Grief Support Group Provides a Listening Ear and Journeys Alongside Our Bereaved

You may be surrounded by people, but when you’re lonely, it doesn’t make a difference. And when you’re grieving the death of a loved one, it can be one of the loneliest feelings in the world. Here in the Catholic community of St. Vincent de Paul, we want people to know that even in the most difficult, painful, and lonely times of life, some want to walk alongside you on the journey of grief.

“Our Grief Support Group is a safe haven where we can talk and listen with those who understand and care,” says parishioner Pam Heroux, the head facilitator of the group.

Having experienced several losses in her life, including the loss of her husband six years ago, Pam knows how important it is to have friends who can relate to your pain. The group is open to people who have experienced a loss of all kinds — a spouse, a child, a parent — and anyone needing support in their grief is welcome.

“We go through different types of grief, learning to grieve, accepting the reality of the loss, experiencing the pain of the loss, adjusting to life without the loved one, incorporating the loved one while journeying on, spirituality and healing, and holiday grief,” Pam says of the group, which typically meets in nine-week sessions.

Along with Pam, there are several other facilitators, including a retired therapist, who have experienced their own losses and hope to offer support to others. For Pam, one of the most difficult aspects of life after losing a loved one was not having places in which she could openly share her experience, as well as stories about her loved one(s) who had passed.

“With a group setting like this, you can express your feelings, you get them out and you walk away feeling better,” Pam says. “Everything you say in our room is confidential. We want people to feel good and comfortable.”

“We try to let people know, ‘You’re not the only one who has gone through this,’” she adds. “We can help you process it.”

One of the sessions focuses on the topics of spirituality and how to incorporate your faith in your experience of loss. For Pam, her relationship with God became a significant comfort and she hopes to encourage other Catholics to find hope and reassurance in their faith.

“God is with you, every step of the way,” Pam says. “He was always there for me — He is going to be there for you. You can pray for guidance, you’re never alone — He is always there. God will be with you no matter what.”

Pam encourages those who have suffered a loss to consider coming to see what the Grief Support Ministry is all about. The group is open to all — parishioner and non-parishioner alike, Catholic or non-Catholic — and she hopes that everyone who attends will find a place where they feel welcomed and supported in their journey of grief.

“Come and see what our program is about,” Pam says. “It’s really difficult when you feel alone when you’re grieving. Come talk and listen with those who understand and care.”