Ways a Church Can Help During Bereavement

A parochial vicar and parish priest at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Paul
Lostritto hosts daily mass and confessional services. Paul Lostritto also
holds weekly bereavement groups on Wednesdays in the St. Francis Adult
Education Center to help congregation members cope with grief.
When a person undergoes the grieving or mourning process, he or she is
likely to experience five stages: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining,
depression, and acceptance. While the bereavement process is
overwhelming, seeking the comfort of a bereavement group and counsel of
church leaders can help with coping. The following are areas in which a
church can support a grieving person.
1. Group prayer for a person who lost a loved one provides comfort and
eases suffering from affliction. It reminds a person that others empathize
with his or her situation, and though a family or friend has passed on, the
community and church are still there to provide care and support.
2. A church serves as a communication platform for bereaving members.
It can notify the congregation about service hours and how to send
memorial contributions. In addition, the church can ensure families are
taken care of by empowering the congregation to assist in areas such as
home maintenance.

3. Support does not stop after a funeral with a bereavement ministry, but
extends to follow-up counseling services for a grieving person until he or
she can return to normal routines. Depending on the church, house calls
may also be available. This ensures grieving individuals do not fall into
loneliness and fear, but understand their loved one is now in the hands of
God.