Complete Cremation Information Guide

When considering our Brooklyn cremation services, today's families are concerned with many complex issues: how cremation affects the environment (especially when compared to traditional burial), personal finances and faith being amongst the top three. If you, or a family member, are curious about cremation or wondering if cremation is the right option for your situation, we invite you to read the articles in this section.

What is Cremation?

Part of making funeral arrangements on behalf of a loved one involves choosing between burial of the body, or cremation. Certainly this is a big decision, based on any number of factors: religious or spiritual beliefs, finances, or ecological awareness are just some of the reasons we've heard for choosing cremation. Before you can make the choice, you need to know exactly what it is you're considering. You can learn the basics below, however, if the content here raises additional questions for you, please give us a call. One of our cremation specialists will address any of your inquiries or concerns.

Cremation Explained

The Cremation Association of North America describes cremation as, "The mechanical and/or thermal or other dissolution process that reduces human remains to bone fragments".  On our page, The Cremation Process, we offer a deeper look at the most common cremation process which uses extreme heat.

As we said earlier, people choose cremation over burial of casketed remains for any combination of reasons. Sometimes it's the simple fear of burial itself, which may stem directly from the Victorian phobia of being buried alive. 

What is Required to Arrange for Cremation?

Once the cremation-over-burial decision has been made, all that's required is authorization. This is provided by the person who is the legally identified or appointed next-of-kin. Once all authorization documents are signed, and service charges are paid; the body can be transported from the place of death to the crematory and the cremation process can take place. However, there are some additional things you may wish to consider, such as:
  • Is there a special set of clothes (such as a military uniform or favorite dress) your loved one would appreciate the thought of wearing? This will be a focus of the cremation arrangement conversation, and you will be advised by your funeral director as to your best options regarding jewelry or other valuable personal items.
  • Are there any keepsake items you'd like to include in their cremation casket? Perhaps there's a special memento, such as a treasured photograph or letter? We sometimes suggest family members write cards, notes or letters to their deceased loved one, and place them in the casket prior to the cremation.
  • Would you or other family members like to be present for–or participate to some degree in–your loved one's cremation? Because we know how healing it can be to take part in an act of "letting go", we welcome the opportunity to bring interested family or friends into the crematory. Please discuss your desire to participate with your funeral director.
  • What will you keep the cremated remains or ashes in after the cremation or the service? Many families are simply unaware that they can purchase a cremation urn to be placed in a special place such as the family home. We offer a large selection of urns that will help memorialize your loved one. Ask one of our caring funeral director's to see the wide variety of urns.

Why Choose Cremation?

Everyone has their reasons for choosing cremation over traditional casket burial.

Cremation Costs are Only One Reason

Given the religious, ethnic, and regional diversity among us, there are many other reasons for the dramatic rise in the number of cremations performed each year. According to Tyler Mathisen of NBC, one of those reasons "is the softening of the Catholic church's views of the practice. For centuries—until 1963, in fact—the church outlawed it. The church's laws still express a preference for burial. But the outright ban is a thing of the past."

He goes on to tell readers that the decline in nuclear families is another reason. "As more Americans live far from hometowns and parents, and as family burial plots have waned in popularity and accessibility, millions have turned to cremation as a practical and cost-effective way to care for a loved one's remains."

Cremation also allows a family the flexibility they may need in planning and preparing for a memorial service, celebration-of-life, or a scattering ceremony. While the cremation process can occur almost immediately (once all the proper paperwork is complete), the decisions required in planning a meaningful memorial for a loved one can be made in a relaxed, rational way.

You can also be sure that concern for the environment ranks high among many who choose cremation. Casketed and embalmed remains take up cemetery space and can pollute the ground water but many still question the amount of atmospheric pollution created by the cremation process.

Cremation Benefits

Cost

On average, cremation is generally 45-50% cheaper than burial. Cremation allows you to avoid the big purchases of items like a headstone and a casket.

Flexibility

With burial, you are either interred underground in a plot or above ground in a mausoleum. With cremation, you have several options in terms of what you can do with your loved one’s ashes. You can scatter your loved one’s ashes, store them in an urn, hold a small portion of it in memorial jewelry, blast them as apart of fireworks, mix them into the ink of a tattoo, and do some many other creative things with ashes.

Cemetery Availability

Plots at cemeteries are becoming more and more scarce. The cemetery you wish to be buried may not have plots available when you pass. Also since the supply of burial plots shrinks the cost of them has been on the rise. Cremation allows you to avoid the trouble of finding a plot.

Simplicity

Often times, when people choose a traditional funeral they choose to have their loved one buried as well. In contrast, cremation is more associated with memorial services and celebrations of life. A traditional funeral involves many more components such as a wake, gathering pallbearers, organizing a mass with a church, coordinating the burial with the cemetery, and much more. Memorial service and celebrations of life can be much simpler if you choose them to be. Since these ceremonies are more based on what you want and are less about common rituals, you can choose just how complicated and sophisticated the ceremonies are.

