Cremation in no way prevents family and friends
from participating in the traditions, ceremonies, or
rituals of a funeral service.

Families select cremation for many reasons.
Simplicity, environmental concerns, and flexibility in
ceremony planning add to its increasing selection.
Some choose cremation for economic reasons.

Our company has generations of experience in cremation services. We built Pittsburgh’s first crematory in 1921. Still in operation today, it is the second oldest continuously operating crematory in the United States. This on-site crematory insures that your loved one never leaves our care. The crematory is operated by only licensed funeral directors.

The Funeral Service and Cremation

As with the option of burial, cremation can occur after a traditional funeral celebrating the life of the deceased where the casket is present at one's place of worship or a funeral chapel.

Often times the only difference between a funeral celebration followed by a burial and one followed by cremation, is that the body is taken to the crematory after the services instead of the cemetery.

The Memorial Service and Cremation

The memorial service, like a funeral, is a service of remembrance, only without the body present. A family may choose to have the cremation process take place and then hold a service in a church or at the funeral home with the cremated remains displayed in the selected urn. The urn is usually placed on a table perhaps accompanied by a photo of the deceased and a vase of flowers or other floral tribute. A time of private viewing for the immediate family is usually chosen in this instance before the cremation process takes place.

It has been proven that taking part in the process of arranging and attending funeral ceremonies that celebrate the life of a loved one can greatly assist in the grief process. Viewing and visitation of the deceased as part of this celebration helps families by providing closure and the opportunity to say good-bye.

Final Disposition of Cremated Remains
After the Personalized Funeral services

Listed below are some of the options with regard to cremated remains:

• It is common to bury an urn in grave space just as you would bury a casket. This allows families to remain together in a burial plot. The burial site then affords the surviving family a place for visitation and memorialization.
• Placement of an urn may be in a mausoleum or columbarium.
• Some people prefer to keep the cremated remains in their personal possession and will select an urn reflective of the deceased as a permanent keepsake.
• Scattering of cremated remains may be selected. Careful consideration of this option is recommended since it is irreversible and there also may be legal ramifications. Woodruff Memorial Park has a scattering garden that takes into consideration future generations of a family with the opportunity for memorialization of the deceased.

Religions and Cremation
With the exception of Orthodox Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Islamic and a few Fundamentalist Christian faiths, most faiths and religions allow cremation.

Cremations for Catholics

Many Catholics still believe that the church forbids cremation. The reforms of the Second Vatican Council touched all areas in the life of the Church, including funeral and burial rites. "The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burial be retained; but it does not forbid cremation, unless this is chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching."

The church lists the following considerations to be kept in mind when selecting the option of cremation:

• The selection of cremation was the specific choice of the individual before death.
• A family who wishes to transport the cremated remains to a distant place may request cremation.
• When cremation is chosen, the various elements of the funeral rite should be conducted in the usual way and, normally, with the body present.
• The ordinary practice of Christian burial includes the Vigil Service, the celebration of the Funeral Mass at the Church, and the Rite of Final Commendation at the cemetery.
• Although all the elements of the Funeral Rite have importance, priority should be given to the celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy with the body of the deceased present.

For more complete information regarding Cremation and Catholics, refer to the Catholic publication entitled, "A Vision for the Millennium."(Published in 1999). To request a copy email us at catholiccremation@woodrufffamilyservices.net