So What Does the Catholic Church Have to Say About All of This?

Posted on August 26, 2012 by admin

By Heather Sanford

People have a lot of questions about whether the Catholic Church allows cremation, so I decided to do some research. Here is what I learned:

In the 1983 revision of the Code of Canon Law, “The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed; it does not, however, forbid cremation unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching” (Canon 1176).

The 1989 revised funeral rites, called the Order of Christian Funerals, prescribes three separate rites that should ideally be performed in the following order:

  1. The vigil for the deceased is a short prayer service held after the death and
    before the funeral liturgy. It usually takes place at the funeral home.
  2. The principal celebration of life is the funeral liturgy — typically a Mass.
  3. The rite of committal is a short prayer service at the cemetery, ideally beside the
    open grave or place of interment.

The newest cremation regulation, dated March 21, 1997, permits U.S. Latin-rite bishops to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to allow a person’s cremated remains at Catholic Funeral Masses in their dioceses. It states that when cremation is chosen, “it is greatly preferred that the funeral liturgy take place in the presence of the body of the deceased prior to its cremation.” Some families choose to perform the cremation after the Funeral Mass in order to satisfy this regulation.

It only gets complicated when the cremation is done before the funeral. When cremation has already occurred, a bishop can grant permission for a properly sequenced ritual. For bishops who choose not to allow funeral Masses in the presence of cremated remains, switching the order of the rites is one solution.

For example, a vigil rite could be celebrated at the deathbed using the final commendation (a prayer of farewell) over the body. This is the final commendation that is usually at the end of the funeral Mass, asking the Lord to accept the deceased into paradise. Then, after the body is cremated, the rite of committal (burying or entombing the cremated remains) would be used at the site. Following the committal, all would come to church for the memorial—or funeral liturgy—without the body present.

The fact that this reordering of the funeral rites is not ideal, is one reason why bishops may allow cremated remains at the Funeral Mass. It is best to check with your parish in advance.

The bottom line: The Catholic Church allows cremation as long as it is not chosen for reasons that are contrary to Christian teaching. Additionally, cremation alone is not considered by the Church to be reverent disposition of the body; the cremated remains need to be either buried or placed in a permanent niche in a columbarium. Our funeral directors are happy to help you learn about the regulations of your particular parish so that you can feel comfortable with your choice of cremation.

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Some Clarification…

Posted on August 16, 2012 by admin

By Susan Suarez

It’s frustrating to surf the internet and visit popular “Question & Answer” websites only to find that many of the answers are completely wrong. It amazes me that people are sometimes so willing to accept information from anonymous sources as the truth and allow it to guide their actions and influence their opinions. I think it might be interesting to share these Q&As with our readers. Each time I come across an example of a cremation or funeral related question with a misinformed answer, I will post it here along with the right answer. And the best part is I don’t think I’ll ever run out of new material. So here we go:

The Question: What happens to metal parts such as bone implants or screws during the cremation process?

The Wrong Answer: Bone implants (like replacement hips) are removed by the mortician during embalming otherwise they would melt during cremation and contaminate the remains.

The Right Answer: Aside from things like pacemakers (which are removed at the funeral home to avoid damaging the cremation retort), metal parts like that would remain with the body through the cremation process whether or not embalming took place. Even though temperatures in a cremation retort exceed 1500 degrees Fahrenheit, the metal parts remain relatively intact and are separated from the cremated remains afterwards once they have cooled down. After these pieces are removed, the cremated remains are mechanically processed to minimize larger fragments and create a uniform texture that is suitable for disposition such as scattering or for use in memorial jewelry.

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Cremated Remains: What to Expect, Part 2

Posted on August 9, 2012 by admin

By Susan Suarez

Aside from the things I talked about in Cremated Remains: What to Expect, Part 1, there’s also confusion about what cremated remains look and feel like. Cremated remains are the product not only of the incineration but also the processing of larger fragments that remain afterwards. This is done in order to achieve a uniform texture. However, it doesn’t end up looking or feeling like sand, and it certainly doesn’t have the lightweight texture of “ash” that easily blows away in the wind (that’s why we don’t refer to cremated remains as “ashes”). What you actually receive is something closer to what looks and feels like finely crushed seashells.

One more thing I need to mention, and this is important – only one individual is cremated in one retort (cremation chamber). I’ve been horrified to hear that some people assume the retorts are shared– as if they cremate several people at once– and that the cremated remains they receive is probably a mixture. This is absolutely not the case. Between the strict policies of the crematories we trust with our business and the service commitments of Simple Cremation of New Jersey, we believe our families can take comfort in the security of the cremation process.

