Jan 5, 2009 8:31 pm US/Mountain
Tough Economy Has More People Choosing Cremation
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBS) ―
Never have urns looked more attractive to consumers than now.
The Casket and Funeral Supply Association of America says sales of caskets are down, and the sales of urns are up.
Cremation costs $700 to $3,000, depending on the services. It can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 for a traditional funeral service. In some cases, it can cost more.
Since August, cremations at Fort Worth's Amalla Funeral Home have tripled to 18 a month. Four out of six services this week need urns.
"In our culture, we do traditional," said funeral director Ricko Amalla. "When we see something like that, it has to be attributed to the economy."
Hispanics, especially Catholics, have been reluctant to cremate their loved ones. The church once forbade it. But now, the Catholic Church now believes God will resurrect the ashes.
"We prefer the grave as a burial place, but cremation is not prohibited. It is permitted in the church today," said Father Stephen Jasso.
However, the Catholic Church wants the urn in a crypt.
"The church does not permit the scattering of the ashes over the ocean or river or whatever. That is not permitted by the church," said Father Jasso.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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