Although the Church still recommends burial of the body over cremation, the bishops are showing sensitivity to a growing pastoral need in our country. We applaud their sensitivity. Understanding both the U.S. pastoral need and the history of the cremation prohibition helps put the Vatican permission into perspective. There was a time when some people had their bodies cremated as an affront to Christianity's belief in the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soul. Thankfully, such cases are rare today.
People decide on cremation for a number of other reasons.
Economics is high on the list. Cremation costs can add up, too, but generally cremation is considerably less expensive than burial. Some people choose cremation because transporting a body a long distance for burial is very expensive. Nationally, about one in five bodies is cremated today. In the Western states that average is closer to one out of two.