Humanist Funerals and Memorials - Celebrating a Life
The death of someone we have known and loved, whether someone in our extended family, a friend or colleague, an elderly person, a parent, sibling, child or baby, is no less sad, shocking or painful for those of us who have chosen to live without religion.
A funeral director is the professional most likely to deal with all the practical arrangements of a funeral, but we are all entitled to specify the kind of funeral ceremony we want.
A Humanist funeral is increasingly common. It’s simply more appropriate for those who neither lived according to religious principles, nor accepted religious views of life or death. A Humanist Funeral or memorial ceremony recognises no ‘after-life’, but instead uniquely and affectionately celebrates the life of the person who has died. Proper tribute is paid to them, to the life they lived, the connections they made and have left behind.
Nothing in a Humanist funeral or memorial ceremony should be offensive to those who are religious. It will focus sincerely and affectionately on the person who has died. Humanist funerals, or memorials, allow friends, relatives and acquaintances to express their feelings and to share their memories. They have warmth and sincerity. Many bereaved people find them helpful and are pleased to have provided a ceremony their loved ones would have wanted.
Funeral celebrants accredited by the Humanist Association of Ireland to conduct funerals are friendly, trained and experienced. They will usually meet with the family or friends who are most closely connected with the person who has died. They will want to learn as much about the person as possible, so that the funeral or memorial tribute justly captures the life and personality of that person. Whatever the circumstances of the person’s life and death, the celebrant is there to be understanding and compassionate, not to moralise, nor to judge.
Humanist funeral celebrants will be sensitive to your wishes yet ready to give clear guidance and to answer questions when required. They are familiar with cremation and burial procedures. They will welcome your ideas for readings and music and, if required, will be ready with suggestions suitable for the kind of ceremony you want. They empathise with the experience of bereavement but will get on with preparing the ceremony you want and will be ready to lead it on the day.
If you are interested in having a Humanist celebrant celebrate a funeral.
Contact should be made as early as possible to allow time for one of the Humanist Association of Ireland's accredited celebrants to meet the family and, with them, compose a meaningful ceremony for their loved one.
More Information
Below you can find a Humanist Funeral FAQ section.
A funeral director is the professional most likely to deal with all the practical arrangements of a funeral, but we are all entitled to specify the kind of funeral ceremony we want.
A Humanist funeral is increasingly common. It’s simply more appropriate for those who neither lived according to religious principles, nor accepted religious views of life or death. A Humanist Funeral or memorial ceremony recognises no ‘after-life’, but instead uniquely and affectionately celebrates the life of the person who has died. Proper tribute is paid to them, to the life they lived, the connections they made and have left behind.
Nothing in a Humanist funeral or memorial ceremony should be offensive to those who are religious. It will focus sincerely and affectionately on the person who has died. Humanist funerals, or memorials, allow friends, relatives and acquaintances to express their feelings and to share their memories. They have warmth and sincerity. Many bereaved people find them helpful and are pleased to have provided a ceremony their loved ones would have wanted.
Funeral celebrants accredited by the Humanist Association of Ireland to conduct funerals are friendly, trained and experienced. They will usually meet with the family or friends who are most closely connected with the person who has died. They will want to learn as much about the person as possible, so that the funeral or memorial tribute justly captures the life and personality of that person. Whatever the circumstances of the person’s life and death, the celebrant is there to be understanding and compassionate, not to moralise, nor to judge.
Humanist funeral celebrants will be sensitive to your wishes yet ready to give clear guidance and to answer questions when required. They are familiar with cremation and burial procedures. They will welcome your ideas for readings and music and, if required, will be ready with suggestions suitable for the kind of ceremony you want. They empathise with the experience of bereavement but will get on with preparing the ceremony you want and will be ready to lead it on the day.
If you are interested in having a Humanist celebrant celebrate a funeral.
Contact should be made as early as possible to allow time for one of the Humanist Association of Ireland's accredited celebrants to meet the family and, with them, compose a meaningful ceremony for their loved one.
More Information
Below you can find a Humanist Funeral FAQ section.
