Bereavement

No member of our parish family will grieve alone.

"From its earliest beginnings the Church has held that both Divine and natural law enjoin each of us to the exercise of the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy. Not the least of these works are the directives to comfort the sorrowful and bury the dead.

Our Ministry to the Bereaved will always strive to bring comfort and healing no matter the source or manifestation of grief. Validating the reality of every individual who comes to us, we will serve, to the best of our ability, whenever and wherever we are needed, with the help of God."

Pastoral Plan for the Development and Operation of a Parish-Based Ministry to the Bereaved

For information on any of the following, or to participate in this ministry, please contact Stephany Crane at 410-974-4366 or email scrane@standrewbythebay.org.

Serving the Dying and their Families
Realizing the pain of grief may start for many in the months or weeks before death,we work with the health care ministry to reach out to the dying and their families.

We offer:

• Compassionate listening and prayerful presence
  
• Praying for and with the individual and the family
  
• Sacramental visits
  
• Assistance planning the funeral liturgy, if desired.

Serving the Bereaved at the Time of Death:
We offer:

• Assistance in planning the funeral liturgy
  
• Readers, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers for the funeral as needed
  
• Help with hospitality for a reception after the funeral
  
• Compassionate listening and supportive presence
  
• Information about grief and suggestions to help families through the hard work of mourning
  
• Links with other support ministries and referrals as needed

Serving throughout the time of Bereavement:
We offer:

• An evening of prayer and remembrance each November to honor our deceased loved ones
  
• Bereavement education/ support groups open to the community at large–Ongoing open group meets the 1st Monday of each month Intensive 8 week group meets each fall
  
• One-on-one companioning
  
• Workshops on topics such as children and grief, grieving a miscarriage, and getting through the holidays open to the community at large
  
• A library of material on grief-related subjects

And specifically for those suffering pregnancy loss:
We encourage you to take advantage of any of the above you may find helpful.
We also offer:

Support Groups and Workshop

Monthly Support
1st Mondays
7:00 p.m., off-site.
An on-going open support group available to all who grieve. Come talk, listen,
and share in a supportive community of open acceptance.
Facilitator: Bill Hocking

Grief Education/Support Group
Tuesday evenings, September 27 through November 15, 2011
7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Adult Learning Center
Find support and comfort, and learn about the hard work of grief in this 8 week offering. All are welcome!
Facilitators: Bill Hocking and Stephany Crane

Getting through the Holidays
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Adult Learning Center
Learn and share strategies for making it through the holidays while working through your grief. All who grieve are welcome.

Day-time Grief Education Support Group
Wednesdays, February 8 through March 28, 2012
10:00 to 11:30 a.m., Adult Learning Center
Find support and comfort, and learn about the hard work of grief in this 8 week offering. All are welcome!
Facilitators: Bill Hocking and Stephany Crane