church of the presentation bereavement

Home / Bereavement Ministry

Bereavement Ministry

“Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

“For, if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thess. 4:14)

Bereavement Ministry Mission Statement

Because we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus, the Bereavement Ministry of Presentation BVM Church seeks to provide spiritual compassionate care, support and understanding to grieving families.

The Bereavement Ministry of Presentation BVM Parish is a lay ministry under the authority of our pastor, Fr. William Harrison. This ministry began in the late spring of 2004 when the bereavement team ministers were commissioned by the pastor at Sunday liturgy. Since that moment, God has blessed the work of extending His love and presence to bereaved families in the parish in a beautiful way.

The Bereavement Ministry team seeks to bring God’s love and strength to those who have lost a loved one. At a time when grieving families are most vulnerable, great care is taken to foster healing for broken hearts and to bring hope.

Like Jesus, as He walked the roads of Galilee, the members of the Bereavement Ministry want to reach out in love and compassion for a grieving family, assisting in whatever way they can: visiting families before and after the funeral, helping to arrange for the funeral Liturgy and participating at the funeral Liturgy with family and friends, and offering Parish Activities and resources for each family situation.

For Parish Activities about the Bereavement Ministry, our service of consolation, please contact:

  Annette Foley, Coordinator 215-342-7380 e-mail: [email protected]

Comments are closed

• The Bible in a Year
• The Catechism in a Year
• Ask Fr. Josh
• All Things Catholic
• Catholic Classics
• Every Knee Shall Bow
• Girlfriends
• Sunday Homilies Podcast
• The Fr. Mike Schmitz Podcast
• The Jeff Cavins Show
• The Tightrope
• La Biblia en un Año
• Fr. Mike Schmitz
• Sunday Homilies
• Fr. Josh Johnson
• Jackie and Bobby Angel
• Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs)
• Encountering The Word: Year A

5 Reasons Your Parish Should Have a Bereavement Ministry

by Melissa Keating | Jul 26, 2019 | Discipleship | 6 comments

If your parish is hoping to meet people where they are, then implementing a bereavement ministry program is a good starting point. I had the privilege of working in bereavement ministry for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and saw the benefits such a ministry could have if done well. Here are five reasons to include bereavement ministry, or grief ministry, in your parish.  

1. Jesus told us to comfort those who mourn.

Jesus says in the Beatitudes , “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” There are mourners in your parish. Will you comfort them?

In fact, the Bible is sprinkled with mentions of grief and mourning. Jesus himself mourned after the death of Lazarus, and supported the dead man’s family in their grief. 

St. Cyprian once said:

“How can a man say that he believes in Christ, if he does not do what Christ commanded him to do? From where will he attain the reward of faith, if he will not keep the faith of the commandment? … He will make no advancement in his walk toward salvation, for he does not keep the truth of the way of salvation” ( The Treatises of Cyprian , Treatise I, ch. II).

Our quest to be Christ-like shouldn’t neglect how Jesus approached grief and the grieving. 

2. It applies to everyone at some point .

Everyone dies, so it stands to reason that just about everyone will, in fact, have someone close to them die at some point in their life. Most of us will have many people die, and we will struggle horribly after some of them. No one goes through life without grief.

That is why a ministry for those who are grieving is such a good thing. Other than birth and taxes, grief is the only thing guaranteed to effect every parishioner at some point.

3. It’s what people are looking for .

Major upheavals bring people to faith. Death causes us to think about what comes after this life. Funerals pull lapsed Catholics back into Church, sometimes for the first time in decades. All of these are very good reasons to be prepared to minister to the grieving.

Catholics Come Home has a great collection of resources for people brought to the Church because of grief, which may be helpful for anyone leading a grief ministry. But perhaps the best thing a parish can do is provide a home for the grieving. Give people a space to tell the story of their grief, and see that they can find a community to support them. That is evangelization at its finest.

One parish I worked with had a dedicated bereavement team who would make sure the church was prepared for every funeral. They would place tissue boxes in the pews and have people on hand to answer any questions. They would reach out to the family after the funeral and ask if they would like to receive bereavement resources in the mail. The family would receive resources on prayers, remembrance services, simple self-care steps, and a card on the anniversary of the death. They were also invited to join a grief ministry group. 

