Catholics may be cremated, but in reverence for the dignity and sanctity of the human body, ashes of our departed loved ones should be honored by burial or entombment, not scattered at sea, kept in urns at home, divided and distributed among siblings, incorporated into jewelry or artwork, etc. According to guidelines from the Vatican's doctrinal office, cremated remains should be kept in a "sacred place" such as a church cemetery. Ideally, cremation takes place following the Funeral Mass. This allows for the appropriate reverence for the sacredness of the body during the Funeral Mass: sprinkling with holy water, the placing of the pall, and honoring it with incense.