Accompanying Those Who Mourn

Accompanying Those Who Mourn will provide the training necessary for parish or Catholic community leaders to start or further develop a bereavement ministry. The training will develop leaders' understanding of grief and how to companion or accompany someone in their sorrow.  

Though this course is about bereavement ministry, there are many valuable parallel lessons and resources for someone interested in mental health ministry. Both ministries can benefit from practicing active empathy and learning about the art of listening and accompaniment – of being ministries of presence. Both can benefit from the group dynamics section as well as the sections relating to an understanding of suffering in the Catholic context.

This course is for those interested in beginning or improving a parish bereavement ministry, but it can also be helpful to those interested in learning more about grief and bereavement from a Catholic perspective.

Course Highlights:  

• This course was developed by Patrick Metts, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Assistant Director in the Office of Evangelization & Discipleship in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Additionally, Patrick received a Master of Marriage and Family Studies from the John Paul II Institute in Valencia, Spain.
• The Companioning model of bereavement care – often we find that grief is treated from a clinical perspective or as a condition in need of treatment. However, we will find that the Companioning model of bereavement care is much more in line with our Catholic faith and one that we can all learn.  
• Bereavement care in the Catholic context – find out how bereavement care may look in a Catholic setting verses a non-Catholic or secular setting.   

Course Content:  

• Utilize the book “Understanding Your Grief” by Dr. Alan Wolfelt as a basis for understanding grief and forming a bereavement ministry in your Catholic community.  
• Work through ten separate videos, packed with insightful content, and presented by a licensed professional counselor.  
• Take your learning and ministry deeper by diving into additional content that includes a presentation by Dr. Leonard DeLorenzo of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, and a video on grief in the context of dementia care.  

Who should enroll? 

• Intended for individuals or groups seeking to begin or to further develop a bereavement ministry in their Catholic community.  

• Current ministry leaders who would like to develop and better their understanding of grief and how to accompany someone who has lost a loved one.   

• Someone who has lost a loved one in the past, has been through their own grief journey, and now is exploring how they might assist or help others who have lost a loved one. 

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