1. HOW IS A CLERGY DIFFERENT FROM A CELEBRANT?

    Members of the clergy are prepared to provide funeral services for members of their own faith which may include liturgy, texts, sacred music and the specific elements that define that specific religion/denomination/practice.

    Celebrants are trained and prepared to provide funeral services for families who are not members of a particular faith or church, or who wish to have a service that is uniquely written for their loved one. We serve the growing number of people who identify as “spiritual but not religious” or “non-denominational”.

  2. DOES A CELEBRANT SERVICE HAVE TO BE SECULAR?

    No. I am happy to include scriptures, readings, prayers, music or any other elements that are important and meaningful to the family. The difference is that Celebrants have no specific agenda and are not here to push any of it. A common misconception about Celebrants is that they are only “the secular option”…whereas we see ourselves as the “What do you need?” option.

      

  3. WHY HAVE A FUNERAL OR MEMORIAL AT ALL?

    Celebrants are passionately dedicated to the concept that a funeral/tribute/gathering/celebration of life is one of the most important first steps in the grief journey. Since the beginning of time, human beings have used ceremony to mark the end of a life that was lived and to create a space to express their thoughts and feelings safely.  Depending on the time and place, there are a variety of different ways to create such places, but almost all will have one thing in common: people coming together to say goodbye and remember a life no longer with us and to begin the process of grieving together. When a family chooses “cremation, no service”, they are missing a vital and important opportunity for creating memories in safe spaces and sharing their loss with others.


  4. IN WHAT LOCATIONS DO YOU SERVE?

    I am am available to work with families in the Hamilton, Halton, Brant county, Guelph, Waterloo region and surrounding areas. Please contact me with your needs and ideas. If outside of these regions, additional travel fees may apply.

  5. WHAT IF MY LOSS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION?

    InSight Institute-trained Celebrants are trained and comfortable being present to a family and creating a service no matter the cause of death or life experiences. We are often called upon to work with families of suicide, homicide, overdoses, abuse and other tragic situations that might be uncomfortable for traditional officiants to handle.