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Last week the Bishops of New Zealand issued a statement asking Catholics to treat the ashes of their loved ones with respect when they have chosen to have their bodies cremated.
This follows on the recent statement the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about cremation and the scattering of ashes.
“The loss of a loved one is a significant time for every family. It is a time when we rightly give thanks for the life of our loved ones but it is also the time for us to look forward,” say the Bishops in their statement.
“This is why our Catholic celebration of the funeral liturgies leads people into the death and resurrection of the Lord, the mystery that most illuminates the Christian meaning of death.”
The Bishops ask that, when cremation is chosen, the ashes of the loved one be laid to rest in a wāhi tapu, a sacred place, such as at a cemetery, or a columbarium, church or surrounding area that has been blessed and set aside for this purpose.
“The place of rest then becomes a wonderful sign of the promise the risen Lord makes to us of being reunited with our loved one and with Jesus in glory,” they say.
“The place of rest also ensures an appropriate and sacred place for pilgrimage for loved ones and future generations to visit and pay respect to their forebears and tīpuna, knowing with certainty that this is the place of rest for their earthly remains as they await the great day of resurrection.”
The Bishops have included in their statement the prayer recited for blessing a grave or place for internment of ashes.
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