Being the only Christian country in Asia, it is not a wonder that Filipinos follow a number of rules, novenas (for the Roman Catholics) and superstitious during (and after, like the ninth and fortieth day “celebration”) every funeral. In fact, according to AsiaSociety.org, “more than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations.”
One of the many questions that should be asked when pre-planning a funeral is if the plan includes the priest or pastor and the fees needed during the burial service. Yes, although the fees are different in every towns or city, every church does charge for these. Some are By Donations only. Most municipalities in far fetched towns only have one priest and/or pastor assigned per church. Asking the Sales Representative this will make the funeral smooth of no assumptions as to who will pay.
Losing a loved one can be traumatic but at the same time a time of remembrance. The funeral is the time to lift everyone’s spirit up and, for most Filipinos, a time to bond – memorialize their loved one with dignity and love.
This is why choosing a priest or pastor, or a funeral celebrant to officiate the burial mass and rites crucial for the grieving and healing process.
As defined by Beyond.Life: “A funeral celebrant is a qualified person who officiates funeral services by planning and overseeing funeral proceedings. Funeral celebrants conduct non-religious, semi-religious and spiritual funeral services. Many celebrants aim for the funeral service to be a ‘celebration of life’ that honors the person’s memory.”
Unless the decedent has informed a priest or pastor who is friend beforehand, most funeral celebrants are strangers to the deceased. And one of the most important roles the direct family has to play during the funeral is to connect the funeral celebrant with the departed loved one (if they “were” not yet). This late “introduction” will allow the funeral celebrant or priest/pastor get to know the deceased life, his family, his friends and as a person of the community making the ceremony beautiful and special for everyone attending.
Funeral celebrants have a deeper understanding of life and death. During every funeral mass or celebration of life, sharing their thoughts about these things that will somehow give every attendee the closure that they need, at the same time the beginning of moving on and creating a new life ahead with just memories and hope.
A funeral process is for the dead to be remembered and for the living to have their goodbyes. A funeral celebrant helps create this process a smooth one – a proper and dignified farewell and direction and/or options for normal grieving to healing for those left behind.
Being a funeral celebrant is more than just standing in front of people and saying things about death and surviving. A funeral celebrant or a priest or a pastor is empathy in a person.
Loveliveson says it best about funeral celebrants: “The best compliment a funeral celebrant receives is when a guest asks: “How long did you know [the deceased]?”. It means the funeral celebrant-touch was successful and that the ceremony truly reflected the person being honored.”
Photo sources: FreePik
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