The woman in charge of the resources said she wanted to make sure her fellow parishioners were never alone in their grief. She wanted them to know that they were welcome at the parish even when they felt messy and distraught. 

4. It’s easy. 

We’re in the midst of a small-group renaissance . There are so many support systems for people who want to start one! You can read here about the basics of starting a small group. Most likely, you can also contact your parish office. If you are willing to put in the work to lead a small group, the pastor and his council should be happy to help you succeed. 

There are also plenty of options for what you can do! You can do a study that is completely focused on grief , or get together twice a month for coffee and a general check in. You can learn how to pray with Scripture together, or study Christ’s passion in-depth. You could even read a book that enunciates the grief process , or one about a profound experience of grief . Local funeral homes also tend to offer workshops and speakers you could attend together. It’s all down to what works best for you and your parish. 

5. The return on investment is high.

When your parish supports someone in a time a grief, it doesn’t just affect that person. All of their family and friends learn that they were able to turn to the Catholic Church during a painful time. That plants a seed for the future. 

As I previously stated, everyone will experience grief at some point in their life. Sometimes that grief is overwhelming. It is a good thing to let people know they can come to the Catholic Church when they are in despair. 

What are your thoughts on bereavement ministry? Share them at the bottom of the page.

You May Also Like:

Seeing loved ones again: hope in the resurrection, digging out of depression, our grief will end in joy: a holy saturday reflection, about melissa keating.

Melissa is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in St. Louis. She has been writing  weird things that Catholics seem to like  since her freshman year at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where she graduated with degrees in communications and foreign languages in 2012. She then took her oddball talents to the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), where she helped found  the Digital Campus . She has worked on  award-winning multi-media stories  for the Archdiocese of Denver and contributed to  The Catholic Hipster Handbook  before moving back home to  St. Louis , where she helped parishes start support groups for the bereaved and the divorced and separated. 

Featured photo by  Ben White  on  Unsplash

We do have a bereavement ministry at our parish. We would be so happy to see materials from Ascension Press on bereavement, as well.

Have you heard of ‘Grieving with Great Hope’? It’s a 5 week DVD/small group Catholic series. It is also available on FORMED.

Very nice pls have some dong for bereavement

My husband passed away 3 1/2 years ago. We were married for 47 years. During that time, I attended an eight week grief therapy session sponsored by our local hospice. It was good, but very secular. Or year or so after that I found another great program in a local non-Catholic church. It was called “Grief & Share – Your Journey from Mourning to Joy”. It was very God/centered. I found it so much more helpful because God was there. It consisted of grief share sessions that included prayer, sharing, and grief share videos. We also had a workbook. Does the Catholic Church have any type of a program like this? It was a 13 week program. I am Catholic and would love to see this within my own church. Any advice?

This is a really great idea. Thanks for the info.

This is especially important after the funeral and everyone has gone back to their regular lives but you’re still trying to work through your grief.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

The Ultimate Guide to Confession from Fr. Mike Schmitz

When facing spiritual struggles, the Sacrament of Confession can be a powerful remedy. God eagerly awaits your plea for forgiveness! Whether you're returning after a long absence or frequenting weekly, delving deeper into the graces of this sacrament is always...

Living On Mission: Finding Community Through Virtue and Holiness

Are you living “on mission”? Are you seeking community? The following excerpt is sourced from pages 71-72 of Ascension’s newest book by Andrew and Sarah Swafford: Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships. After speaking, one of our...

Fr. Mike Schmitz in The New York Times Reminds Us to Respond to Others with Christ’s Love

Wait, Fr. Mike is in the New York Times? On August 28th, The New York Times Magazine published an interview with Fr. Mike Schmitz titled “A Catholic Podcasting Star Says Theocracy Is Not the Way”.  If you are anything like me, I was so excited to read the article...

CHURCH OF THE PRESENTATION

A welcoming Catholic community leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through Word, Worship, and Outreach.

