The Church’s Attitude on Cremation

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 46, 19 November 1924, Page 31

The Church’s Attitude on Cremation

At St. Joseph’s Hall, Rattray Street, on Wednesday night, Bishop Whyte gave a lantern lecture on Lourdes, before, a crowded audience. Prior to the screening of a series of very fine views illustrating his subject, the Bishop said: “Before beginning my lecture on ‘Lourdes’ I wish to state the attitude of the Catholic Church towards cremation. The Church condemns this mode of disposing of the bodies of our dead. In the Code of Canon Law issued only a few years ago we find the following decree : — ‘ The bodies of the faithful must be buried, cremation being reprobated. Should anyone in any way order his body to be cremated this order cannot be lawfully carried out, and any stipulation, will, or disposition to that effect must be disregarded.’ (Father-Augustine’s Commentary, Vol. 6.) Another decree states that certain classes are to be deprived of ecclesiastical unless they have given signs of repentance before death.’ One of the classes consists of those who ‘ordered their body to be cremated.’ The position of Catholics on this subject- is, therefore, clearly defined for us.” For the benefit of those who were unable to be accommodated on the . occasion of his'lecture, the Bishop very kindly repeated it last night. (Tuesday) when again there {was a croVded audience; .1 .