Bereavement

The Bereavement Ministry of MMR and St. Stanislaus

The death of someone important to you—whether it is a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a friend, or a child—is a difficult and highly emotional experience.  Your grief journey can be overwhelming or even confusing at times. The Bereavement Ministry of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, in conjunction with St. Stanislaus Parish, is here to help you, guide you, and prayerfully support you as you heal.  Although the grieving process is different for each individual, the shared experience of pain and loss is the common thread that bonds us.

On the second Thursday of each month, there is a general support group meeting offered at the two parishes.  There is a morning session offered at MMR from 10 to 11:30, and an evening session offered at St. Stanislaus from 7 to 8:30.  During these 90 minutes, you will develop a sense of hope while healing, and a relief from the heartache for which you have been searching. You will never feel isolated or alone as the group patiently journeys with you through your valley of tears. 

These groups are offered to all adults, parishioners and non-parishioners, Catholic and non-Catholic, with no fee and with no pre-registration necessary. If you are unable to attend the group, but are in need of support, our ministry can also offer one-to-one compassionate listening.  For more information or questions, call Mary Coakley at 215-646-4192.

Please take a look at the calendar of meetings below! 

September 13, 2018: Grieving for Friends

Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter; whoever finds one finds a treasure. Faithful friends are beyond price, no amount can balance their worth. Faithful friends are life-saving medicine; those who fear God will find them.

SIRACH 6:14-16

The death of a close friend can be as traumatic as the death of a family member.  Most often, friends do not have the same opportunity to mourn their loss or obtain closure as a family member would – they are not part of funeral planning; they don’t have an opportunity to claim mementos or personal effects of the deceased; they do not receive the same benefits for bereavement leave; and they do not receive the same type of empathy or support as family members.  Join us on Thursday, September 13, 2018 to discuss your experience dealing with the loss of a friend.  A morning session will be held at Mary Mother of the Redeemer from 10:00am – 11:30am in the Parish Center; an evening session will be held at St. Stanislaus from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. No registration is necessary, just come if you can. Our next two meetings are:

October 11, 2018: Crazy is Normal

During the period of intense grief, people often worry that they are going crazy. Some people hear voices or see visions; others find themselves unable to concentrate or forgetting things. Come join us to talk about your experience at the MMR/St. Stan’s Bereavement Support Group on Thursday, October 11, 2018.  There will be a morning group at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening group at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can.

November 8, 2018: Understanding the Process of Grief

“You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to.” 

Grieving is an individual, unique experience. Yet there is a wide variety of common reactions during the grief process—from sadness to anger, from numbness to pain, from guilt to fear. Come join us to talk about your experience at the MMR/St. Stan’s Bereavement Support Group on Thursday, November 8, 2018.  There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can. 

December 13, 2018: Coping with the Holidays when You Are Grieving

“It’s not just the stores gearing up for the holidays, I feel like I am gearing up too.  Except I am not excited; I am dreading it”

For those who are grieving, the holidays can be very difficult occasions. Old traditions and memories of happy family gathering serve as bitter reminders of what is lost forever. On Thursday December 13, 2018, the bereavement ministries of MMR and St. Stanislaus will meet to discuss ways of preparing for and coping with the upcoming holiday season. There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can.

January 10, 2019: Moving Ahead in the New Year when You Don’t Want to Move at All

Now that the holidays are over, those who are grieving my feel let down, lethargic or more depressed than expected. Come join us to talk about your experience at the MMR/St. Stan’s Bereavement Support Group this Thursday, January 10, 2019.  There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can. 

February 14, 2019: Surviving Stress and Loneliness

The only people who think there is a time limit to grief, have never lost a piece of their heart. Take all the time you need.

Surviving Stress and Loneliness. When someone we love dies, we experience physical and emotional stress.  But there are things we can do to cope with these feelings and help ourselves in our recovery. Come join us to talk about your experience at the MMR/St. Stan’s Bereavement Support Group onThursday, February 14, 2019.  There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can.

March 14, 2019: Feelings of Denial, Bargaining, and Guilt

Denial helps us to pace our feelings of grief. There is a grace in denial. It is nature’s way of letting in only as much as we can handle. (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross)  

Join us in our next Bereavement Support Group meeting, on Thursday March 14, 2019, when we will discuss the normal feelings of denial, bargaining and guilt.  There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can. 

April 11, 2019: Feelings of Anger and Depression

During the grief process, feelings of anger and depression frequently emerge because we feel helpless and powerless. Sometimes we’re angry at God, at the doctors who cared for a lost loved one, or toward life in general. Join us in our next Bereavement Support Group meeting, this Thursday April 11, 2019, when we will discuss these feelings and how to cope with them. There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can. 

May 9, 2019: How Our Relationship with God Can Grow Through Loss  

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps. 34:18) Join us in our next Bereavement Support Group meeting, Thursday May 9, 2019, when we will discuss how our relationship with God can grow with the loss of a loved one.  There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can. 

June 13: The Many Faces of Loss

Grief is not simple, and it is not limited to the pain of losing someone dear. When someone dies, there are often many other losses that follow: the loss of income, the loss of a home, even the loss of one’s identity. These secondary losses can complicate the grief process and turn one’s world upside down. Join us in our next Bereavement Support Group meeting, Thursday June 13, 2019, when we will discuss “The Many Faces of Loss.” There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center. No registration is necessary, just come if you can. 

July 11, 2019: Sharing Memories

It is said, “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” We cherish the memories, both good and bad, of those we have lost. And it is in sharing those memories with others that we re-experience the joy of their living.  Please join us on Thursday July 11, 2019 to share your memories of your loved one.  Feel free to bring photos and other mementos to show. There will be a morning session at MMR from 10-11:30am in the Parish Conference room. There will be an evening session at St. Stanislaus from 7-8:30pm in the Parish center.  No registration is necessary, just come if you can.