271 W. Saddle River Rd. • Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 • ph: 201-327-1313

Edward Ciuba Endowed Fellowship Information Meeting | Monday, June 17 at 7pm

May 3, 2024 Liz Cosentino Parish Events 0

Established to preserve the legacy of Fr. Ed, the fellowship is intended to put the resources of Seton Hall University at the services of the local church. Applicants (faculty & students) are invited to propose projects in which they will use their scholarly expertise to support the work of Catholic parishes, schools, ministries, and organizations. Join us in the Community Room to learn more and to find out if you’d like to contribute in memory of Fr. Ed.

If you’re unable to attend the meeting and would like to learn more, contact Fr. Bob at 201-327-1313 ext. 820.

Copyright © 2024 Church of the Presentation. All rights reserved.

Becoming a Bereavement Friendly Church

Sign up for the Bereavement Friendly Church (Leader) webinar here

For decades death has been a taboo subject, often leaving those who have been bereaved isolated and not knowing where to turn.  But our society is changing; we are beginning to realise the huge impact that bereavement can have – also the potential for unprocessed loss to lead to mental ill-health and other negative outcomes.  Increasing numbers of people are seeking help but bereavement charities are already over-stretched.  As lifespans have increased, death has also been delayed, so the number of deaths has been decreasing.  But now we’re at tipping point and the number of deaths is set to rise. The Coronavirus Pandemic has also led to many thousands more people dying. 

Churches are natural places to find help as they are in every community and on hand to provide the welcome and support that is needed.  Our churches can also provide stability in changing circumstances of life and opportunities for remembrance and ritual that aren’t easily found elsewhere.  Many churches also have a connection with bereaved people through their funerals ministry.  In addition, the spiritual questions that often arise from bereavement can leave people wondering about the existence of God, the afterlife, and of the purpose of life now.  This presents the Church with an opportunity to help those who are grieving find new or renewed confidence in God and hope for this life and beyond. 

However, although we don’t like to think so, bereaved people can sometimes find the Church one of the most difficult places to be.  This can be because it can be emotional or remind them of the funeral, or because they can be confused about or angry with God, or because unhelpful things, albeit unintended, can sometimes be said or done.   

Through the Loss and HOPE project and this website, we want churches to think how they can provide effective, local support for people who have been bereaved, so that those within or outside of their congregations, who have been bereaved, whether recently or in the past, can find new purpose and meaning in their loss.  For this to happen, bereaved people need to experience the goodness of God, sensitivity and understanding through the Church’s ministry.

We are asking churches to consider how bereavement friendly they are.  The content and resources of this website should help churches with this. 

A bereavement friendly church could be defined as….

“A church/church group where the effects of bereavement and the journey of grief are understood and alleviated, so that bereaved people in their communities are helped to navigate their difficulties and come to a place of meaning and hope.”

One thing churches could consider is signing up to Loss and HOPE’s Bereavement Friendly Church Charter. This involves thinking carefully about 12 marks of what a bereavement friendly church might look like and how a church might implement or improve upon these. The marks are:

The 12 marks of a Bereavement Friendly Church

• Bereavement awareness training being encouraged and/or provided for the church community;
• Understanding encouraged across the church community of what it is helpful to say or not say to those bereaved.
• A carefully selected and trained bereavement support team appointed with special, but not exclusive, responsibility for bereavement care;
• A carefully selected and trained bereavement church lead appointed to supervise those supporting bereaved people, and represent bereavement needs in church decision making processes;
• Faith questioning expected and appropriately supported when people are bereaved;
• Suffering affirmed within the church community as a legitimate Christian experience;
• Care being taken to ensure theological messages are helpful for those who have been bereaved; 
• A realistic approach to healing conveyed and ‘good deaths’ prepared for;
• Signposting to bereavement support services made available to all people connecting with the church;
• Special activities provided for those bereaved to support the grief journey and for remembrance;
• All aspects of church life reviewed for welcome to and impact on those bereaved;
• Provision within the church for those who are mourning to find respite, comfort and peace;

The Charter asks churches to commit at leadership level to:

• i) considering how well they are doing with these marks and what might be done to improve or implement them
• ii) devising an action plan for improvement and/or implementation
• iii) reviewing progress annually.

