and should be treated as such even as cremated remains. A person should have one final resting place.
Holy Cross Cemetery
Since 1913 Holy Cross Cemetery (located at 2700 Ridgeway Ave. NW, Bemidji) has provided a final resting place for the faithful in the Bemidji area.
We offer selections of plot types and locations at Holy Cross; please call the Parish Office to visit with the Sexton for the arrangements that will fit your wishes.