Case LXXXVII: Cremation

I. In a town where the subject of cremation is frequently discussed even amongst Catholics, the priest regarded it as his duty to protest from the pulpit against this pagan practise. He overthrew the arguments brought forward in support of it and showed that, according to genuine Catholic opinion, the churchyard ought to continue to be the resting-place of those Christians who have died in the faith. He explained that Catholic instincts condemned cremation as an abominable abuse (Acta s. sed., vol. XIX. p. 46), and added: "How utterly the Church detests the pagan practise of cremation may be seen from the fact that she excommunicates such as are members of any association that aims at promoting it."

The priest was making a mistake when he uttered the last sentence. A member of an association for promoting cremation incurs the excommunicatio latae sententiae Romano Pontifici simpliciter reservata only if the association is one of freemasons.

A question having been asked whether it were permissible to join any association promoting cremation, the S. Congregation of the Inquisition replied on May 19, 1886: "Negatively; and if the societies in question are daughter societies of the Masonic sect, the penalties enacted against them are incurred."

II. John, an assistant priest, was summoned to give the last Sacraments to a dying man. John was aware that the man was not a freemason, but that he had left instructions in his will for his body to be cremated.

In his confession the dying man did not refer to this matter at all; John also said nothing; but gave him absolution, the Viaticum, etc. John acted quite rightly. If the dying man had consulted him, or accused himself of what he had done, things would have been different, but, as it was, the penitent was bona fide quoad liceitatem cremationis, and John, being afraid that an admonition on his part would do no good, said nothing. "If, after being admonished, they refuse," a priest is bound to refuse absolution. "But as to whether admonition is to be given or omitted, let the rules handed down by approved authors be observed, with particular account taken of the scandal that might be provoked" (Analecta eccles., vol. III. 99).—Prof. Gspann.