The marks are clustered in 3 groups of 4.  Churches might want to set aside time to consider the 12 marks as a whole, or in groups.  Some will be easier than others and some will need creative, new thinking.  The expectation is that churches will think for themselves what they might do to meet the aims and that some churches might become flagship churches offering inspiration and support to churches in similar contexts. 

We hope that through offering churches the Bereavement Friendly Church Charter, churches across the land might, in turn, inspire other local groups and organisations and become catalysts for bereavement friendly towns and villages.

We strongly encourage church leaders to attend our Bereavement Friendly Church webinar before adopting the Charter.  If, after attending our webinar, your church decides to adopt the Charter, please let us know.  Then download and display the Charter in your church, on your website, and on your social media channels so that your community will know you have chosen to become a Bereavement Friendly Church and your congregation can be encouraged to get involved.  

You might like to use the above definition and say “In recognition of the enormous need for bereavement support in our nation, we have decided to become a Bereavement Friendly Church.  This means we have adopted Loss and HOPE’s Bereavement Friendly Church Charter and are working towards its 12 aims, so that bereaved people in our congregation and community can feel welcomed and supported in the life of our Church.” 

• Senior/Lead Pastors
• Admin/Exec Pastors
• Outreach Leaders
• Children’s Ministry
• Youth Ministry
• Women’s Ministry
• Tech Ministry
• Small Groups
• Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast
• ChurchLeaders Podcast Network
• The Exchange

Orange Launches Third-Party Investigation Into Allegations Against Founder Reggie Joiner

Child education viral star ‘ms. rachel’ sparks conservative backlash with pride video, bible societies mount effort to revive view of scripture as source of ancient wisdom, jars of clay lead singer dan haseltine posts support for lgbtq+ pride month, beth moore considers leaving x/twitter after platform officially allows ‘adult content’, pastor jesse morgan shares the gospel after 6-year-old daughter fatally injured during his sabbatical.

A heartbreaking  story regarding New Jersey worship pastor Jesse Morgan and his family’s loss of their 6-year-old daughter while he was on sabbatical  has gone viral.

Jesse Morgan  is the pastor of worship and discipleship at  Green Pond Bible Chapel , a non-denominational church in Rockaway, New Jersey, and a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Last Saturday (June 1), Morgan, his wife Bethany, and their four children where enjoying the first week of his two month long sabbatical, something he described as a “ gift , not a right,” at a lake cottage in Maine when suddenly their last day of relaxing at the cottage turned into tragedy following a “freak accident” involving a badminton racquet.

“This morning was beautiful just like every other morning had been this week,” Morgan wrote in a  blog post . “It was a beautiful start to the gift we were given of a sabbatical by our church. We had an amazing lake cottage in Maine and were simply enjoying life together on our last full day here.”

RELATED:  ‘None of Us Are Quite Like Mark’—Ohio Pastor Remembered as a Hero Following Tragic Death Alongside His Two Sons in House Fire

“We were eating a quick lunch by the lake and the kids decided to try badminton in the front yard,” he added. “Bethany and I were relaxing in the back when we heard screaming.”

After rushing to investigate the screaming, the Morgan’s discovered that while the kids were playing the badminton racquet accidentally broke on a downward swing that caused a sharp piece of the racquet to enter their young daughter Lucy’s skull as she was watching on the sideline causing a “catastrophic injury.”

Morgan explains that Lucy was “still breathing but unresponsive as I held her with Bethany crying out to God.”

EMS rushed Lucy to a local children’s hospital and immediately care-flighted her to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, where she went directly into surgery to have part of her skull removed to relive pressure that was on her brain.

“She coded, they got her back, and they completed the surgery,” said Morgan. “In the PICU we are being told that there is a very slim chance she recovers. She is currently intubated, has no brain function but occasionally breaths on her own. We are praying for a miracle but our hearts hurt with incomprehensible pain. I have so many scattered thoughts and memories…”

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Autopsy Report Reveals Christian Singer Mandisa’s Cause of Death

‘It Was Like a Movie for Us, But It Was Reality’—Ed Stetzer Visits Ukrainian Christians in Kyiv

SBC Abuse Reform Task Force Ends Its Work With No Names on Database and No Long-Term Plan

‘We Stand With Israel’—Dallas Jenkins, ‘The Chosen,’ Says While Accepting K-LOVE Fan Award

‘Forgiveness,’ ‘Healing,’ ‘Scarred,’ and ‘P*ssed’—Kathie Lee Gifford Opens Up About Late Husband’s Affair

• Our Mission
• Privacy Policy

United Way Manitowoc County seeks volunteers for June 21 Day of Action, and more local news in brief

Here's your latest news in brief..