Humanist Funerals - Some Frequently Asked Questions
WHY?
Traditionally most funerals were held in churches. Today, however, with more and more people not aspiring to any religious outlook, the choice of a Humanist funeral is gaining in popularity.
WHERE?
Humanist funerals are generally held in a crematorium although there is no reason why they could not be held in any other suitable venue. Sometimes they are held in a funeral parlour (although these are often rather small) with a short farewell at the graveside. Municipal cemeteries are available for Humanist as well as religious burials. Humanist funerals are becoming more and more popular as people without a religious outlook choose this option to celebrate the life of a loved one in a very personal way.
WHAT IS HUMANISM?
Humanism is a positive ethical philosophy of life based on concern for humanity which attempts to balance personal fulfillment with social responsibility. It is a view of life which combines reason with compassion. Humanism is for those people who base their understanding of existence on the evidence of the natural world and its evolution, and not on belief in a supernatural power. For more information on what Humanism is you might consider going to the What is Humanism? page.
WHEN?
Humanist funerals can be held at any time. In the case of a cremation it is recommended that a Humanist ceremony should be arranged as the last cremation of the day as it allows sufficient time for a full ceremony, unlike a cremation following a church service.
HOW?
Humanist funerals are easy to arrange simply contact the Humanist Association of Ireland, the links can be found above. Contact should be made as early as possible to allow time for one of the Humanist Association of Ireland's accredited celebrants to meet the family and, with them, compose a meaningful ceremony for their loved one.
WHAT ARE THEY LIKE?
At a Humanist funeral we try to balance the sense of loss with a celebration of the life. The celebrant will work with the family to compose a ceremony that is appropriate. Whereas the sense of loss must not be overlooked and must be acknowledged, it should be balanced with taking the opportunity to celebrate the life of the recently-departed loved one. Generally the celebrant will say the opening words after which there may be contributions from family members or from close friends. These contributions will often be of a reflective nature, capturing the essence of the person in question. There will often be readings, maybe of poetry, and music generally plays an important role. At the end the celebrant will say some final words before the ceremony draws to a close.
Traditionally most funerals were held in churches. Today, however, with more and more people not aspiring to any religious outlook, the choice of a Humanist funeral is gaining in popularity.
WHERE?
Humanist funerals are generally held in a crematorium although there is no reason why they could not be held in any other suitable venue. Sometimes they are held in a funeral parlour (although these are often rather small) with a short farewell at the graveside. Municipal cemeteries are available for Humanist as well as religious burials. Humanist funerals are becoming more and more popular as people without a religious outlook choose this option to celebrate the life of a loved one in a very personal way.
WHAT IS HUMANISM?
Humanism is a positive ethical philosophy of life based on concern for humanity which attempts to balance personal fulfillment with social responsibility. It is a view of life which combines reason with compassion. Humanism is for those people who base their understanding of existence on the evidence of the natural world and its evolution, and not on belief in a supernatural power. For more information on what Humanism is you might consider going to the What is Humanism? page.
WHEN?
Humanist funerals can be held at any time. In the case of a cremation it is recommended that a Humanist ceremony should be arranged as the last cremation of the day as it allows sufficient time for a full ceremony, unlike a cremation following a church service.
HOW?
Humanist funerals are easy to arrange simply contact the Humanist Association of Ireland, the links can be found above. Contact should be made as early as possible to allow time for one of the Humanist Association of Ireland's accredited celebrants to meet the family and, with them, compose a meaningful ceremony for their loved one.
WHAT ARE THEY LIKE?
At a Humanist funeral we try to balance the sense of loss with a celebration of the life. The celebrant will work with the family to compose a ceremony that is appropriate. Whereas the sense of loss must not be overlooked and must be acknowledged, it should be balanced with taking the opportunity to celebrate the life of the recently-departed loved one. Generally the celebrant will say the opening words after which there may be contributions from family members or from close friends. These contributions will often be of a reflective nature, capturing the essence of the person in question. There will often be readings, maybe of poetry, and music generally plays an important role. At the end the celebrant will say some final words before the ceremony draws to a close.
