Alvin Jones Sr., at only 57 years old, died on April 6, 2021. Requiescat in pace. You may have heard of his son, the Green Bay Packers’ elite running back, Aaron Jones. Jones lost a medallion containing some of his father’s ashes when it came loose from a chain he was wearing around his neck during a September 20 game against the Detroit Lions.
The medallion was recovered after the game and, thanks to some creative work by the Packers’ equipment staff, Jones’ jersey now has a special pocket where he can keep some of his father’s remains when he is playing.
Jones’ treatment of his father’s cremated remains is understandable.
Alvin Jones, Sr. was a huge influence in his son’s life, supported his son’s career, and for years never missed one of Aaron’s games. Aaron Jones is rightly grateful for his father’s love, example, and sacrifices, and one way he is expressing this gratitude is by keeping his father close to his heart, literally.
The Catholic approach
The Catholic approach to cremated remains is different because of the priority placed on the dignity of the body even after death, which is rooted in the belief in the resurrection of the body.
In life, the body-soul unity is the person, and the body that is Baptized is the same body that will be raised on the last day.
In life, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. In death, Catholics treat the body with respect, offering a Funeral Mass and laying the body to rest in sacred ground.
The Church teaches that neither dividing cremated remains nor retaining them in private residences is consistent with the respect owed to the body of the deceased.
That is why not only the bodies of the deceased, but cremated remains as well, are to be laid to rest in a cemetery. There is a good deal of practical wisdom in this teaching.
Consider: If you have your mother’s ashes on your mantel at home, do you always welcome everyone who wishes to pay their respects? Including her brother, your uncle, who makes you uncomfortable? Or one of your own siblings, with whom you are having a bit of a tiff? These situations are avoided by laying our loved ones to rest in a cemetery.
Burying the dead is one of the Corporal Works of Mercy. It is a kindness we can do for a person, and they will never be able to repay this good deed in this life.
Catholic burial today
Our culture’s main value when it comes to death and the final disposition of human remains seem to be individual choice, and individual choice is often driven by sentiment, economic, or environmental considerations.
For a Catholic in the United States today, living in the midst of an “individual choice” culture is both good and bad. On the good side, Catholics can usually practice their religion without persecution. Compared to the early Christian martyrs whose bodies were desecrated by hostile pagans, we’ve got it pretty easy.
However, our “individual choice” culture does not positively support the Catholic approach to death and burial, so we have to make an effort to educate ourselves about our faith, and make a further effort to live our faith. The mission of Catholic cemeteries is to offer burial to each Baptized Catholic and to provide education and assistance in handing on the Catholic burial tradition.
Lay Them to Rest
This year, on Saturday, Oct. 30, the Diocese of Madison is holding a free committal service for neglected cremated remains through its Lay Them to Rest program, made possible by generous donors to the Annual Catholic Appeal and those who donate directly to Catholic cemeteries. If you know of someone who is holding on to cremated remains, let them know about this event, which will be held at Resurrection Cemetery in Madison and Mount Olivet www.madisondiocese.org/rest
Damian Lenshek is the director of cemeteries for the Diocese of Madison.