Cremation Questions?

The Cremation Option
What do you think of when you hear the word cremation? Is it familiar to you, or is it a burial option that has never crossed your mind? Your family may be more accustomed to the traditional earth burial that  includes visiting the funeral home, selecting a casket and choosing the type of funeral service desired. However, cremation has become more popular in the last two decades in the United States. As you preplan your funeral arrangements you might consider this method as your preferred burial options.

Choosing Cremation
You may decide to choose cremation for a variety of reasons. Cremation can offer you both traditional and creative options in a funeral service. You may feel that cremation is a more "Natural"  option or perhaps that it is a less expensive alternative, although, the latter is not always true.

Some choose cremation when families are separated thus allowing the cremains to be divided and kept in more than one specific location.  Decorative urns provide the opportunity for families to share in the  possession of their loved one's cremains, regardless of distance between family members.

Whatever your reasons for choosing cremation as a means of final disposition it is wise to explore the many options available to you. Don't hesitate to direct any questions or concerns to us. We have become very knowledgeable in all aspects of cremation.

Direct Cremation
The best known option is "direct" cremation. However, "direct" emphasizes no viewing or visitation, no service, no casket or burial, and sometimes... no closure.

As the cremation rate has risen over the years, the funeral industry has had an opportunity to study the effects of direct cremation on the surviving loved ones. Researches have found that people who did not go through a funeral or memorial service or did not have a physical place to place flowers or other memorabilia found it harder to bring closure to the loved one's death. For this reason, many experts advise having a traditional service before or after the actual cremation to provide friends and family with a final moment to say good-bye. This also gives the bereaved an opportunity to share their memories and give support to one another.

A Traditional Service or a Memorial
On the traditional side, a service before the cremation, including a visitation, casket, flowers, clergy, casketbearers, and viewing helps families accept the reality that their loved one has died. A service following the cremation is generally known as a memorial service. The body of the deceased is not available for viewing and the type of memorial services vary widely. A structured memorial service may include a clergy and hymns. Others may be less traditional and more creative. In place of a funeral service, an invitation may be sent for a celebration of life. This type of celebration my include refreshments, stories about the deceased, non-traditional music, or any combination of these options.

What Can I Do With The Cremains?
There are many options available for the disposition of the cremains. You may choose to purchase a decorative urn, which can be buried in a family plot. Others choose to place the urn in a place of significance,  such as a special room in the house. These options will provide your family with the ability to visit the gravestone or urn and mourn the bereaved in a fixed, identifiable location.

In addition to these options, you may choose to have the cremains scattered in a place that holds great significance to the bereaved and the family. A lake, a meadow, or a favorite park are popular choices. It is illegal to scatter cremains in some areas, so ask us for advice and restrictions regarding this procedure.

CREMATION SOCIETY OF NORTH IOWA
Hugeback Funeral Homes owns the CREMATION SOCIETY  OF NORTH IOWA. By becoming a member you have the ability to pre-plan your cremation service and save money from the standard pricing format. When pre-paying your cremation expenses the cost will never rise. This is an inflation proof method to guarantee your family will never have to pay more. The CREMATION SOCIETY OF NORTH IOWA is a thoughtful alternative to traditional earth burial.

What does the Catholic Church 
say about cremation?
While the Church permits cremation, the Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, namely for the vigil and the funeral liturgy. The "Order of Christian Burial" contains provisions for the cremation of the body after the final commendation that concludes the funeral liturgy. 

When it is not possible for the body to be present for the funeral liturgy, the Church now permits the cremated remains of the body to be present for the vigil, the funeral liturgy, and the committal rite. The parish church is the preferred place for the celebration of these rites. New prayer texts have been approved for use when the cremated remains of the body are present for the rites. 

The cremated remains of the body are to be treated and handled with the same respect and dignity given to the corporeal remains of the body. This includes final disposition. If cremation is chosen as the means of final disposition the remains are to be buried in the ground of a communal cemetery, preferably a Catholic Cemetery, or entombed in a communal mausoleum or columbarium. Therefore, the cultural practices of scattering cremated remains, keeping them at home, or interring them at the lake cabin are not considered reverent or appropriate ways of disposition from the standpoint of the Church. Whenever possible, appropriate memorialization of the deceased should be utilized at the place of burial.