By Reagan Scott
(SNR) – Burying the dead, a corporal work of mercy, involves more than just the burial or interment. The Catholic funeral rite is comprised of three parts intended to commend a soul to God. These are:
Vigil service (wake)
Funeral liturgy
Rite of Committal (burial or interment)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states that, “Because of our belief not only in the immortality of the soul, but also in the resurrection of the body, the Church professes hope in the face of death, and acts with charity in the funeral rites.”
Because of the Catholic belief in purgatory, which the tract “What is Purgatory?” from Catholic Answers defines as “...the final stage of sanctification that some of us need to undergo before we enter heaven” and belief in the power of prayer in helping loved ones get to heaven, prayer is an integral part of this rite.
“To pray for the dead is an act of charity. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they are in need of prayerful assistance. We have a special obligation to pray for those who were close to us on earth,” said Msgr. Timothy Thorburn, the diocesan director of cemeteries and Calvary Cemetery in Lincoln.
The Order of Christian Funerals, no. 4 states, “…the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end, nor does it break the bonds forged in life.”
In fact, before she died, Saint Monica requested that her son, Saint Augustine, remember her soul at the altar when he celebrated Mass.
Scott Yates, a member of Calvary Cemetery’s board of directors, and former employee at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, explained that because of the Christian belief in the second coming of Christ, even the practice of burial has tradition. Because Matthew 24:27 reveals that the Son of Man will come from the east, “typically Christians bury our beloved dead in a position so they can meet Christ face-to-face during his second coming.”
These Christian burial traditions extend to married couples as well, with husbands buried on the south half of the plot and wives on the north, the same way they were married.
While this tradition might not apply in the same way to those cremated, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CC 2301) does permit cremation, “provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.”
This means that cremated remains “should have a dignified final resting place within a cemetery,” according to Lincoln Calvary Cemetery’s website.
Yates said it is important to have a dignified and permanent place where loved ones can visit and memorialize someone when they die.
“A cemetery is an outward symbol of an unseen reality. It’s the most important ground you’ll ever own.”
