Catherine Pasek - Celebrant

23/05/2026

Anam Cara by John O'Donohue is a wonderful book. So many nuggets of wisdom that will resonate.

Solitude is one of the most precious things in the human spirit. It is different from loneliness. When you are lonely, you become acutely conscious of your own separation. Solitude can be a homecoming to your own deepest belonging. One of the lovely things about us as individuals is the incommensurable in us. In each person, there is a point of absolute nonconnection with everything else and with everyone. This is fascinating and frightening. It means that we cannot continue to seek outside ourselves for things we need from within. The blessings for which we hunger are not to be found in other places or people. These gifts can only be given to you by yourself. They are at home at the hearth of your soul.

JOHN O'DONOHUE

Excerpt from his book, Anam Cara,
25th Anniversary Edition.
Ordering Info: https://johnodonohue.com/anam-cara

County Clare, Ireland
Photo: © Ann Cahill

11/05/2026

There’s a part of the grieving process,
where your soul kind of leaves your body too.
As though it’s off searching for the one you lost,
somewhere in the ether.

You walk around,
doing all the right things,
putting one foot in front of the other,
living,
but it’s really as though you’re the ghost.

Perhaps you are.
Perhaps your soul searches,
until you find the one you miss,
and they tell you to go back and live.

So, when that numbness passes brave one,
maybe it’s time to do what you are told,
go back and live,
twice as hard.

You don’t belong there in the ether,
nor do you need to search for the one you lost,
they find you.
And when they do, you’ll feel it.

Donna Ashworth

18/03/2026

Thought for today:
🧡
"Here's to the bridge-builders, the hand-holders, the light-bringers, those extraordinary souls wrapped in ordinary lives who quietly weave threads of humanity into an inhumane world. They are the unsung heroes in a world at war with itself. They are the whisperers of hope that peace is possible. Look for them in this present darkness. Light your candle with their flame. And then go. Build bridges. Hold hands. Bring light to a dark and desperate world. Be the hero you are looking for. Peace is possible. It begins with us.”
~ L.R. Knost
🧡

28/02/2026

In Memory of all those who left us too soon.
We remember you in the morning,
In the night,
When we look at the stars,
A song , a place , a smell.....
You are always with us.

🎨 Nakata Illustrations

25/02/2026

I'm proud to do an excellent job. I put my heart and soul into crafting each bespoke service. It's so lovely when families write to me afterwards to thank me. ☺️ 🙏🏼

24/02/2026

As Elvis Presley sang: “Out there in the dark there’s a beckoning candle….. There will be lights burning brighter there." After nine decades on this earth it was G's time to say farewells to his family and friends this lunchtime.
A privilege to take the service. 💜🙏🏼

25/01/2026

Delicious catering from a wonderful team - used personally several times and highly recommend. RachAls Kitchen Ltd, Alasdair Nunn

25/01/2026

Friday's celebration of life at Park Wood was for R, a popular gent who loved to walk, travel, and spend precious time laughing and socialising with family and friends. His daughter delivered a bottle of his favourite white wine and a glass onto his coffin before the service began.

My privilege as always to conduct the service. Thank you to Mark, FD at Naylor & Grysdale in Brighouse and my fellow celebrant Kevin.

17/01/2026

Everything checked, everything prepped, Bluetooth speaker in bag just in case the venue's sound system crashed. (It didn't.) All went perfectly for my first venue funeral followed by interment.

“Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.
Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.
When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.
May you continue to inspire us:
To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your face again.
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again.”
~ John O'Donohue.

Thank you E for the love and joy and wisdom you shared. Your legacy lives on in all who knew and loved you.

We promise to carry your precious memory and tuck it safely inside our hearts forever.

Thanks to Claire at Southwood, Lee at Halifax Chapel Of Repose and E's brave, beautiful widow and family. When the long-stemmed roses 🌹 went onto the coffin in the freshly dug earth with my sprig of fresh rosemary for remembrance I almost lost my composure. So much emotion and love. But ... all was well.

14/01/2026

Celebrant-led funerals can offer a wide and flexible choice of venue. They allow families to put together a service that truly reflects the life and personality of the deceased.

They do not have to be confined to funeral parlour chapels or crematoria; instead, meaningful ceremonies can be held in places that feel personal and significant.

Today I did a recce and rehearsal for Friday's service. This will take place at the beautiful Southwood venue on Birdcage Lane in Halifax, where up to 130 people are expected to gather to honour and celebrate E's life.

A smaller group will then proceed to the cemetery for a shorter and more intimate interment before returning to Southwood for lunch and refreshments.

This offers time and space for both reflection and connection in surroundings chosen with care and intention.






Photo: Southwood