“Fear of death is an existential issue,” he said. “Jesus Christ is our model and the key to existential meaning. He transforms death for believers,” making it not just tolerable but hopeful.
“Christian hope and trust in God lower anxiety about death and contribute to an individual’s sense of life fulfillment, and it’s nourished and increased through the sacraments and teaching,” he added.
By helping an individual prepare for death, which Nobes sees as part of the role of the Catholic cemetery, the entire person is spiritually nourished.
“Preparing for earthly death and talking about eternal life is an act of sharing one’s faith that benefits the Church’s evangelical mission as well as individual well-being,” he said. “Spiritual and practical preparation should be understood as a charitable act.”
Nobes suggested some reframing might be helpful. “We must always speak of eternal life when the topic of death is addressed,” he said. Integrating the funeral rite and sacred burial within the larger context of Catholic sacramental theology — specifically, the anointing of the sick, reconciliation, and the Eucharist — can provide a “broader picture of how the Church supports pilgrims when they face later life issues.”
The Catholic cemetery becomes a central institution for Nobes. “The cemetery is not only a practical service that offers a respectful preservation of human remains in keeping with religious beliefs,” he explained. “It also provides education and comfort for the distress felt over the death of loved ones and the inevitable approach of one’s own death.”