 Church belief in the resurrection of the body led to a prohibition against cremation that was pastorally modified at the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s under limited circumstances , but those conditions have been largely ignored even by the clergy . According to the Catechism , burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy that must treat the body with respect and love ( e.g. scattering of cremated remains , burial in an unmarked grave , etc. are forbidden in the Catholic Church ) . Organ donation after death and organ transplants under certain terms , also autopsies for legal and scientific reasons are permitted . 
 Church belief in the resurrection of the body led to a prohibition against cremation <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>was pastorally modified at the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s under limited circumstances , but those conditions <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> been largely ignored even by the clergy . According to the Catechism , burial of the dead <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>a corporal work of mercy <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>that</mark></a>must treat the body with respect and love ( e.g. scattering of cremated remains , burial in an unmarked grave , etc. are forbidden in the Catholic Church ) . Organ donation after death and organ transplants under certain terms , also autopsies for legal and scientific reasons are permitted . 
Church belief in the resurrection of the body led to a prohibition against cremation was pastorally modified at the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s under limited circumstances , but those conditions done been largely ignored even by the clergy . According to da Catechism , burial of tdadead a corporal work of mercy must treat the body with respect and love ( e.g. scattering of cremated remains , burial in an unmarked grave , etc. are forbidden in the Catholic Church ) . Organ donation after death and organ transplants under certain terms , also autopsies fa legal and scientific reasons r permitted .