Environmental Concerns

Cremation is considered to be more environmentally friendly than burial. Often the deceased is embalmed using harsh chemicals for a wake before he/she is buried. People have been critical that these chemicals can seep through a casket and create water and soil pollution. Secondly, burial plots take up land space and disturbs the Earth to inter a casket. Crematories do release carbon emissions into the air, but new technology is really starting to reduce the amount and impact.

Religions are Becoming Less Strict

Many people are starting to move away from tradition due to religions having a more relaxed stance on cremation. Catholics believe that the soul is immortal and does not depend on the physical body. Since cremation of the deceased's remains do not affect his or her soul, according to the Church, there are no doctrinal objections to the practice (Bryner, 2016). The less strict beliefs of the Catholic church are becoming another reason that people are choosing cremation rather than burial.

How to Plan a Cremation Service

Before the Decision to Cremate is Made

  1. Learn about your cremation options. Review the cremation information found on our website. 
  2. Engage your family in a discussion. We urge you to bring your family into the conversation to get a better idea about how they feel about cremation and what they would prefer.
  3. Speak with a funeral professional. If there are any questions or concerns, please turn to us for the insights you may need at this point.
  4. Document your cremation intentions in writing. There are a number of forms we can provide to take this step. Call us to learn more.
  5. Arrange for the transportation of your loved one's physical remains. We can escort them to our facility or directly to the crematory.

After Deciding on Cremation

  1. Consider what kind of ceremony you would like to have. You can plan for a traditional funeral followed by the cremation or delay the ceremony until you have the time to plan a memorial service, celebration-of-life, or scattering ceremony.
  2. Ask for assistance from your family and friends. When making plans for a meaningful event, encourage everyone to get involved. Ask them to gather family photos, write down the stories they'd like to share, and talk to them about the best location for the event. If you would like a eulogy, this is the time to ask someone special to take on that task.
  3. Select the music, prayers, or other readings. You don't have to have any of these things but you should decide exactly what you and your guests will do at this event. There are endless possibilities.
  4. Contact guests well ahead of time. This is especially important if they will need to travel or request time off from work.
  5. Decide what will be done with the cremated remains. Commonly the urn is a visual focal point of a celebration-of-life. Will you then take it home? Will the scattering of ashes be a part of the event? You may want to purchase keepsake urns for family members.

Affordable Cremation Services in Brooklyn, NY

We consider ourselves to be cremation experts in Brooklyn, NY, and therefore at McManus Funeral Home with any type of cremation option you choose you can expect: 

Courteous, professional service.

Our dedicated staff will take care of all details, including prompt filing of required permits and notifications. Accurate completion of these essential documents not only ensures their acceptance by local or state agencies; it guarantees your loved one's cremation will not be delayed.

Safekeeping and prompt return of cremated remains.

We know it's important for the families we serve to know their loved one will be coming home as soon as possible. That's why we promise to notify you as soon as their ashes become available, and safeguard their urn until the time you are ready to receive them.

Respectful care of the deceased and timely completion of cremation process.

Your loved one will be attended to by certified crematory operators; each of whom has been trained to provide both compassionate care for the deceased, and conscientious attention to detail throughout the cremation process.

A memorial service to celebrate the life of the deceased.

There are many advantages to taking some time to remember the life lived, share stories and laugh about all of the memories. Our team can help you plan a fitting memorial service with or without the cremation urn present, at our facility or in a place of your choosing.

We offer three affordable cremation options; each can be modified to meet your needs:

Traditional cremation services.

These are much like a traditional funeral. The body of the deceased, placed in a specially-selected cremation casket or a rental casket, is the focal point of the service. A visitation can take place prior to the funeral service and the cycle is completed with the cremation rather than a traditional burial. Once the cremation has occurred, the cremated remains are returned to your family. You can then decide to scatter, bury, or retain the cremated remains in an urn.

Memorial gathering after the cremation has taken place.

This can occur at any time after the cremation process. The urn is usually on display at the service, which can take place in any setting preferred by the family.

Direct cremation.

This involves completion of all required paperwork and the transportation of the deceased from the hospital, home, nursing facility, or coroner's office to the crematory.

Your Trusted Cremation Services Provider in Brooklyn

We've had years of experience serving many families, so we understand and respect your decisions. Not only that, we will take all the time you may need to make an informed decision. Call us today or email us through the Contact Us form.

We encourage you to contact us to discuss the cremation services we offer and to explore cremation costs. We are here to help you make an informed decision. Simply call to ask any questions.

Are You Ready to Talk About Cremation?

We've had years of experience helping other families make cremation service arrangements. Never hesitate to pick up the phone to call us. We would be privileged to serve you and your family. Simply call to speak with one of our funeral professionals.
We want you to know that no matter your reasons for choosing cremation, we're here to help you explore your options. When you're ready, call us to set an appointment or simply drop by our office. You can also send us an email via our online contact us form.
Sources:
  1. What is Cremation, Cremation Association of North America
  2. Mathisen, Tyler, "Cremation is the Hottest Trend in the Funeral Industry"