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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Baptism is birth to new life in Christ. Through this sacrament, we become children of God. We participate in Christ’s resurrection and in his victory over sin and death. When we die, our bodies will be buried in the earth and decay, but God will raise them up at the end of time when Christ comes in glory. It is important, then, to follow the ancient tradition of the Catholic Church which gives reverence to the bodies of the dead.
I encourage you to embrace the Church’s constant practice of being laid to rest in a Catholic cemetery. Our cemeteries are sacred places. By choosing to be buried in a Catholic cemetery, you express your communion in the faith of the Church. Future generations of your family that visit your gravesite will pray for you and honour your life according to the faith handed down to us by the Apostles.
The Church’s tradition is to bury the dead, as Jesus was buried in a tomb. It does not, however, forbid cremation, but it is clear in our teaching that cremated remains should be treated with the same respect as corporal remains. When the body is cremated, all ashes are to be placed in a container or urn and are not to be divided. Keeping the ashes for personal use or separating the ashes in any way does not exhibit appropriate reverence for the remains of the body. Our Church teaches that in keeping with a spirit of reverence for the body, we should bury the undivided cremated remains of our loved ones in a grave, entomb them in a mausoleum or place them in a columbarium within a Catholic cemetery. Through this permanent placement, the bereaved and the Church community have a place to remember and pray for the deceased.
Please give serious consideration to purchasing your burial site at one of our Catholic cemeteries and to pre-planning your arrangements to ease the burden on your family. Our staff will welcome and serve you and your family during one of the most difficult times in your life.
May the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B.
Bishop of London