Vatican Issues Revised Guidelines, Instructions Regarding Cremation

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Catholic Church prefers burial over cremation, which is one of the reasons "Instruction Ad resurgendum cum Christo" was published by the Vatican's "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith."

The other reason is to teach the proper way to conserve ashes after cremation.

KDKA's Julie Grant spoke to Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese Bishop David Zubik who said Christians should not look at this and ask, "What am I doing wrong?" Instead, it's an invitation to give their loved one's body the respect it deserves.

"It's a revised instruction that has been given today to clarify people's misunderstandings. There was a time that I can remember, in the 1950s growing up, that cremation was not a practice blessed by the Catholic Church, and that has changed," said Bishop Zubik.

The Catholic Church teaches the soul separates from the body at death but will be reunited during the resurrection of the body. This is why burial is the most fitting way for Christians to demonstrate their faith in the resurrection.

"What makes us so sacred, and especially our bodies, is that we have been created in the image and likeness of God," said Bishop Zubik.

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According to the Instruction from the Vatican's "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith," if cremation is chosen, the ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place, like a cemetery.

Ashes must not be divided among family members, stored in pieces of jewelry, or scattered on land or at sea.

• To read the full instructions from the Vatican, visit this link.

"I think it's most important that you carry out what your loved one's wishes were. That, I think, is the most important thing because they had their hopes and their dreams and their wishes and that would be honoring them the most," said Deanne Lutz.

"I feel that if you family is strong in their faith and that's what they believe in, then it will be okay and accepted to go along with what the Catholic Church believes is the correct way to cremate a body or to not cremate a body," said Kyle Sena.

"The Church is just trying to help people remember to put this all within the context of everything we believe, created by God and created for going back to God in Heaven," said Bishop Zubik.