MANITOWOC – United Way Manitowoc County is calling on volunteers to create meaningful impact on June 21 during Day of Action, an annual event that mobilizes the caring power of volunteers.

United Way said it needs 50 or more volunteers to help with projects at these nine local nonprofits:

• Crossfire Ranch;
• Grow It Forward;
• The Haven of Manitowoc County;
• Hope House of Manitowoc County;
• Lakeshore Humane Society;
• Manitowoc County Historical Society;
• Two Rivers Senior Center; and
• Van der Brohe Arboretum.

Breakfast and event kickoff will be held at United Way’s office, 21 E. Waldo Blvd., Manitowoc, at 8 a.m. Volunteers then head to their project locations until noon, after which volunteers are invited back to United Way for lunch.

View project details and sign up to volunteer at unitedwaymanitowoccounty.org . Registration is required.

Contact Laura Drida at 920-682-8888 or [email protected] for more details.

Symphony fundraiser: Get tickets now for Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra's June 13 Backyard BBQ fundraiser

Lakeshore Church hosting rummage sale June 20-22

Lakeshore Church , 411 Reed Ave., will host a rummage sale under three large tents from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 20-22.

Among the items featured will be antiques, depression glass, linens, small appliances and furniture.

The church’s woodworking group will be selling craft items, as well as the congregation’s sewing group.

Proceeds will help support the church’s community outreach and mission efforts.

For additional information, contact the church at 920-682-6311 or visit lakeshoreumc.com .

Maritime Museum to host presentation on evolution of the foghorn

Wisconsin Maritime Museum , 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, will host a program featuring historian Jake Heffernan sharing the evolution of the foghorn.

The program will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 15. Learn about how sirens and diaphones generate sound by chopping the air and how the frequency of the “puffs” of air during operation translate to pitch in our ear.

The presentation, which happens hourly, ends with an outside demonstration of a restored Type B diaphone.

The presentation is included with regular museum admission: $20 for adults, $13 for ages 4-12, free for ages 3 and younger, $17 for ages 65 and older, $17 for veterans, and free for active military members. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

For more details, call 920-684-0218 or go to wisconsinmaritime.org .

Library events: Cedar Crest ice cream, Bruce the Bear help kick off Summer Reading Program at Manitowoc Public Library

Lakeshore CAP director earns Outstanding Advocate Award

Colleen Homb, executive director of Manitowoc-based Lakeshore CAP , was honored with the Outstanding Advocate Award during the annual WISCAP conference May 23 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

The award was established as a tribute to Jackie Lawrence, former WISCAP executive director, in recognition of a person who has demonstrated remarkable achievement articulating the needs and concerns of poor or exemplary leadership advancing the causes and principles of community action and service to low-income families.

Lakeshore CAP is a nonprofit agency that covers four counties: Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Kewaunee and Door.

A news release said the following of Homb:

She is our strongest advocate for persons and families served by LCAP and continues to transform us into a needs-focused organization.

She collaborates with other CAP agencies, community organizations and local governments, is always looking for new programs and fundraising opportunities, and is mission focused, all towards helping to fill the gaps in the region’s community needs.

Colleen has led the organization through the COVID years in strategic planning, grant writing and funding, establishing program priorities and objectives, establishing an annual operating budget and secured clean, independent annual audits.

Her most impressive characteristic are that she empowers her program managers to actually “manage” their programs.

Colleen has built Lakeshore CAP into an up-and-coming organization. She is the champion of our “cause” over the four-county areas of education and training, housing for affordable and first-time homebuyer support, according to President Rita Metzger of the Lakeshore CAP Board of Directors.