Bereavement Ministry
Bereavement Ministry at St. Albert the Great
The Courage to be Present
You learn that a woman in our parish just lost her mother.
This couple who regularly sit behind you in the next pew for the 10 AM Mass haven’t been in church lately. When the gentleman of the couple shows up one Sunday the following month, he is not accompanied by his wife. You hesitate to inquire.
It is easier to just let these afflicted manage their healing on their own. It is difficult for us, frightening and overwhelming, to enter into the space of another's agony, bearing witness to their pain. What can I do? What can I say?
Our greatest gift is to be there. Listen. Be present to another's suffering. Don't avoid the grieving or let your fear of saying the wrong thing prevent you from showing up. If you step forward, know what a gift your presence is. Love is indeed more powerful than grief, and it will shore up and sustain the bereaved.
The love and support of family and friends are akin to providing rest stops where the bereaved can pause and replenish.
Please consider attending our Bereavement Ministry meetings that are held each month on the 2nd Thursday at 4 pm in the Rectory Gathering Space. We will discuss how we can help our fellow parishioners through this time of most intense sorrow.
Contact Information
