Bereavement
To Comfort Those Who Mourn:
A training process for Parish Bereavement Teams.
Designed to help parishes develop a process and plan for putting their caring into action. Developed for teams of clergy and laity, it has been found that the team approach broadens the service base, reaching more people, supports and ministers and eliminates duplication of efforts and resources.
The training program is made up to four/full day sessions covering the following areas of:
- Grief & Mourning
- Ministering to the Bereaved
- Catholic Funerals and Funeral Planning
- Organizing a Bereavement Ministry in the Parish
The Bereavement trainings will provide:
- A better understanding of the grieving process and theories on loss.
- Skills to effectively reach out for a family’s immediate needs.
- How to organize and facilitate a long-term support group
- Resources for ministers to effectively engage families in personalizing the wake and funeral
- Valuable media and written resources.
- Ongoing consultation and follow-up training is available.
Who should apply?
Parish team members approved by the pastor for this ministry. This team coordinates the Bereavement Ministry in the parish. They engage other ministers and parishioners, as necessary. Optimally, each team should have at last one person capable of dealing with the needs in each of the following areas:
- Immediate Care – provides family of the deceased with immediate care for needs of transportation, food, home, coordination of receptions, etc.
- Liturgical Planning – assists families in planning the wake and funeral by providing them with a better understanding of their options and how they can be more actively involved in this process.
- Long Term Support – a support system that can provide the bereaved with on-going care and ministry throughout the grief cycle.
Schedule of Bereavement Ministry Training and Continued Education:
Bereavement - (all training days must be attended, 8:45 am – 4:00 pm, at the location of choice):
- St. Matthew - Winter Haven: Saturdays, September 27, 2008; October 4, 2008; October 11, 2008; and October 18, 2008.
- St. Mary of the Lakes, Eustis: Thursdays, September 4, 2008; September 18, 2008; October 2, 2008; and October 16, 2008.
A Minimum of 20 participants is required in order to have a training. Please call us if you have any questions or for an application form. The current fee is $60/person for the entire training. This includes meals and training materials. The deadline to apply is no later than two weeks prior to the first training (this gives participants adequate time to read the required readings for the training).
*Refunds will only be provided to participants who cancel prior to the first session.
Texts recommended for basic training
- Grief Ministry: Helping Others Mourn by Donna Reilly Williams & JoAnn Sturzi
- Order of Christian Funerals, study edition (awaiting reprinting)
- Grieving with the Help of Your Catholic Faith by Lorene Hanley Duquin
Resources Available
- Gold Lapel Pins with Diocesan Bereavement Logo, 1” diameter.
- Parish Coordinator Policies/Handbook: spiral bound book addressing topics of recruitment and selection of ministers, training, certification and liturgical requirements.
Please register with the Pastoral Care Manager at 407-246-4883 or via e-mail at pastoralcare@orlandodiocese.org.
For more information on National programs, you may visit:
Cremation
For information about a Catholic Understanding of Cremation please see documents enclosed:
