Cremation fell out of favor with the Christian population in the early Middle Ages, but was later recommended on grounds of health and sanitation during the reign of Queen Victoria. A milestone was reached in 1963 when the Pope lifted the ban on cremation. In 1966, Catholic priests were allowed to officiate at Cremation ceremonies. Even today, reli

One of the hardest things that can happen in your life is the death of a person that you love, I myself understand the feeling of what it is like to cope with death, as recently I have lost my 19 month old godson, it was one of the most traumatic times in my life, watching someone whom you have loved since you first saw them slowly slip away from y

It's something no one wants to think about, but unfortunately, death is one of the most assured facts of life. There's no way to avoid its eventuality forever, but there are ways to plan for its occurrence and help those who will remain behind deal with the circumstance with dignity and grace. For many, the best way to help their families after the

"You would know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea ar

What can you say when you loose your best friend? One day you are making plans to travel the world and the next given the news that your mother will not make it through the night. March 6, 1998 was the most surreal evening I had ever experienced in my life. My beloved mother was taken into surgery at 10 pm and I, forever hopeful, did not realiz

Writing a eulogy is far more difficult than writing just any old speech because you have to make it personal to those who knew the dearly departed. It is generally considered in good taste to focus your eulogy on the life of the departed rather than focusing on how they died. 1. Where To Begin? The best piece of advice to consider when worki

The tragic loss of a loved one, the death of a spouse, the break up of a long and fruitful marriage life is full of chances for grief, and can easily be wasted on grieving. Grief is certainly a reality that we must all face, but when we go beyond facing it when we sink deeper and deeper into it, we tend to lose sight of other things in life tha

And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39 NKJ I have always loved this commandment mostly because it assumes we love ourselves. At the very least it seems to give us permission to feel good about ourselves and to treat ourselves well because then that is the standard for the treatment of others. I have ra

I guess it's not unusual for two people you know to die at the same time. It happens and it happened to me the other day... The first was Dr. J. I knew him when I worked in the local hospital as a Grief Counselor and Pastoral Care Coordinator. I worked critical care and the emergency room. Dr. J was arrogant, wealthy and somehow oblivious to

Death is inevitable and is part of the life process. And no matter how we look at it, its one event that nobody ever looks forward to. It is just too painful, too permanent, too traumatic. But then, when death strikes in a family, the loved ones have no choice but to deal with it. No matter how painful, the step-by-step process of healing is gone t

In today's busy world, parents have little time to explain the nature of life to their children. Many times, parents leave it up to the media to teach their children everything they need to know. No subject is as emotionally trying on a small child than the death of a pet or loved one. The best thing you can do for your child is to explain death in

Most children live in an idyllic world of Saturday cartoons and the loving care of their parents. Unfortunately, there comes a time when a child will experience death for the first time and it becomes the responsibility of parents to educate their young children on the subject of death and dying. Most children do experience death in one form or ano

I could feel my Spirit lift, I felt as though I was floating. I looked down at the lifeless shell that was once my body. It looked empty, meaningless. Just as I began to ponder my death, a light shimmered down towards me. The light was so blinding that I tried to shield my eyes, but I couldn't. I trembled from my head down to my fee

Most children live in an idyllic world of saturday cartoons and the loving care of their parents. Unfortuantely, there comes a time when a child will experience death for the first time and it becomes the responsibility of parents to educate their young children on the subject of death and dying. 1. Make Your Discussion Tailored For Children

Funerals are often seen as a way of celebrating someone's life, as much as saying goodbye, and today many people like to personalise funerals to reflect the deceased person's life, personality and interests. For example, it is very common for traditional hymns to be bypassed at funeral services with instead a selection of music that the deceased en