Norms Regarding Cremation

NORMS REGARDING CREMATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

The traditional teaching of the Catholic Church with regard to the proper burial of the sacred remains of the deceased and the resurrection of the body on the last day requires periodic catechesis. This is especially so today with the ever-increasing number of Catholics choosing cremation.

While interment of the body remains the preference of the Church, after the manner of the burial of the Lord Jesus, the use of cremation is allowed according to the following norms. These norms promote the faith and practice of the Church with regard to the burial of a Christian. For the most part, these are already in force according to current liturgical law and the liturgical books. Thus, respect for the remains of the cremated body, as befits the dignity of a baptized person, is ensured. It is the duty of the pastor, with other priests and deacons, to communicate these norms to parishioners, bereavement ministers and funeral directors as part of a periodic catechesis on the reverent and proper burial of the dead.

NORMS FOR FUNERAL RITES WITH CREMATION:

If a body is to be cremated, it is always preferable that cremation take place after the Funeral Liturgy.

If a body is cremated prior to the Funeral Liturgy and the burial/disposition follows, then:

The cremated remains are to be brought to the Church in a worthy vessel, that is, in a solid and durable container, which may appropriately be marked with the name of the deceased;
The vessel may be carried in the entrance procession or it may be put in place before the Funeral Liturgy begins (cf. OCF, no. 427);
The vessel is to be positioned on a suitable table in the same place where the coffin is usually positioned, and not in the sanctuary (cf. OCF, no. 427);
Texts should be chosen in view of the fact that the body of the deceased is not present but has been cremated (cf. OCF, nos. 428-429);
The Rite of Committal is to be conducted at the cemetery, mausoleum or columbarium as soon as possible following the Funeral Liturgy, using the alternate form (OCF, no. 438);
1. It is most appropriate that the burial/disposition of the cremated remains immediately follow the Funeral Liturgy.
2. In any case, the length of time between the Funeral Liturgy and the burial of cremated remains is not to exceed thirty days.
The cremated remains are to be buried in a cemetery or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium (cf. OCF, no. 417);

It is not permitted to scatter cremated remains.

Likewise, it is not permitted to delay the burial/disposition of the cremated remains in anticipation of the eventual burial of another person. The permanent storage of cremated remains in a private home, funeral home or any other place is prohibited.

The integrity of the cremated remains is always to be respected. The cremated remains of one deceased person may not be mixed with the cremated remains of another person. It is not permitted to divide the cremated remains and retain, inter or entomb them in more than one place.

It is also not permitted to divide the cremated remains in such a way that they are contained in lockets or jewelry. Any other practice which violates the integrity of the cremated remains and impedes reverent and proper burial/disposition is prohibited.

If burial takes place at sea, the cremated remains are to be in a solid and durable container, and not scattered.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

Archbishop of Philadelphia

September 6, 2013

Parish Financial Report 2021

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Dear Saint Charles Borromeo Parish Community,

The Parish Finance Committee would like to relay to everyone the financial condition of the Church and School. While it has been a tumultuous two years with all the complexities created by the pandemic, we can report that we are holding our own. However, you can see in the next page the financial report that the Sunday collections and other church income has declined significantly over the past two years. Much of this decrease is related to a reduction in “in person” Mass participation, but even with the lifting of attendance restrictions, more help is needed to address this shortfall. We have decided to employ the services of a company to help with an Increased Offertory Campaign. You will hear and see more information about this program in the coming weeks. Thank you in advance for your attention and consideration to participate.

We were successful, through the hard work of our office staff, in garnering help from two Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) government loan programs. A large portion of these loans have already been forgiven and we are hopeful that the balance will be forgiven as well. These funds were instrumental in enabling us to sustain operations and retain our administrative and academic staff. You can see in the attached report that the application of a portion of these funds negated the necessity for the school to be subsidized by the Church income for the first time in many years. As reported previously, it has been necessary for many years that the school be subsidized substantially from the Church funds and donations. Reducing or eliminating the need for this subsidy has been one of the primary goals of the Finance Committee and all those who work to reduce expenses and increase enrollment and other school functions that generate revenues. Even without these funds, we have made significant progress in this regard over the last four years. We are also pleased to report that the enrollment has been maintained and even grown slightly over this period reversing the previous declining trend. Through the efforts of our principal Sister Koreen and her dedicated faculty and administrators, the Saint Charles Borromeo School continued operating uninterrupted throughout the pandemic, delivering superior education and a full curriculum to the entire student body.

We are currently running a capital campaign to help pay for the school roof which was installed this past June at a cost of approximately $75,500. Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to the Roof Replacement Fund. To those who have not, if you can find it in your budget to help, it would be much appreciated. Maintaining a fiscally healthy and educationally superior school at Saint Charles Borromeo is of the upmost importance to us all.

Thanks to the diligence and tireless efforts of Father Forlano, Saint Charles Borromeo continued to provide on- line, as well as in person Mass, spiritual support, and all the other Sacraments over the course of this entire pandemic. Establishing on-line Masses and addressing all the spiritual needs of the parish remains Father Forlano’s sacred commitment.

We are most grateful for your past and continued support, especially during these trying times. For those that have been unable to attend Mass and wish perhaps to “catch up” with their donations, there is a convenient on-line option on the the St. Charles Borromeo website. Any support to help alleviate this budget deficit in our collections is something for which would be most grateful.

Father Forlano and the members of Finance Committee are committed to being transparent with all of the Church and School finances. To that end, if you have questions or would like to make a recommendation or suggestion, do not hesitate to reach out to anyone on the Finance Committee. Please call the parish office. We would be happy to speak with you.

Sincerely,

Gerald Capie, Sister Koreen Marie Cote, I.H.M., Araceli Cruz, Rev. Philip Forlano, Christopher Szal, & James Wilkinson

The Finance Committee

Parish Finance Report 2021

Norms Regarding Cremation

NORMS REGARDING CREMATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Parish Financial Report 2021

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