Prayer and Relationship with Christ
Formation
Accompaniment
Advocacy
Bereavement
The death of a family member or friend confronts us with one of life’s most difficult and painful challenges. The Family Life Office serves as a center for the Church’s response to God’s call to comfort those who mourn. The program has a rich history in many parishes throughout the Archdiocese of New York.
Parish-based bereavement support groups, facilitated by trained volunteers, are the cornerstone of our outreach and accompaniment. Our bereavement ministers are lay people, deacons and religious who have been trained in bereavement ministry and who are committed to their work with the bereaved. Many of our volunteers have been called to this ministry through their own experience of loss, while others are very active in parish-based ministry and have recognized the need for programs to support those who are grieving. The support groups typically meet in a parish setting and are open to people of all faiths. While the support groups vary in format and meeting dates, our bereavement ministers’ goal is to provide a safe place where the bereaved can share their experiences with others, learn about the process of grief and be supported by their Church family during a difficult time.
Support Groups by County:
Church of St. Barnabas
409 East 241st Street
Bronx, NY 10470
718-324-1478
Church of St. Benedict
2969 Otis Avenue
Bronx, NY 10465
718-828-3403
Church of St. Frances de Chantal
190 Hollywood Avenue
Bronx NY 10465
718-792-5500
Church of St. Francis of Rome
307 Barnes Avenue
Bronx, NY 10466
718-324-5340
Church of St. Helena
1315 Olmstead Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
718-892-3232
Church of St. Mary
106 Jackson Street
Fishkill, NY 12524
845-896-6400
www.saintmaryschurch-fishkill.org
*Offers Children’s Group
St. Columba Roman Catholic Church
835 Route 82
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
845-227-8380
Church of Regina Coeli
Two Harvey Street
Hyde Park, NY 12538
845-229-2134
Church of St. Kateri Tekakwitha
1925 Route 82
LaGrangeville, NY 12540
(845)-227-1710
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
11 Mount Carmel Place
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
845-454-0340
Church of St. Martin de Porres
118 Cedar Valley Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845-473-4222
Church of St. Francis of Assisi
135 West 31st Street
212-736-8500
Church of the Blessed Sacrament
152 West 71st Street
New York, NY 10023
212-877-3111
Church of St. Charles Borromeo
211 West 141st Street
New York, NY 10030
212-281-2100
St. Monica-St. Elizabeth of Hungary-St. Stephen of Hungary
413 East 79th Street
New York, NY 10075
Our Lady of Sorrows Church
213 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
Church of the Epiphany
375 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10010
Our Lady of Good Counsel- St. Thomas More
65 East 89th St. (between Madison and Park)
New York, NY, 10128
(212) 876-7718
Church of the Holy Rosary
41 Windemere Avenue
Greenwood Lake, NY 10925
845-477-8378
Church of the Sacred Heart
301 Ann Street
Newburgh, NY 12550
845-561-2264
http://sacredheartnewburgh.org/
St. Thomas Of Cantebury/St. Joseph Parish
340 Hudson Street
Cornwall on Hudson, NY 12520
845-534-2547
Church of St. Stephen
75 Sanfordville Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-4028
*Offers Adult’s Group and Adolescent’s Group
Church of St. Columba
27 High Street
Chester, NY 10918
845-469-2108
St. Paul’s Church
2800 NY-17K, Bullville, NY 10915
St. Patrick-St.Mary’s- Our Lady of the Lake Church
55 Grand St, Newburgh, NY 12550
Church of St. Lawrence O’Toole
31 Prospect Street
Brewster, NY 10509
845-279-2021
*Offers Peri-Natal Group
Church of St. Gregory Barbarigo
21 Cinder Road
Garnerville, NY 10923
Church of St. Margaret of Antioch
115 W Central Avenue
Pearl River, NY 10965
(845) 735-4746
Church of St. Augustine
140 Maple Avenue
New City, NY 10956
845-634-3641
Church of St. Francis of Assisi
128 Parrot Road
West Nyack, NY 10994
845-634-4957
Marian Shrine
174 Filors Lane
Stony Point, NY 10980
845-947-2200
Church of the Holy Child
4747 Amboy Road
Staten Island, NY 10312
718-356-5890
Church of the Holy Family
366 Watchogue Road
Staten Island, NY 10314
718-761-6663
Church of the Holy Rosary
80 Jerome Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
718-727-3360
Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea
5371 Amboy Road
Staten Island, NY 10312
718-984-0593
Church of St. Charles
644 Clawson Street
Staten Island, NY 10306
718-987-2670
Church of St. Clare
110 Nelson Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10308
718-984-7873
