I was having a meal with a close friend the other day, and she asked me the question, “Who do you do your services for, and does it include Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims for example?”
I have never been asked in my role as a celebrant to lead a funeral service for someone from one of these religious backgrounds. Nor have I engaged a celebrant in my role as a Funeral Director to do so.
This is because, in the majority of cases, they have their own religious leaders and rituals that they follow.
That is not to say a celebrant-type of service could not be done if the next of kin desired it.
The people who request a celebrant service are, if you like, engaging their own spokesperson. It is not only for atheists. In most cases, the deceased has been involved at some time in their lives with religion, be it Roman Catholic, Methodist or Church of England.
A celebrant is usually chosen in preference to a religious minister because the deceased may not have attended church recently, not liked the local minister or feel they are being hypocritical in turning to religion.
The celebrant, as the family’s representative, produces a service in keeping with the family’s wishes. It may have some religious content or may have none.
Going back to the original question about religions for non-Christians… perhaps, as future generations become more ‘westernised’, the services of a celebrant to talk more about the life and achievements of the deceased may be considered. It is possible to combine traditional prayers led by a religious leader with a celebrant service, though, obviously, there would be a cost implication if you wish to employ both.
I would guess that the majority of people have no idea that a celebrant service that is family driven (rather than purely religiously based) is even possible.
I hope that I can help to spread the idea that such choice is available and encourage people to seriously consider it - provided it suits them of course.
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