The Emerald Rose

Amongst the biggest “trivial” items at this time for me is the rulings and directives on “CREMATION” of the human body after death. The Church says it is “ok” to do today,, (but not before the “ruling and directives issued in 2016,……wonder whatever happened to those “Roman Catholics” who opted to be cremated before then?,….just asking of course. Are they damned forever, or have they been “reassigned to “Purgatory” (a Catholic “waiting room” pending a degree of the no longer existent “time” for those in waiting!)

Of course all those “lost at sea in actuality”,who have gone on to become the “fish food” in an elementary feeding chain.

I am of the understanding that certain “common common practices” are also under the “mandates” of the church as well. For example, our youngest son, Jay, died of massive heart failure as a complication of Bacterial Spinal Meheningitis, it was the decision of his wife based on comments he had made when he was alive to opt for his cremation.

My wife and I had no problems with that, the only two requests we made were for 1) a Roman Catholic Priest be contacted before they declared him “legally dead”, in order that he might at least receive the Sacraments of the Dead, (old school Catholics read as “Extreme Unction”, a legitimate sacrament of the Catholic Church created to impart final blessings of the deceased. It is usually administered with in an imminent window of death, and that has been lessened to any impending surgery or illness whose outcome is in doubt.)

2) the second request was for some of his ashes be given to us, his Mother and Father, as a remembrance which we would totally cherish as the reminder that no one lives forever (and a reminder to us every day that all that he was was still with us) We subsequently created a “Family Wall” in our home with pictures of both his Mother and I, and each one of three children and their wives and children. That too,( giving any part of the ashes to anyone for whatever reason) the ashes must be “interred in Blessed land”. (Suitably “Blessed” by the Church!

There is another option called a “Columbarium”, which is a structure,( much like the Post Office boxes at the Post Office!!)

For a mere couple of Thousand dollars you ashes get to be placed in a “Prepaid for Eternity”, Post Office Box, with your name and birth year and death year on a plaque on the door instead of a usual “box number”

Tell me it’s not about the $$$ money$$$!!!

Guess I’m just a little confused! The United States Navy, ” will ‘Bury me at sea, another benefit of my 6 year “pay it forward investment so my family and all the” so my family and all those who followed would be protected) .

I intend to most likely do that. But I also intend to bring up both that and the “Columbarium” issues with my own Pastor and Church!

Unless Jesus Christ left a letter or papyrus with specific ORDERS and signed it, well we’ll either have lengthy and loud discussions or be looking for a more reasonable religion!!