The Family Life † Respect Life Office is sponsoring three special, separate, day-long bereavement retreats for grieving parents conducted by grieving parents: for the spiritual needs of parents whose children of any age have died by any cause – no matter how long ago. We are offering 3 pilot-retreats of the Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents, two at St. Joseph’s Seminary on February 11th and 25th, and one in Tarrytown in April at the Church of the Magdalene. Please see this just-published article in Catholic NY:
http://www.cny.org/stories/
The Emmaus Ministry is already established in several other dioceses. After speaking with many clergy and lay ministers who participated, and especially the founders, Diane and Charley Monaghan, I am convinced this ministry is an important one. The retreats focus on the spiritual needs of the parent: it is not a support group, but a journey for the parents (and it is not for the grandparents or siblings, etc). Each person can participate in the retreat as much or as little as they want. This is an opportunity to get away from everyday life to focus on where God is in your life right now. The entire retreat focuses on parents’ individual personal spiritual journey. Grieving parents understand somewhat of what another might be going through. As such, these retreats are tremendously helpful to the bereaved.
Diane and Charley Monaghan started Emmaus after their own harrowing experience with the death of their adult son. No form of therapy or support groups could help their grief; they both grieved the loss separately and differently. Eventually they founded the ministry at the St. Anthony Shrine and Ministry Center in Boston, MA., and through generous grants, they are able to bring the ministry to other dioceses throughout the States. Charley wrote an article that is on the USCCB website here: http://www.foryourmarriage.