Over the past year we have had a large number of bereavements in Moneenroe - a lesser amount in the Clogh end of the parish. Support consists of spending time with the bereaved when the death occurs - helping with liturgical preparations, readings, etc. for the Funeral Mass. Further support is given by attendance at various prayer services in the funeral homes and then being present at the hospitality after the funeral to talk to the bereaved, and listen to their stories. In November we organised a healing service for the bereaved in both churches, followed by hospitality and time for discussion and sharing in the "Steps in the grieving process".
All families are followed up by a supportive visit or visits, and much time is spent in just being there to listen to the pain, loss ,guilt, anger and many other feelings that abound after a bereavement. There have been a couple of very tragic deaths in our community and and some people require a lot more time - constant accompaniment. There are people who have suffered severe depressions after bereavement and this demands a lot of time just listening, being there, sometimes visits to hospitals, phone calls to and from the person at various hours of the day or night. We also try to provide encouraging reflections or poems that might help somebody in their pain.
With some people there is a constant accompanying supportive listening, and the grieving goes on for perhaps two years or more. Occasionally the grieving of a bereavement uncovers many other areas of pain in a person's life that may need further psychological or psychiatric help to which referral through the various agencies is necessary. It is still a matter of supporting these people at a more intense level and for a length of time.