Bereavement Ministry Training Course
Registration for the Fall session is now OPEN. These seven required sessions will take place on six Wednesday evenings from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Zoom, running from October 7th to November 11th and ending with the final session on Monday, November 23rd.
The Office for Family Life Ministry is pleased to offer Bereavement Ministry Training for individuals who want to become facilitators for existing parish bereavement support groups or who wish to start a bereavement support ministry at their parish. It can also benefit anyone who ministers to the bereaved in different capacities. This online course focuses on grief support in the context of current cultural and societal challenges.
IMPORTANT: Please note that participation in all seven sessions is required. All participants must have written approval from their pastor affirming that they are a Catholic in good standing and trusted by him to accompany vulnerable adults in the parish before starting this training.
A signed letter from your pastor can be sent by email to [email protected] or by mail to:
Joanne DePasquale-Parent
Office for Family Life Ministry - Archdiocese of Newark
171 Clifton Ave.
Newark, NJ 07104
Topics include:
- Overview of Loss, Grief & Mourning and current theories
- Grief in special circumstances, including grief during times of crisis
- Assessing the need for referral
- Importance of bereavement ministry for the parish
- Reaching out to those on the peripheries, especially those feeling lost and alone
- Counseling skills: How to listen and ask questions that facilitate healing
- How to start up & facilitate a parish-based bereavement support group
Upon successful completion of the program, participants can become parish Bereavement Support Group Facilitators with their Pastor’s approval.
Please complete your registration and payment using the information below. The fee is $85 per participant, and payment can be made by either check or credit card. If you are mailing a check, please note that your registration will not be considered complete until the check is received by our office.
Bereavement Training Manual: A Bereavement Training Manual will be sent electronically to your email. If you prefer a physical manual to be shipped to you, an additional $60 fee will be charged to cover printing and shipping costs.
If a parish is sponsoring multiple participants, please register each participant separately, choosing the "Pay by Check" option for each person. One check can be sent to the Office for Family Life Ministry for the entire group. Be sure to include a note with the check listing all participant names.
Registrations may be transferred to another participant or to future training dates. Please be aware that any canceled registrations will incur processing fees that will be deducted from the refunded payments.
If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].
