Eulogies and funerals

Sir, – As a humanist celebrant for the past 17 years, I have had every possible request from families bidding farewell to their loved ones.

When my mother-in-law died some years ago a decision was made to do things in a rather novel way. First we had a traditional Mass in the church she had attended for over 50 years; then, in the crematorium chapel, we had a very full humanist ceremony with reflections and music from family members. Her older friends and family were glad of the familiarity of the Mass while the younger generations were delighted with the very personal ceremony that followed at the crematorium.

So we had the best of both worlds: in the church the priest aspired to the next world whereas at the ceremony that followed we focused on the present one and celebrated the long and meaningful life my mother-in-law lived. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN WHITESIDE