A Comprehensive Guide to the Cremation Process and Services

The cremation process is one that must be approached with sympathy and care. This option after a loved one’s passing can have cultural connotations or beliefs that must be followed to ensure proper post-funeral rites. In this guide, we’ll discuss cremation, its process, how we prepare for it, and the services we at Catholic Cemeteries offer.

What is Cremation?

The process of cremation is the final disposition of the deceased’s body. This involves carefully placing the body in a crematorium, which is a furnace that burns the deceased’s body at a precise temperature. This reduces the body to ashes and bone fragments and may also include minerals. The cremated remains are put in an urn and returned to loved ones, who can scatter the ashes, put the urn in their home, or place it in a sacred niche.

For thousands of years, cremations have been a part of human history as another option for post-funeral rites besides burials.

How is a Body Prepared for Cremation?

1. The first step in preparing a body for cremation involves verifying the deceased’s identity with proper documentation. 
2. This is followed by embalming the body, which involves treating it with chemicals to stall the decaying process.
3. Next, medical devices and implants, such as pacemakers, are removed before cremation as a safety precaution.
4. Lastly, it is important to decide what clothing to wear on the body. Due to environmental concerns, certain materials cannot be cremated. Please contact us for more details. 

The Cremation Process

1. The first step of the cremation process consists of carefully placing the deceased’s casket within the crematorium chamber and furnace. 
2. Then, the temperature in the furnace is set to approximately 650-1090 degrees Celsius.
3. Our highly trained staff observe the cremation, which may take approximately two hours.
4. Following the cremation, the bone fragments are attentively treated and become ashes. Soon thereafter, the ashes are put in an urn of your choosing.
5. The ashes are then returned to your family and are ready for burial or placement at a sacred site.

Cremation Process in Ontario

In Ontario, there are specific rules and regulations to follow regarding the cremation process. To start, only a few people have legal authority to decide if the body will be cremated. The following people who have authority are:

1. An executor. This is either the person named on the will or an estate worker appointed by the Court of Ontario to execute the deceased’s will.
2. Spouse
3. Adult Children
4. Parents 

An executor in Ontario may be expected to provide a photo ID and either the will or court order as proof the deceased arranged an estate trustee.

Moreover, there is the Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act, which details the rights in Ontario related to planning a funeral, burial, cremation and alkaline hydrolysis. The act contains rules that crematoriums and cemeteries must follow and the licenses required to bury or hold a cremation in Ontario. The act aims to protect those who need these services and ensure every service provider in Ontario has a proper license.

There is also the Consumer Information Guide: A Guide to Death Care in Ontario. This guide informs you about your rights when requesting services from a business licensed by the Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act. All licensees must provide families and the public with a copy of the guide so they can learn about their options, rights, and responsibilities.

Cremation Services Explained

Our cremation services include direct cremation or memorial services. If you’re considering a memorial service for your loved one, you can customize the memorial with a bronze or granite plaque. Our team can offer expert advice to help you find the perfect choice.

Based on religious beliefs or faith, you have the option to bury the cremated remains or place them in a sacred niche at a dignified resting place, which are both available at Catholic Cemeteries.

Catholic Cemeteries offer many niche options to anyone of any religion or faith. With our mausoleums, an external monument to serve as a tomb, and columbariums, a structure to store cremated remains and urns. These options include:

• Hope Cemetery Mausoleums: These mausoleums include the Garden of the Resurrection Columbaria, the Holy Family Mausoleum and The Sacred Heart Mausoleum all of which offer stunning architecture with the option of single and double niches.
• Notre Dame Cemetery Columbarium: This interior heated columbarium offers glass-front niches. 
• St. Alphonse Cemetery Columbarium: An outdoor columbaria also has single and double niches; this option allows for an inscription in front of the niche.
• St Patrick’s Cemetery Columbarium: Our oldest cemetery holds two columbariums offering inscriptions in front of the niches. 

Closing Thoughts

Choosing cremation is a deeply personal decision, one that requires careful consideration of your loved one’s wishes. We’ve walked you through the cremation process, the preparation involved, and the services available while highlighting the regulations specific to Ontario. Whether drawn to the simplicity of direct cremation or the meaningfulness of a memorial service, cremation is more than a practical decision—it’s a way to honor your loved one’s life with dignity and respect. If you have further questions, our caring team is here to support you every step of the way.