Sir, – The recent Vatican's directive, Ad resurgendum cum Christo, issued by the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, concludes with the words "in order that any appearance of pantheism, naturalism or nihilism be avoided it is not permitted to scatter the ashes of the cremated in the air, on land at sea or in some other way as preserved in mementos,pieces of jewellery or other objects". ("Cremation ashes must not be scattered or kept at home," October 26th)
While the document says that it was presented to Pope Francis last March for his approval this directive is an effort by the more conservative forces within the Vatican, led by the head of this Doctrinal Congregation Cardinal Mueller, to return the Catholic Church to an era when Catholics were ruled by laws, directives and minutiae that clouded the essential message of Jesus .
While the directive claims that it is upholding the dignity of the “human body as an integral part of the human person whose body forms part of their identity” it opens that positive message to ridicule by forbidding the faithful to honour their dead relatives in a Christian manner honouring and befitting them.
The Catholic faithful should continue to exercise their own discretion in the disposal of the cremated remains of their loved ones and consign this new directive to the annals of history.– Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I can’t be the only Catholic who despairs at the ineptitude of some Vatican bureaucrats. They seem to be obsessed with rearranging deck chairs or modifying the rules of quoits.
For instance, whoever decided to modify the English vernacular mass could hardly have had English as his first language. Charitable critics might allude to ivory towers, less charitable to whited sepulchers. (Apologies for the montage of metaphors.) – Yours, etc,
D B DURKIN
Ballybrack,
Co Dublin.