I hope I’ve touched on most of the biggest myths surrounding the cremation process, although I’m sure there are more out there. What other cremation myths have you heard circulating around?

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Cremated Remains: What to Expect, Part 1

Posted on July 13, 2012 by admin

by Susan Suarez

So your family has chosen Simple Cremation of New Jersey, and you feel confident that our pricing, policies, and services are straightforward and fair. But what should you expect when you receive your loved one’s cremated remains from the crematory? I’ve spoken with many people who have told me they have no idea what the process of cremation really involves, so I wanted to clarify a couple of issues that I hear about most frequently.

First, it’s important to know that the cremation process includes the container, which could be anything from a cardboard box to a mahogany casket. This means that material from the incinerated container is included in the cremated remains you will receive, which brings me to my next point…

Cremated remains are probably heavier than you’d expect. The cremated remains of an adult typically weigh 7-9 lbs. and are presented in what’s referred to as a temporary container. The temporary container is a cardboard box (similar to a shoebox) that houses another plastic container. Inside that, the cremated remains are sealed within a plastic bag that bears a metal identification tag. The name on the tag corresponds to both the label on the outside of the container and the Certificate of Cremation that accompanies it.

Bradley & Son Funeral Homes carries a wide selection of beautiful urns in different colors, styles, and materials. Once you’ve chosen the perfect urn, one of our funeral directors can take care of transferring the cremated remains into your new urn and will seal it for you using a high strength epoxy.

More myth-busting to come in Part 2…

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48 Hours Part II

Posted on July 3, 2012 by admin

Part II

By Charles Bechtold

Must the funeral home pick up someone at home immediately after they die?
In a previous blog I spoke about the 48 hour deadline to complete a cremation. This makes it sound like if a person dies at home you need to call Bradley Funeral Homes or Simple Cremation of NJ right away to have that person picked up and to start the paperwork process. Well, yes and no.

Due to all the paperwork required to prepare for a cremation, we need to be notified as soon as possible. However, there is no mandate that says we must pick up the decedent right away. We can start the paperwork and prepare it before we go to pick up that deceased.

Why would anyone want to delay the arrival of the funeral home? Family or close friends may not be at the house at the time of death but want to see the deceased before they are picked up for a Simple Cremation. Some families by custom wish to clean and dress the person and have people over for a prayer service before we arrive.

When a death occurs, the human body undergoes chemical changes, so we don’t recommend delaying us too long. Call us and we will help you work out a plan that works best for you and provides for a cremation within the (state) mandated 24 to 48 hour window. The best way to make the most of your time is to discuss your wishes and needs with family and friends (and perhaps us) before the death occurs and the 48 hour clock starts ticking.

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48 Hours

Posted on June 26, 2012 by admin

by Charles Bechtold

You may have seen the movie with Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy or perhaps watched the TV show showing how police investigate cases; the premise of the TV show being that the best chances they have of catching the criminal is during that first 48 hours.

For funeral homes in the State of NJ, we also have our 48 hour countdown clock and rush to complete the cremation within that timeframe. This is not by our design. By NJ statute, a person must be buried, entombed, or cremated within 48 hours unless they are embalmed or kept under refrigeration. We have learned that most families selecting cremation do not wish to have an embalming done either because of cost or not wanting to have anything else done to the body. Hence the 48 hour clock is very real.

For all funerals, we must gather information for the death certificate. We also have to coordinate with the decedent’s physician to enter the cause of death on that certificate as well. In the case of cremation, we must ascertain who the responsible parties are and have at least a majority of the responsible people to review and sign cremation authorizations.

Sometimes we can go beyond the 48 hour clock. If a person dies in a hospital and remains under refrigeration, we can get all the paperwork in order first and then take care of the ID and cremation. Holidays and the fact that crematories are not open all day long can sometimes affect the timing, forcing us to have a cremation in as little as 24 hours, 5 minutes. We cannot cremate any faster than 24 hours by state statute.
Whenever you want fast delivery of merchandise or want something done right away there is usually a rush charge. This has never been the case for cremation. Bradley & Son Funeral Homes with our Simple Cremation of New Jersey offering has been able to provide efficient service at an affordable cost.

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Leaving on a Jet Plane

Posted on June 12, 2012 by admin

By Heather Sanford

What do you do if a loved one dies and needs to be transported by airplane? Say that your family is from Utah and a family member dies unexpectedly while the two of you are vacationing in New Jersey. You could have Bradley & Son Funeral Homes embalm the body, purchase a special shipping container and transport the body to your airline at Newark Airport. The other option is to choose Simple Cremation of New Jersey and have the deceased cremated. An affordable cremation would be the less expensive option.

