St. Joseph's Grief Recovery Ministry

Grief Recovery Ministry Contact:
Contact Number for Grief Minister: 908-874-3141, ext. 222

Click here for words of encouragement from the Holy Scripture

What is Grief?

Grief is the normal reaction to loss.  It is a a physical, mental, social and spiritual process of adapting to a major change.

Loss is a part of your life right now,  who you were and who you will now become.  Trust in a consistent world is broken.  The search for inner resources which will define the new you and restore trust and confidence can be a fascinating journey.  Grief does not have a destination.

How can I Cope?

Depending upon your individual circumstances, bereavement can be a major life change or a relatively minor part of your daily life.   Either way, we encourage you to think in terms of the challenges of grief.   This is not to minimize your feelings in any way, but to help you put a new perspective on the experience you are having.  Remember that stress is the perception of threat.  If you can change your perception you can change some of the stress reaction you are having.

It is true that grief is a teacher.  For a while it may be our master, and a hard one as we learn each lesson.  Grief teaches us to find options and to reach within to depths we probably did not want to explore.  Grief teaches us compassion so that we may become the guide for others who will follow, for other who need our help to make the choices in life which accept challenges and change as part of living.

Where can I find Support?

Even though grief is a common human experience following death, we all grieve differently.  You may feel isolated and believe that no one shares your concerns or fears.  There is, however, an alternative to coping alone and a mutual support group may be the answer.