Grief Support

Grief is an all too common human condition and grief recovery is a personal journey with many questions. Everyone grieves differently and grieving takes time.

Grieving used to be more of a formal procedure than it is today. In the past, there were set rituals and time frames for these customs to be observed and the person(s) grieving were very noticeable. For example; widows wore all black clothing for one year and drab colors forever after, mourners could not attend social gatherings for months, and laughter and gaiety were discouraged for weeks or months. Today, those customs are seldom practiced and some might even be confused about when we should be done with our grieving. Actually, we'll probably never be done, but taking time to grieve is very important for our own well being.

No one needs to grieve alone. Whatever loss you are grieving, the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels is offering GriefSupport, a program where you can share your loss with others and find material that other grieving people have found helpful and comforting.

GriefSupport, a special help seminar and support group for people experiencing grief and loss, is held in 10-week sessions twice a year in the Kathleen Wright Conference Room in the Parish Life Center of the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels.

GriefSupport features nationally recognized experts on grief and recovery topics and was initiated to be a support group for grieving the loss of someone close. The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels Stephen Ministry is sponsoring the series and are people who understand the experience of grief and want to offer comfort and encouragement during this difficult time.

People are welcome to begin attending the GriefSupport group at any session. Each is self-contained, so that the sessions do not have to be attended in sequence. The encouragement and help will be there, whether you attend one session or all of them.