The experience of grief is universal and inevitable for each of us. It is felt physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and socially and it is a natural response to loss, bereavement, and trauma. Grief is part of being human
“But we live in a grief-avoidant culture, that encourages us to move away from feeling our grief and pain,” explained Carmela Di Pietro Program Development Coordinator with Grief Care, Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria.
“We avoid talking about the end of life until we or someone close is facing it,” she said.
“There seems to be a socialised silence which surrounds us,” she said.
We don’t know how to talk about imminent death.
“So when we or someone close is faced with the imminent reality of dying, we don’t necessarily know how to talk about it. We worry about how discussing our fears and our concerns will impact other people with their own fears and concerns,” Carmela said.
We are surrounded by socialised silence.
Carmela Di Pietro
“The seeking of support, accompaniment or understanding from others we trust is not a weakness,” she said.
“It is fundamental, healthy and a sign we are living our grief well. Grief is not a problem to be solved, but a human experience to be lived and shared. It’s not the price we pay for love, but more an expression of the deepest love – and in some cases, for those whom we had an ambiguous or complicated relationship with, maybe an expression of our unmet desires and wishes for how the relationship could have been.”
Offering care, empathy and compassion to nurture all to live their grief.
Grief Care
“Grief Care provides a space where people can start a conversation with someone they can trust, who they can tell their worries to, honestly express their feelings and who will listen without judgement or trying to fix them or the situation – a companion.
“Grief Care naturalises and acknowledges the uniqueness of each person’s grief, provides a language and opportunity for people to describe their reality in a safe space where it can be, validated, held, and respected.
“Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria are set apart from other cemeteries in that it is the only cemetery with its own in-house Grief Care Team and is a part of the ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney,” Carmela added.
Grief Care in a nutshell
Grief Care can support you with: * Grief Accompaniment/Companioning * Clear information, definitions, and language that can broaden our understanding and help us make informed choices * Current evidence-based and observed understandings of loss, grief, trauma, and bereavement * Tools and opportunities that may be helpful to name & navigate feelings and experiences with one another * A deeper awareness of the riches of tradition and rituals around suffering, dying, death, and the afterlife – that can be consoling and invite us to make and find meaning in our experiences *An opportunity to ask the many questions that are important * A community context that helps people not to feel so alone All this gives people the encouragement, the confidence, and the capacity to start their own unique conversations. |
Grief Care Connections
Grief Care is here to support you.
- Grief Care can talk with you over the phone, face-to-face or online via Zoom.
- We also offer Palliative Care Grief Accompaniment.
Grief Care invites you to join us for one of our Remembrance and Memorial Services. Is there one that would have special meaning for you? For example, it can be a service for bereaved parents or for the family of someone who died by suicide. See or events calendar here.
Grief Care offers its services to all in the community. It is an outreach of Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria.
For more information, go to this link here
Grief Care is here to support you.
Find out more about Grief Care in our Business Directory here.
And here are other Good Grief! articles to help support you with, bereavement, loss and grief.