St. Ann’s Church
101 Cromwell Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10304
718-351-0270
Church of Saint Joseph
242 Wall Street
Kingston, NY 12401
845-481-4560
Church of St Mary- St Peter
160 Broadway
Kingston, NY 12401
845-331-0301
St. Mary’s – St. Andrew’s Church
139 S Main St, Ellenville, NY 12428
845-866-1689 (Facilitator Direct Number)
Church of St. Augustine
18 Cherry Avenue
Larchmont, NY 10538
(914) 834-1220
Church of the Holy Name of Jesus
75 Lispenard Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914-636-4856
Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
559 Pelham Manor Road
Pelham Manor, NY 10803
(914) 738-1449
Church of the Holy Innocents
431 Bedford Road
Pleasantville, NY 10570
(914) 769-0025
Church of the Immaculate Conception
53 Winter Hill Road
Tuckahoe, NY 10707
(914) 961-3643
Church of St. Ann
854 Midland Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10704
(914) 965-1555
Church of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
1377 E Main Street
Shrub Oak, NY 10588
(914) 528-3547
Church of St. Joseph
15 Cedar Street
Bronxville, NY 10708
(914) 337-1660
http://www.saintjosephsbronxville.org/
Church of St. Patrick
137 Moseman Road
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
(914) 962-5050
Holy Name of Jesus Church
2 Broadway, Valhalla, NY 10595
St. Francis of Assisi Parish
2 Green St, Mt Kisco, NY 10549
Church of the Resurrection
910 Boston Post Rd, Rye, NY 10580
St. Mary’s of the Immaculate Conception
103 S Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10701
Pregnancy Loss
The following websites are helpful and provide support for those who are suffering from a pregnancy loss (resulting from an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, still birth, or infant death).
Morning Light Ministry is a Catholic ministry for bereaved mothers and bereaved fathers who have experienced the death of their baby through ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death up to one year old. This Catholic ministry also welcomes bereaved parents of other Christian denominations, bereaved parents of other faiths and bereaved parents of no religious affiliation who are struggling with the very notion of faith.
Elizabeth Ministry provides hope and healing for women and their families on issues related to childbearing.
Adverse Prenatal Diagnosis
The following resources are available for parents who have received a poor or difficult prenatal diagnosis.
Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum by Karen Garver Santorum. Karen Santorum, wife of former Senator Rick Santorum tells the story of their son’s brief 2-hour life, wile expressing the gift of life, family values, the bond between parent and child, the grieving process and the paradox of suffering.
20 Minutes in Eternity by Daniel Dumas. Written from a Catholic perspective, this story is about the journey of a husband and wife whose unborn son is diagnosed with a fatal diagnosis, and their decision to carry him to term.
Be Not Afraid is an online outreach to parents who have received a poor or difficult prenatal diagnosis. The family stories articles, and links within the site are presented as a resource for those who may have been asked to choose between terminating a pregnancy or continuing on despite the diagnosis. These families faced the same decision and chose not to terminate. By sharing their experiences, they hope to offer encouragement to those who may be afraid to continue on.
Prenatal Partners for Life provides support information and encouragement for carrying a baby to term with an adverse prenatal diagnosis and support for raising your child with special needs after birth.
Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents
Of all the pains that life can hand us, arguably one of the most searing is the death of a child. As Jesus joined his distraught disciples on the road to Emmaus after his crucifixion, we ask him to join each of us in this ministry as we continue on our difficult journeys from grief to the healing peace that we, like Jesus’ disciples, can find in the Eucharistic community.
To meet the spiritual needs of Catholic parents whose children of any age have died by any cause—no matter how long ago—the Family Life Office offers The Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents. A unique, faith-based program providing spiritual retreats for grieving parents offered by grieving parents, the Emmaus Ministry offers a safe place where one can find peace, comfort, and hope, at least for a time.
For further information about retreats in and around New England, and to find out what happens at retreats, visit www.emfgp.org