Cremation Service: Is it a Better Choice?

Many people criticize the cost of burying a loved one.  Based on the study, the price of a traditional funeral service can cost up to $12,000. However, some secrets will allow you to enjoy a cheaper service. One has to understand the funeral business to acquire a more affordable rate of funeral service. This guide will help you know if cremation service is the better choice.

 

Things to Know about Cremation Service

Funeral businesses are still businesses; they exist to create profit.  Most funeral homes are now run by the leading players in the industry.  You have to be aware of their intentions.  The more they can sell things to you, the more they will gain profit.  Unfortunately, not every one of us is aware of the things that we need to acquire during the death of a loved one. With cremation, you have a more transparent option. Nonetheless, cremation service is still a daunting process for loved ones, especially when emotions are high.

 

What is Cremation Service

 

Cremation service utilizes intense heat to reduce the body and the bone fragments of a dearly departed into ashes.  The process will take no longer than four hours.  The more significant pieces of bone will be pulverized until it achieves the desired texture.

 

Why is it An Affordable Choice?

 

One of the reasons why cremation service is so affordable is that it no longer requires a casket.  Some of the crematories may require an enclosed and combustible coffer. Still, under the law, a crematory must provide affordable containers, also known as “alternative containers.”  You are also free to make your container as long as it is combustible. Some of you might say that a casket will always be needed during the viewing.  While you may be right on that matter, some funeral homes offer a casket for rent that you can use until such time that the body will be cremated.  The body will then be transferred into a much cheaper container during the cremation.  You also have the option to buy the urn offered by the cremation services, or you can use your own jar.

 

Direct cremation, which is the most affordable option, is also provided in Cremation Service.  The body of a deceased person will directly be cremated after his death.  This option does not require embalming and viewing, avoiding unnecessary expenses in the process.

 

How Much Does Cremation Cost?

 

The average price of a full funeral service will cost from $8,000 up to $10,000.  A cremation service can start from as little as $700 up to $1,200.  This price is significantly lower than that of the traditional funeral service.   If you can’t still afford the cremation service, you can always ask for the assistance of the counties.  You can also seek the help of Social Security, wherein you can get at least $255.  Some medical school also offers free cremation, but unfortunately, they have to use the body for research before cremating it for free.

Is it Possible to Have Cremation and Visitation?

 

If you are in a situation that requires you to start thinking about a memorial service soon, you will need to consider the different options you have. Cremation service is beginning to become more and more popular to different sets of people since it offers flexibility on what to do after the funeral ceremony. Some people prefer to take home the ashes of their loved ones, and others choose to scatter them in a place with significant meaning to the departed. You also have the option to install it in a columbarium or bury it in a cemetery plot. Some people believe that you will never have the opportunity to say goodbye to the deceased person if you opt for cremation, but this isn't true.

 

Different Options before the Cremation Service

 

With the various types of options that you have before cremation, you may even customize the way you want to say goodbye to your loved one. In this article, we will try to cover the different available options to help you arrange a funeral service.

 

Closed or Open Casket

 

Like the traditional burial, closed or open-casket visitation can occur before the cremation service. Normally in cremation, the body is not generally required to be embalmed, but it can also be conducted if the relatives of the departed prefer to have a viewing. The remains will temporarily be placed in a casket, and cremation will proceed after the visitation. The coffin will be cremated alongside the deceased body, but it is not compulsory. When the family does not want the casket to be cremated, they will be using a 'ceremonial casket' intended only for visitation.

 

No Casket Memorial Service

 

Suppose the family wanted to cremate the remains of their loved one, but they do not want a viewing. In that case, cremation is generally done, often preceded by visitation when the ashes are already in the urn. It will be displayed in the area where the funeral service will be conducted. It is the opportunity of the friends and close family members to pay their last respect to the departed.

 

Church Service or Funeral Home

 

People closely associated with the deceased can have a gathering to carry out an informal funeral service. This family gathering will then be followed by the delivery of the urn with ashes to its resting place. Remember that your options are not restricted when choosing a cremation service. You can personalize the service to fulfill the final wish of the deceased loved one or to suit your family's needs.

Does the Catholic Church Forbid Cremation at the Time of Death?

 

Not a lot of Catholics completely understand the church's teaching about the cremation of the body of the deceased. It is due to the shifting of rules over the last few years. The existing Code of Canon Law is consists of two canons that state the practice of cremation. In one Canon, it says that the church highly recommends following the traditional custom of burial of the deceased. Still, they will not forbid the practice of cremation unless for reasons against the church's teachings. In another canon, those people who were chosen to be cremated for distinct reasons that are against the faith will be deprived of the funeral mass. This revolutionary approach contradicts the previous teaching written at the former Code of Canon.

 

What Does the Catholic Church Say About Cremation?

 

The rules of the Catholic Church when it comes to cremation are based on theology. Since we believe that the dead will be resurrected one day and the solemnity of the human that God created, it is just logical that the Catholic will advise that the body should be dealt with utter respect. Furthermore, cremation is not accepted by many as a respectful treatment.

 

If you analyze history, cremation is related to the funeral service of the pagans. Their religious practices and beliefs highly contrast the church's teachings, and they do not believe in the idea of resurrection. This distinction in theology is why the early Christians would prefer to have their boy inside the catacombs and buried outside the city's walls, which is a contrast against the practice of the pagans.

 

What Changes this Belief?

 

With the change in time, a non-theological and practical approach started to rise. The main problem involved with a funeral is money-related. In a densely populated area where the prices of the real estate properties are exorbitant, it may be unlikely for anyone to buy a burial plot. These Catholics are left in a quandary as they were forced to decide between the burial following the church teachings and the cremation they can afford.

 

To address the increasing demand for cremation, the Code of Canon Law was revised, particularly on the church's teachings on cremation. The existing canon law still recommends the traditional burial, but they will not forbid cremation as long as the reasons are not opposed to the teachings of Christianity. It is also stated that the ashes should also be treated with respect provided to their human body.