Bereavement

If you are a widow or widower or desire information about bereavement support, please contact your parish office.  We are social creatures born into families. It is human to form strong bonds of caring and affection with other people. These people occupy a special place in our hearts. When someone we love is gone from our lives, it is like a piece of us has been torn away. This wound needs repair. Grief is the process in which our hearts are healed. The letting go takes us through mourning whereby we gradually accept the loss. Over time we will transition to reinvesting our energies in life with a resurrected hope.

Jer 17:14,17b
“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me and I shall be saved;
For it is you whom I praise
You are my refuge in time of disaster.

Unanticipated Losses

These are sudden deaths that are unexpected. Coping capabilities are overwhelmed by the loss.
• Accident
• Homicide
• Sexual violence (rape) - There will be a need to rebuild trust, feel safe again, transform traumatic memories and answer “why me” questions.
• Suicide

Disenfranchised Losses

An area when loss has occurred but society, in general, does not acknowledge this type of loss as something to be bereaved. How can an individual bring closure to “unresolved grief” when grief cannot be acknowledge openly making it an issue of alienation? How can the individual that experienced the loss not become a victim with grief being held in a state of suspension?

• - Abortion
• - AIDS
  

Lingering Losses

Over a lengthy period of time, grief can turn into depression as we watch a loved one slip from our lives. Turning grief and depression into peace and acceptance is certainly a skill that can be accomplished. Uncover and conquer grief and depression by letting the light shine upon it rather than bottling it up and storing it in a secret place within the mind. Grief and depression are multifaceted but so are peace and relief.
- Alzheimer’s
- Mental Illness
- Terminal Illness

Deaths

Experiencing the significant loss of an unborn child, child, sibling, parent, or spouse draws one into a process of grieving. Initially shock, disbelief and denial consume us. Our journey through grief work has begun and with time we can transition back to everyday living. On our journey we will need to:
• Accept and understand a loss has happened
• Experience and express emotions and reaction to this grief
• Adjust our lives to the loss
• Let go of the attachment to the loss
• Emotionally relocate the deceased (create cherished memories)
• Assume a new identity
• Reinvest in life once again

-Pregnancy loss/stillbirth
-Children
-Sibling
-Parent

Hope For Bereaved

Video: After a Child Dies.  The Compassionate Friends now has a web version of a new video After a Child Dies. This video offers insight and understanding and hope to bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents, and to those who care about them.  This can be viewed online.  To go to the website, CLICK HERE.

Understanding Coping & Growing Through Grief
www.hopeforbereaved.com

Legal/Ethical Issues Suggested Websites

www.flacathconf.org
www.ssa.gov
www.flama.com
www.ncbcenter.org
www.usccb.org
www.mymoney.gov

Bereavement Support Groups

St. Paul/Church of Our Savior, 6700 Spanish Trail Road, Pensacola, "Caring Hearts".  Meets 5 times a year in January, March, May, September and November on the third Sunday of the month. Time 7:00 PM.  Contact: Linda Duff 850-434-8781.  

St. Sylvester Parish, 6464 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, "Hope and Healing".  Meets each Sunday.  Time Noon. Contact: Ally Hebert 939-8091.   

St. Rose of Lima Parish, Betsy DeBellis, LCSW, coordinates support groups in Milton.  Call for information and times for grief support groups. 202-5930, ext. 1903. 

St. Mary Parish Hall in Pensacola.  This group meets on the 3rd Saturday of the month.  Time: 9:30 AM; Contacts: Toli Barraca at (850) 477-3096 or St. Mary Church Office: (850) 478-2797.

A web site of interest to widows or widowers of those who served in the military  http://www.taps.org ( Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors)

Websites

www.beginningexperience.org
www.alzheimers.org
www.aoa.gov
www.hospicefoundation.org
www.taps.org
www.bereavementacademy.org
www.befrienderministry.org (newsletter)
www.nlm.nih.gov
www.compassionatefriends.org
www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/ suicideprevention
www.floridasuicideprevention.org
www.cdc.gov
www.apa.org
www.nlm.nig.gov/medlineplus
www.hospicenet.org
www.compassionatefriends.org
www.akronchildrens.org/tips/pdfs (1121)
www.hospice.org
www.madd.org

Additional Links