WILMINGTON, DE — In 2021, MyCatholicWill.com was launched as the only online will form platform committed to helping Catholics draft wills in accordance with Catholic teaching. The platform, built on the core principle of adherence to the Church’s teachings, provides a straightforward solution for Catholics and others who wish to align their final wishes with their faith.
MyCatholicWill.com underscores the Church’s preference for burial over cremation. In line with this, the platform explicitly prohibits the division or scattering of ashes for cases where cremation is chosen. This stance is based on the understanding that cremation must be carried out “with firm faith and hope in the final resurrection of the body,” reflecting the enduring Christian belief in bodily resurrection.
Thomas Thimons, CEO of MyCatholicWill.com, recently addressed a communication from the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith pertaining to the preservation of ashes post-cremation. Thimons assured users that the language within the platform’s will forms remains unchanged, maintaining alignment with the Church’s teachings on the matter.
Thimons underscored the importance of the Apostles’ Creed, which culminates in the declaration of the resurrection of the dead on the last day and the promise of eternal life. As explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Resurrection of the Body signifies not just the immortality of the soul, but also the revival of the “mortal body” (CCC 990).
“The traditional practice of burial aligns with our belief in the resurrection of the body on the last day,” said Thimons. He encouraged users to reflect on whether belief in bodily resurrection has remained steadfast or diminished since the Church permitted cremation as an exception.
It’s important to note that Pope Francis reaffirmed the Church’s perennial teaching as recently as 2016. His statement, approved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, emphasized that “the conservation of the ashes of the departed in a domestic residence is not permitted [except in grave and exceptional circumstances] … [and that] the ashes may not be divided among various family members” (Instruction Ad resurgendum cum Christo. No. 6).
Through its unique focus on Catholic teachings, MyCatholicWill.com continues to provide Catholics with a reliable online solution for drafting wills that reflect their beliefs and values.
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