The overcrowding of cemeteries in Metro Manila has prompted the Catholic Church to approve cremation but discouraged the faithful from keeping the ashes in their homes or scattering it on open land or sea.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said the government or private companies should already build new cemeteries to accommodate the growing number of the dead.
The CBCP said the cremated remains of the body be treated with respect, including the use of a “worthy urn” for it.
The CBCP also requires that a columbaria or a crypt be built to keep the ashes.
It said cremation is only prohibited if the person choosing such method is doing so to deny the teachings of the Church, especially that of the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soul.
The Catholic Church, however, continues to prefer and encourage the faithful to bury or entomb the bodies of their departed loved ones.
