Journey to Light - Bereavement Ministry

All who have experienced the loss of a loved one are welcome to join us for the Journey to Light Bereavement Ministry

New Participants Always Welcome!

The Bereavement Ministry at St. Aloysius welcomes anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one, at whatever stage of the journey.  The purpose of this ministry is to accompany and guide participants through their grieving process and to compassionately meet people where they are.  Our main resource book, the New Day Journal By Mauryeen O’Brien, O.P., is supplemented by the work of Harold Ivan Smith, The A,B,Cs of Healthy Grieving and  A Decembered Grief, Jan Warner, Grief Day-by-Day, Martha W. Hickman, Healing After Loss, Paula D’Arcy, Grief – A Formidable Foe, A Fierce Ally, and pertinent articles.

Grief is a normal process; it is a journey of utmost importance and is not bound by a timeline. Grief demands our attention: we learn to manage it seamlessly when we are supported by prayer and accompanied by others on the same journey. Participants in our parish Bereavement Ministry listen to and encourage one another with a caring, compassionate spirit.

The group is led by Patricia Pagano LCSW, who has been a clinician for over 20 years. She has experience working with grief and trauma groups, has been a St. A’s parishioner for over 5 years, and is also a trained Stephen Minister. Patricia encourages self-reflection and facilitates the discussion that arises. A core group who have participated for several years generously share their experiences while offering a listening ear and support. Each person who attends brings an added dimension to the session that is invaluable to the healing that God provides. We begin and end each session with prayer. 
 
Bereavement Group Schedule for 2026:
Meetings are held in the St. A’s Stapleton Hall upstairs Maple Street Room. We gather at 7:15pm to begin at 7:30pm until 9pm: 
 
    • 1 Tuesday, January 13 – New Session task 1 (revised date)
    • 2 Wednesday, February 4 – task 2
    • 3 Wednesday, March 4 – task 3
    • 4 Wednesday, March 18  – task 4
    • 5 Wednesday, April 15 – task 5
    • 6 Wednesday, May 6 – task 6
    • 7 Wednesday, May 20 – dinner out at a restaurant 
 
Do feel free to let others know about the group who may benefit from participating. For more information regarding our parish program of support and direction, please contact Patricia Pagano:  [email protected]