The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued new guidelines on the disposition of the remains of the deceased. Approved by Pope Francis, these instructions are, in fact, not new. But, they need to be stated anew. This is a very delicate situation. The issue doesn’t really arise until the family comes to the Pastor to discuss the funeral of a loved one. Then it comes out that the deceased, or the family, wants to have the body cremated and the ashes scattered or placed on the mantel. This instruction makes clear why this cannot be done. The disposition of the body is a statement of faith. The instruction is here.