Green Burial Option C ommunity to offer
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he Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Earth Belief Statement affirms their commitment to preserving and protecting Earth, while continuing to impel them to explore new ways of living simply and caring for all creation. Most recently the Leadership Council of the Sisters of Charity approved the option to choose a more Earth friendly type of burial. “Green” or natural burial involves returning the body to its natural cycle of life. In doing so, individuals are buried in a simple biodegradable container without embalming and without a concrete grave liner. Many may not realize that tucked behind the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse, along the rolling green hills and amongst the large shaded trees, is the Mount St. Joseph cemetery. More than 1,700 Sisters are buried on the grounds; each year close to 30 more burials take place. Having the cemetery on its property enabled the Sisters to look more closely at and to choose this environmentally friendly type of burial as an option. Sisters Joyce Richter and Winnie Brubach have been researching this type of burial for the past two years, and created a proposal which they presented to Leadership. They also prepared discussion materials on all Sisters of Charity burial options for use in small group discussions. “When I saw the lineup of grave liners that are stored beyond our cemetery, I said to myself, ‘I don’t want one of those placed in the ground when I die,” S. Joyce explained. “I have polluted the Earth enough and now I am really trying to make more Earth friendly choices.” “Most cemeteries,” S. Joyce continued, “require a grave liner or vault. Because we own our own cemetery, we can stipulate the requirements.” Sisters who opt for this type of burial will have the opportunity to choose to be laid to rest in either a simple wooden casket or shroud/blanket as opposed to a metal casket. There would be no grave liner or vault, and finally, the body would not be embalmed. “If we take seriously our Vision Statement ‘to live more simply in a complex world ...’ and the whole of the Belief Statement then an option for a simple, green burial flows naturally,” S. Winnie said. “For those of us who think this way, it is nice to have an option.” 8
Historically, Sisters Joyce and Winnie explained, it was practice in this country to bury unembalmed, in a simple pine box, to wake people in their home, and to bury in a cemetery without a concrete liner. The funeral industry brought about many changes to the natural way of laying a body to rest. Each year cemeteries bury millions of feet of wood, thousands of tons of steel, copper and concrete, and hundreds of thousands of gallons of embalming fluids, which contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. “In our research we have found people, many of them other religious communities, who have opted to take back the preparation and burial of a loved one; to keep it simple,” S. Winnie said. According to a June 21 article in the National Catholic Reporter, “Green Burials Offer Ecological, Ancient Way to Say Goodbye to Loved Ones,” a natural burial carries a lower ecological footprint. Vault-less burials and simpler material from renewable materials create much less embodied energy. And unlike cremation, which releases some greenhouse gasses in the incineration process, green burials release little to no greenhouse gas. And the nutrients that are in our bodies are recycled back to the Earth. There is much to be considered when making the choice for a natural burial. “Green burial is a return to a simpler understanding of the interconnectedness of humans with the rest of creation,” said S. Christine Rody, councilor. “In terms of our religious life, we need to consider how our understanding of this relationship not only fits with our values of simplicity and poverty but also our relationship with our families and our culture, as well as Earth. To be able to decide how one will be buried is a rare privilege and needs to connect with all the aspects of one’s life. How will it affect my community, my family, my friends, Earth? Will those who know and love me understand why I am deciding what I am deciding?” Sisters Joyce and Winnie are grateful that Leadership has approved this form of burial as an option for those Sisters who are buried in the Motherhouse cemetery. Details are still being finalized, but for now they are pleased to see that Community members are open to the idea and continuously seeking ways to nourish and care for Earth. Intercom