Winter Bereavement Retreat

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14: 1-3)

Through this day together, there will be instruction and time  for mutual sharing.

The group will consider:

• Death and its many faces; the phenomenology of loss
• The seemingly endless series of other ensuing losses; the complexity of Bereavement
• Human internal response to loss; the pain of Grief
• Human external response to loss; the panoply of Mourning
• What is the Christian response to loss and suffering?
• What is the gift of hope and healing for those who have lost someone they love?
• How does one heal by the grace of God and His love?
• How does one find strength in the midst of suffering?

The structure of the day will struggle to weave time together with time being alone; the group will be encouraged to share on all levels of experience, allowing for individual reticence and respecting the desire for mutuality. Doubts, fears, uncertainties, worries, questions…all are welcome, and all are pertinent to the group’s quest.

In order to provide opportunity for all retreatants to share, space on this retreat is limited to 15 attendees.

Mass will be celebrated at 9:00am in the Chapel of Our Lady, all are welcome to attend.