c. 1999 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ The burial at sea of the cremated remains of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife and her sister followed a U.S. Catholic practice that received Vatican approval only a year and a half ago.

Both cremation and burial at sea have become common ways to mark the death of Catholics, said Dennis McManus, associate director of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.”It’s growing in popularity, so to speak,”McManus said of cremation.”The U.S. received its permission from the Vatican for cremations about a year and a half ago as a regular part of a Catholic burial service.” Kennedy, 38, his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, 33, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, 34, were killed when his single-engine plane crashed off Martha’s Vineyard after they departed July 16 from New Jersey to head toward a family wedding. A service of”committal of ashes”was held aboard the USS Briscoe on Thursday (July 22), not far from the crash site.

McManus described the two Catholic chaplains aboard the Navy destroyer as”experienced Roman Catholic naval chaplains who certainly know what the teaching and practice of the church are on this matter.” In 1989, the Vatican announced that cremation was no longer forbidden and that bishops’ conferences could seek permission for the practice. Prior to gaining that permission, cremations were accepted only under”cases of necessity,”such as when the spread of the Ebola virus or hepatitis prompted the procedure for public health reasons.”It was forbidden because for a long time, through the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the Catholic Church was fighting a tendency, especially in Europe, of people who denied the resurrection of the dead,”said McManus.

Critics of this theology demonstrated their disbelief that bodies would rise from the dead by seeking cremations.”The church said the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,”said McManus.”It will rise from the dead on the last day.” But church thinking on cremation changed when the use of cremation to deny Catholic belief dissipated.

In modern times, McManus said, cremation is viewed as an appropriate option.”There’s a good understanding that the complete deterioration of human remains _ whether they’re in the ground or cremated _ doesn’t deny the resurrection,”he said.

Catholics believe that the power of God allows bodily resurrection to occur upon the return of Christ to Earth, McManus said.

The change in thinking about cremation has made way for Catholics to be buried at sea.”Most people think that this would be reserved to Navy personnel,”said McManus.”The fact is that it’s really quite common in Catholic communities, especially communities of fishermen who have spent their whole lives working at sea. Their request is that their ashes be buried at sea in the place where they gave so much of their work and the sweat of their brow.” But beyond naval personnel, marine biologists and others who worked on or near the water, there are people _ such as Kennedy _ whose love of the sea prompts such a request.

The remains often are placed in a marble or stone urn and deposited in the sea or are dropped out of a receptacle”en masse”so they can sink to the ocean floor, McManus said.

The Catholic Church does not consider scattering of the remains to be a”reverent disposition,”according to the Order of Christian Funerals.

A funeral Mass, such as the one scheduled for Friday in New York for John and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, can be held before or after a burial.

The prayer committing the ashes to the sea is as follows:”Lord God,

by the power of your Word

you stilled the chaos of the primeval seas,

you made the raging waters of the Flood subside,

and calmed the storm on the sea of Galilee.

As we commit the body (earthly remains)

of our brother (sister) (name of deceased) to the deep,

grant him/her peace and tranquillity

until that day when he/she

and all who believe in you

will be raised to the glory of new life

promised in the waters of baptism.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.”DEA END BANKS