St Ignatius Parish

The Bereavement Support Group was an initiative by Fr Geoffrey James. Diana Herd was a member of the Liturgy Committee and had grief management experience and agreed to take responsibility. It started as a Group of seven by inviting several parishioners who had suffered bereavement together with a Social Worker from Calvary Hospital, and acquiring literature on grief management. Initially, the Group used to offer to help with the funeral liturgy when advised of a forthcoming funeral by the Parish, and send out a condolence card (designed by Anne Nocka) followed by phoning and offering to visit the bereaved person or family if desired. At present only a card is sent, after advice from Sr Noreen of an impending funeral. The funeral liturgy continues to be organised by the Parish priests, but it is suggested that there may need to be some form of follow up by the Bereavement Support Group, perhaps by organising a special mass for those bereaved on the feast of Holy Souls, and by asking those bereaved in the past to participate in one or two meetings a year to share with newly bereaved persons. More parish publicity could also be given to literature on Grief Management, currently available from the Berevement Support Group.

Enquiries: Diana Herd 8332-2696