WORDS ON GRIEF AND MOURNING

Simply stated, grief is your reaction to the death of your loved one. It consists of the internal thoughts and emotions you may have at any given time. Common emotions are guilt, anger, and sadness. The grief reaction is very different for everyone – no two hearts ache in the same way. And despite what you may have been told, there are no stages of grief, meaning there is no “common path.” There is only your path.

Mourning is the outward expression of your internal grief. It is your proactive response. Mourning is not passive, rather, it consists of the many ways you can express your grief. And in expressing your grief, you begin to heal. Your life will never be the same, but gradually, as you mourn the loss of your loved one, you begin to move forward into a new and different life. 

If at any time, it seems that you can't get past the grief, please don't hesitate to call our office.  We will be happy to meet with you and assist you in finding the help you need to get back on the road to a healthy life.
 

Grieving Is NORMAL.  It's okay to be sad...

The loss of a family member or friend is a painful and sorrowful moment in the life of a family, and every single person in the life of the deceased will grieve differently.  It is common for grief to be associated with the remembering of moments and emotions associated with that family member.  These feeings can be sadness, loss, guilt, or anger.  It's important to allow yourself - and other members of your family - to feel these emotions in healthy, holy ways, so that the healing process can begin. 

Death is not part of God's plan, and it's important to not tell someone grieving that this is "part of God's plan."; God does, in fact, however, DOES grieve with us, and will, in his goodness and kindness, comfort us and will make all things - the good and the bad - work out for our good through Jesus. Your life will never be the same, but God will help you to journey into a new, different opportunity for love and grace.  

If at any time, it seems that you can't get past the grief, please don't hesitate to call our office.  We will be happy to meet with you and assist you in finding the help you need to get back on the road to a healthy life. 

Grieving With HOPE. Grieving With Hope is part of the SCS Bereavement Ministry and is a ten-week series designed to assist participants through the journey of grieving the loss of a loved one.  Using The New Day Journal by Mauryeen O'Brien, participants will be guided through the four stages of grief. In addition to prayer and scripture readings, the program will make use of activities such as small group discussion, journaling, and other selected readings to help participants move toward healing. The program is offered in the Spring and the Fall each year.  For more information about dates and times for the meetings, please contact the parish office.