Each airline has different rules regarding traveling with cremated remains. Some will allow you to transport them as carry-on luggage. Others will allow cremated remains to be transported as checked luggage. Still others will transport as cargo. Regardless of where the cremated remains are on the airplane, they need to pass through a security point x-ray machine. A temporary crematory container made of a thin material suitable for x-raying is ideal because Security Officers will not, even if requested, open the container. Before flying with cremated remains, you should check with your individual carrier to see what requirements they have.
• Alaska
• American Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier
• jetBlue
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• Air Wisconsin
• USAir
For more information, visit http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1296.shtm

Heather Sanford joined the team in 2012 as the Marketing Director. A fresh face to the funeral industry, she hopes to share her experiences and new knowledge about cremation with our readers.

 

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Cremation Containers vs. Urns

Posted on June 1, 2012 by admin

A Pine Cremation Container

by Charles Bechtold

We occasionally have conversations with folks who are confusing urns with cremation containers. So let’s try and make the distinction more clear.

As a consumer we are mostly interested in the end result; hence that is what we focus on. When people think about containers and cremation what comes to mind is the “urn” or vessel which will hold the end result – the cremated remains.

In order to get a person to the crematory and in to the cremation chamber, most crematories require that the deceased be placed in a rigid container. This is to provide for the safe and respectful transfer of the deceased from the funeral home into the cremation chamber. This cremation container is a necessary part of the process of having a cremation performed.

While some people may not “want” a container, it is necessary to have; so why not just add the cost of a container to the price? Not everyone wants the same container, and also the funeral home cannot mandate (by law) that a consumer purchase the container from them. A consumer can purchase a container from outside sources if they desire.

We can discuss the benefits of certain containers or urns in future blogs. When clients ask me for advice regarding what to select, I sometimes ask them what kind of pen do they use, Mont Blanc or Bic? Or we can explore how they live and work. Some people need “utility” and some need to handle with “special care”. The decision is yours to consider. What kind of pen do you use?

Charles Bechtold is a funeral director who chose funeral service as a second career, jumping in with both feet at the age of 40.

 

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Simple Cremation, Extraordinary Tribute

Posted on May 22, 2012 by admin

by Scott Bradley

In a previous blog I wrote about our reasons for developing www.SimpleCremationNJ.com. For the most part we created the site to meet the wishes of the dying. More and more people are asking for “a simple cremation” and we could not fulfill a dying person’s wish in our traditional funeral homes. We had difficulty providing a simple, low cost cremation because our funeral homes are organized to provide care, comfort and an extraordinary amount of service. Our standards are on par with the Ritz Carlton hotels, and are available to everyone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

William A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home in Chatham, NJ

The beauty of www.simplecremationnj.com is you get the “simple cremation” as well as the opportunity to tap in to the services of Bradley & Son Funeral Homes. Every soul deserves the most extraordinary tribute, and the best place to plan that tribute is Bradley Funeral Homes. I have spent the past 22 years developing an all-encompassing array of services that can transform a funeral in to an event that celebrates the life of the deceased and cares for the survivors and friends; a tribute that makes you smile in spite of the terrible loss; a tribute that warms your heart. If you want to feel differently about cremation and funerals I encourage you to visit our website, www.BradleyFuneralHomes.com. Visit the “Planning for the Future” section of the website and read some of the stories of past tributes.

The cremation can be simple, and the tribute extraordinary.

Scott Bradley is the owner of Bradley Funeral Homes and The Center for Life Transition. He writes from the perspective of a funeral director, social worker, psychoanalyst, and certified thanatologist.

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Paying Tribute vs. Paying Funeral Costs

Posted on May 11, 2012 by admin

by Heather Sanford

During the past few weeks, I’ve thought more about cremation than I have in my entire life. I’ve done some research and learned that it’s not certain which custom was developed first — burial of the dead or cremation. Traditionally, the practice of caring for the dead was left up to the deceased’s family members who would lovingly prepare the body for either burial or cremation.

It seems to me that immediate cremation allows for the planning of a well thought-out, moving, and well attended tribute.

Simple Cremation of New Jersey continues many of the rituals of the ancient art of cremation in a very dignified and respectful way. It also keeps the cost of cremation in NJ, affordable. For many families, a simple cremation service now allows for a fitting memorial tribute at the time of their choosing.

For the same cost as a funeral, would you rather have viewing hours followed by a cremation or a simple cremation with a more elaborate memorial service?

 

Heather Sanford joined the team in 2012 as the Marketing Director. A fresh face to the funeral industry, she hopes to share her experiences and new knowledge about cremation with our readers.

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