Page 17 - O'Shea Funeral Guide
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was historically discouraged but most part remains can be buried in a
nowadays it is more widely accepted. cemetery lot or a cremation garden,
In eastern religions such as Hinduism, interred in a columbarium, kept at
Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism home or scattered.
cremation is mandated, while in Islam
it is strictly forbidden. Orthodox Jews How can I be sure I receive the correct
also forbid cremation; other sects of remains?
Judaism support cremation, but burial All reputable cremation providers
remains the preferred option. have developed rigorous sets of
operating policies and procedures in
order to maximize the level of service
Cremation FAQs and minimize the potential for human
error. Since it is illegal to perform
What is cremation? more than one cremation at a time,
Cremation is the process of reducing and the vast majority of crematories
the human body to bone fragments can only cremate one body at a time,
using high heat and flame. Cremation it is next to impossible to receive the
is not the final disposition of the incorrect remains.
remains, nor is it a type of funeral
service.
What do the cremated remains look
like?
Is a casket needed for cremation? Cremated remains resemble coarse
No, a casket is not required. Most sand and are whitish to light grey
states require an alternative container in color. The remains of an average
constructed of wood or cardboard, sized adult usually weigh between 7
however, in some states no container and 8 pounds.
is required.
Are all the cremated remains
Is embalming required prior to returned?
cremation? With the exception of minute and
No. In fact, it is against the law for a microscopic particles, which are
funeral home to tell you otherwise. impossible to remove from the
cremation chamber and processing
Can the family witness the cremation? machine, all of the cremated remains
Yes, they can; some cremation are given back to the family.
providers will allow family members to
be present when the body is placed Do I need an urn?
in the cremation chamber. Some An urn is not required by law. However,
religious groups even include this as an urn may be desired if there is to be
part of their funeral custom. a memorial service or if the remains
are to be interred in a cemetery. If an
Can an urn be brought into church? urn is not purchased or provided by
Nearly all Protestant Churches allow the family, the cremated remains will
for the urn to present during the be returned in a temporary plastic
memorial services. Most Catholic container.
Churches also allow the remains to be
present during the Memorial Mass. It
is encouraged that cremated remains Eulogies
be a part of a funeral as it provides a Giving a meaningful, moving eulogy
focal point for the service. can be a nerve-wracking situation for
even the most accomplished public
What can be done with the cremated speaker, but it need not be. How can
remains? you summarize somebody’s life in a
While laws vary state by state, for the few short minutes, while being both
O’Shea Funeral Homes - Page 17
