January, 2019
Pastoral Care Ministry Newsletter
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"I am with you always…” (Matt. 28:20)
Ministering in Times of Spiritual Distress
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You are invited to join Fr. Joseph Mali and Sr. Katherine (Kitty) Hanley CSJ, PhD., on January 12, 2019, as they help us explore the topic of Ministering in Times of Spiritual Distress.
This program is open to everyone and it will be broadcast live from the Pastoral Center to the following Diocesan parishes: St. Henry’s, Averill Park; Our Lady of the Annunciation, Queensbury; St. Mary’s, Oneonta; St. Edward the Confessor, Clifton Park; St. Patrick’s, Catskill; and St. Francis de Sales, Herkimer.
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The Second Year After
a Loved One’s Death
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By Jackson Ranier for Next Avenue
Moving forward while learning lessons about grief and living with the loss
For more than 25 years, I served as a psychology professor and researched grief and bereavement. I consulted and taught individuals, couples and families to meet the demands that chronic illness exacts, to build safety nets and resilience in the presence of stress, and to create space for the problems that the loss of a loved one brings.
Realize, with “real eyes,” as Rockland, Maine spiritual director Deirdre Felton says, “Doors are opening. Doors have closed. Take a breather and spend time with the new chrysalis that will hatch in its own time, with a new version of yourself, still who you are, but now somehow
different.”
Continue
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Jan. 11 - May 17:
Jan. 12:
Jan. 15:
April 27:
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Circle of Care: A Guidebook for Mental Health Caregivers
A guidebook provided by
National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
that provides resources and information about caring for an adult with mental health conditions.
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Executive Assistant
(full time)
Albany Diocesan Cemeteries is currently looking for an
Executive Assistant.
This position provides administrative and clerical support to Albany Diocesan Cemetery offices and the Associate Director- Sales.
C
ould this be you? If not, do you know of anyone who may be interested? Please help by sharing with anyone who may be interested.
Read more.
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Spiritual Direction: What Is It, Who Needs It, and Why?
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When we train folks to become volunteer pastoral visitors, one of the first things we mention is the need to have a vibrant spiritual and prayer life. This includes daily prayer and if possible engaging in spiritual direction. This reason for this is two- fold. First it helps one grow in their own faith and relationship with God and become more spiritually present to those to whom they are making a pastoral visit. Second, it helps the pastoral visitor volunteer guard against burn-out in their ministry.
Our diocese now has a Spiritual Direction School called Holy Ground. There are many lay people who have completed this program and are currently available as spiritual directors. Contact The
Consultation Center
for more information, 518-489-4431.
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“What is Spiritual Direction - and What is it Not?”
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“While the answers from spiritual directors and experts vary slightly on this question, one thing is clear - spiritual direction must be aimed at forming and cultivating a relationship with the Lord.
“One of my favorite definitions for spiritual directions is that it is a three-part encounter,” McDowell said. “An encounter between the Lord, the directee, and the spiritual director, for the purpose that the directee may grow in their relationship with our Lord.”
Remove any one of those encounters, and what is taking place is no longer spiritual direction, McDowell said.”
Read more.
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Emmaus Ministry
for Grieving Parents
One Day Retreat
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April 27
St. Clement’s Church, Saratoga
Losing a child under any circumstances is horrendous. Focusing on the spirituality of the grieving process can help tremendously. Just as He comforted His grieving disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus comforts us and we comfort each other in this very special ministry.
Join other Emmaus Parent Companions and our St. Clement’s Church Emmaus Ministry Retreat Team in a warm and loving place—
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Stories of Love and Loss
by Dan Festa
“This book is written as a memoir of 40-plus years of working with human experiences of death, grief, and bereavement. The stories are all similar but uniquely different; similar in the sense that they all relate to varying issues embedded in loss. They are different in how each of these losses occur. The author invites the reader into a world of overwhelming grief brimming with raw emotions. The stories are true and tackle the capricious and unpredictable nature of death in a society that seeks to avoid and overcome the reality of death. Most of the stories are told from the perspective of a hospital chaplain working with real people. While these stories are profoundly sad, the author invites the reader to search for and find snippets of hope through a recommitment to life and living--constantly holding before the reader the dialectic tension that exists between life and death.” This book can be ordered through
orders@centeringcorp.com
or
tel: 866-218-0101.
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You Don't Look Like You Have Depression
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“No face of depression or anxiety. No face of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. No specific look or standard that one can point out in a crowd of people. These illnesses come in every color and in every shape, at different times and through all ages. The receptionist was right. I don't "look" like I have depression because we are encouraged to carry on as best we can given the circumstances. I don’t have any outward signs of my condition but this doesn’t make it any less real. I also don't look like I have two brothers or the ability to wiggle my ears or an addiction to coffee, but I do. I don't look like I can play the flute, or was born in Florida, or have sleeping problems, but that's all true too.
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I go to therapy. I take an antidepressant every day. Sometimes I don't eat for days at a time; instead I drink black coffee and red wine, and I cry. I struggle every day to get out of bed. I have tackled so much grief, emotional abuse and insecurity that it often doesn't feel worth it to wake up in the morning. But you wouldn’t be able to tell any of this just by looking at me."
Continue.
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Pastoral Care Ministry is a program of Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
If the Pastoral Care Coordinator at your parish changes, please notify
Harley McDevitt
. Thank you!
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