Last Wishes

A man told his wife that he would like to be cremated and that his ashes should be spread around the floor of Dooley's Pub.

"Now why would you want that?" asked his wife. "I was just thinking," said the man, "that way the kids would finally visit me once a week."

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For the Christian, the day of death inaugurates, at the end of his sacramental life, the fulfillment of his new birth at Baptism, the definitive "conformity" to "the image of the Son" conferred by the annointing of the Holy Spirit, and the participation in the feast of the Kingdom which was anticipated in the Eucharist-even if final purifications are still necessary for him in order to be clothed with the nuptial garment. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1682)

The Church who, as Mother, has borne the Christian sacramentally in her womb during his earthly pilgrimage, accompanies him at his journey's end, in order to surrender him "into the Father's hands." She offers to the Father, in Christ, the child of his grace, and she commits to the earth, in hope, the seed of the body that will rise in glory. This offering is fully celebrated in the Eucharist sacrifice; the blessings before and after Mass are sacramentals. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1683)