Cremation was legalized in northern Europe during the 19th century time period, and the Catholic Church was suspicious that there was an atheistic plot involved to discredit belief in resurrection. Because of the declaration of the Roman Inquisition in 1886 that those of the Catholic faith who cooperated in cremation were guilty of sin, most are against it still today.

There are those who have come to accept cremation in the Catholic Church. Gary Brown, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Phoenix, says that families need to be educated about the misunderstood belief about Catholic cremation. According to Brown, the Church teaching is that those who do choose to be cremated should have the ashes contained in one place and they do encourage burial. The body, although cremated, should be wholly deposited. They do not believe in the scattering of ashes.

Pope Paul was partially responsible for the change of attitude about cremation in the Catholic Church. In the mid 1960's, the Holy Office sent out instructions to all Catholic bishops that led to easing up somewhat on restrictions that were in place prior. Although the church's preference for traditional burial still remains today, cremation is not forbidden, and can be authorized in many circumstances.

The Catholic Church views the body as a holy temple that "houses" or contains the soul. Since this temple was created by God, they once viewed cremation as a desecration of God's work. As the church evolved, burials in the traditional manner were (and still are) stressed but cremation is permitted. Until recent years, the body was required to be present at the Mass, but now it is permissible for the body to be cremated before the last Mass.

Although cremation is becoming more accepted by the Catholic faith, most discourage immediate cremation, and believe that there should be time available for friends and family members to go through the process of grieving, so that the life of the one who has passed can be remembered in the presence of the body.