FAMILY MATTERS: PARENT/CHILD

SPRING 2022

TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF FAMILY LOVE, we must also accept loss. If we love someone, we will grieve when they die, even if we know that we will be reunited with them in Heaven. Grief is the price of joy.

An especially painful loss can feel unbearable. It’s a terrible weight, and individuals should have help in carrying it. Jesus and the saints stand ready to assist through prayer — but sometimes a little earthly support can make a big difference.

The Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of New York supports bereavement groups in parishes throughout our region. A trained facilitator, often a member of the parish, meets with a group of individuals who have suffered the death of a family member or another loved one. Sharing their stories and their feelings, group members give and receive support and solace. For help finding a bereavement group in your area, or to start one in your own parish, visit archny.org/ministries-and-offices/family-life/bereavement or email vincent.dasilva@archny.org.

For parents who have experienced the death of a child, the loss may leave a void that can never be filled. Emmaus retreats, administered by Sue DiSisto of the Family Life Office, help parents who have lost a child of any age, by any cause, no matter how long ago, to share their burdens and seek relief with others who have felt their agony. Through the pandemic, Emmaus retreats have been offered as five-hour Zoom sessions. In planning for the fall, DiDisto hopes to bring back the parish-based gatherings, but the digital versions are here to stay.

“Parents report a healing that happens after these events,” she says. “Other grieving parents can understand your pain.” For information about upcoming retreats, visit archny.org/ministries-and-offices/family-life/bereavement/emmaus-ministry-retreats-for-grieving-parents or email susan.disisto@archny.org.

The Family Life Office is currently planning its events for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. Visit archny.org/ministries-and-offices/family-life during late spring or summer for information about the new schedule.

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