>>> FOLKS ARE EITHER BURIED OR CREMATED WHEN THEY DIE, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER PRACTICE CALLED NATURAL ORGANIC REDUCTION OR DECOMPOSITION COMPOSTING.

IT IS NOW BEFORE THE SENATE.

IF IT IS PASSED, ILLINOIS WILL BECOME THE SEVENTH STATE IN THE NATION FOR THE PRACTICE.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, AMONG OTHERS, HAS VOICED OPPOSITION, SAYING THAT HUMAN COMPOSTING DOES NOT AFFORD ENOUGH SYMPATHY FOR THE DEAD.

WE HAVE THE AUTHOR OF STEADFAST IN FAITH, THE CHALLENGES OF CATHOLICISM.

WE DID INVITE THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO , BUT THEY DENIED OUR INVITATION.

WE ARE GLAD THAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE HERE.

CASSIDY, I CAN'T DESCRIBE THIS IN THE LEAD, BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS COMPOSTING?

>> THIS COMES OUT OF A DESIRE TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT.

THE CURRENT METHODS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, EACH ONE IS ENVIRONMENTALLY PROBLEMATIC.

THERE ARE TWO METHODS THAT THE CHURCH TELLS YOU ABOUT.

THERE IS A REAL.

YOU ARE SEALED IN CONCRETE BOX UNDERGROUND.

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF LAND.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO FEEL LIKE IT IS NOT THE BEST USE OF LAND.

I LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS THAT ASHES ARE ACTUALLY VERY HARMFUL TO PLANT LIFE.

SO THIS IS A PROCESS WHEREBY SOMEBODY IS PUT INTO A VESSEL WITH NATURAL MATERIALS, VERY OFTEN FLOWERS, SO YOU CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL AND RESPECTFUL CEREMONY.

WITHIN THAT CHAMBER, IT TAKES ABOUT 30 DAYS, AND YOU ARE REDUCED TO VERY, VERY NUTRIENT-RICH COMPOST THAT YOU CAN USE TO PLANT TREES AND CAN BE USED TO RESTORE DAMAGED LAND.

FOR MANY PEOPLE, THAT IS A TRUE EXPRESSION OF THEIR END-OF-LIFE PROCESS.

>> THERE ARE MORE AND MORE FOLKS CHOOSING THIS METHOD.

YOU RECENTLY WROTE A COLUMN CALLING THIS REPULSIVE.

WHAT IS YOUR OBJECTION TO THIS PROCESS?

>> WE ARE GIVEN THE GREAT GIFT OF LIFE AND THAT LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT ALL THE WAY INTO THE GROUND, BUT ALSO BE ON THE GROUND.

THERE IS A PERSON HERE AND THIS PERSON IS WORTHY OF RESPECT.

COUNTLESS BURIAL PRACTICES FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS HAVE HONORED PEOPLE, BUT ONE CENTRAL WAY IS BY KEEPING THE BODY TOGETHER.

MOTHER NATURE WANTS TO REMIND US THAT OUR BONES WILL REMAIN.

A PHYSICAL REMINDER THROUGHOUT HISTORY THAT REMINDS US THAT THIS WAS A PERSON, A UNIQUE PERSON WITH A STORY WITH MEMORY THAT LIVES ON.

WE DO THAT BY TREATING THEM AS NATURE WOULD TREAT THEM, WHICH IS AS AN INTACT HUMAN.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE CRITICISM THAT THIS DOES NOT AFFORD THE HUMAN BODY DIGNITY AS SOME CATHOLIC REPRESENTATIVES ARE ALLEGING HERE?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS AS CLOSE TO DUST TO DUST AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY HOPE FOR.

ULTIMATELY, THIS IS ABOUT RESPECTING INDIVIDUALS' TRADITIONS AND PRIORITIES.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CAN AND HAS SAID WHAT IS AND ISN'T APPROPRIATE FOR DISPOSAL OF HUMAN REMAINS.

I WOULD SAY THAT INFORMATION YOUR BONES DON'T BURN, EITHER.

THAT DOESN'T KEEP THE BONES INTACT, EITHER, YET THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS FINE WITH THAT SINCE THEY GOT INTO THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING CREMATION SERVICES.

>> SO HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT CONDEMN CREMATION.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE HERE BETWEEN CREMATION AND COMPOST?

>> CREMATION IS ALLOWED, NOT PREFERRED IN THE CATHOLIC TRADITION, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE VALUE PLACED ON THE BODY.

IT SAYS THAT JESUS CHRIST BECAME GOD AND GIVEN ICED IT.

IN CREMATION WE ALLOW THE CHURCH TO ACQUIRE THE ASHES TOGETHER AND NOT SEPARATED.

ONE OF THE GREAT TRAGIC ELEMENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11th WAS THAT SO MANY OF THOSE BODIES WERE NOT RECOVERED AND THOSE PEOPLE WERE LOST TO OBLIVION JUST LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPOSTED ARE.

>> I'M SORRY.

YOU ARE COMPARING THIS TO TERRORIST ATTACKS?

PLEASE!

>> IT IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BODY!

>> THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A PERSON MAKING A CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO USE A LOW-IMPACT PROCESS TO DISPOSE OF THEIR REMAINS IN A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR BELIEF SYSTEM.

I RESPECT YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM.

I AM NOT ASKING CATHOLICS TO BE COMPOSTED.

I HAVE NO BUSINESS TELLING A CATHOLIC WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BODY.

JUST AS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOESN'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS TELLING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY THAT THEY HAVE TO USE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING PROCESS TO HANDLE THEIR REMAINS.

>> TO ALLOW OUR BODIES JUST TO BE THROWN INTO OBLIVION -- >> THIS IS NOT A CATHOLIC COUNTRY.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE -- THE FACT THAT THIS -- IF AN INDIVIDUAL CHOOSES THIS, WHY NOT ALLOW IT IF THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE CATHOLIC CHOOSING THIS?

>> THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO.

JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN IT IS GOOD FOR THEM.

TO CONSENT TO LEGAL COMPOSTING IS TO CONSENT WITH DOING AWAY WITH DIGNITY.

>> WHAT IS DIGNIFIED ABOUT A CATHOLIC CEMETERY?

WHEN THE CATHOLICS CAME OUT AGAINST THIS BILL, I HEARD FROM NUMEROUS FAMILIES THAT A CATHOLIC CEMETERY HERE, WHERE THERE ARE OPEN HOLES WHERE THERE ARE GRAVES, THERE ARE GRAVESTONES THAT HAVE BEEN CRUMBLED AND PILES OF DEBRIS ALL OVER THE