Can Ashes Be Scattered?

The Catholic Church requires the ashes of the deceased to be placed in a grave, a mausoleum, or a columbarium rather than being scattered. According to the Guidelines for Christian Burial in the Catholic Church, prepared by the National Catholic Cemetery Conference, ashes should not be scattered or disposed of in any way other than dignified interment or entombment unless a diocesan bishop directs otherwise.

The Order of Christian Funerals approved for the United States by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy See includes prayers that refer to burying or entombing the ashes and returning them to the earth. While burial at sea is permitted for a body or ashes, federal law prohibits such burials within three nautical miles of land.