Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Church

Are you or someone you know
in need of support from our Bereavement Ministry?

Please contact our parish office at 973-538-1358, ext. 122.

Following are some resources for those grieving the loss of a loved one:

Bereavement Seminar with Deacon Henry deMena, MA: To be held here at Notre Dame on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 4:00 PM. Please click HERE for more details.
Bereavement Seminar Video Series with Deacon Henry deMena, MA: THERE IS HOPE!
Candlelight Remembrance Service held on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 7:30pm here at Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel.

Video: Candelight Remembrance Service (48 mb)

About Our Bereavement Ministry...Our Mission:

The Bereavement Minsitry helps us more fully realize our parish mission of Evangelization by helping those who are suffering to transform what may be a profound sense of loss into a deeper appreciation and understanding of not only the process of grieving, but also the underlying meaning and purpose of suffering in their lives.

Ministry Structure:

The Bereavement Ministry comprises two core groups:

Wake Support: Overseen by a deacon, these ministers work in pairs, bringing comfort to relatives and friends of the deceased by visiting the funeral home, praying with the family and those gathered, and planning the funeral Mass with the family. In addition to the deacon, these ministers include about 20 volunteers who serve on a rotating basis.

Bereavement Support:

There are four different way through which we are able to provide the parish family with bereavement support:

Angels of Comfort: These ministers support a grieving family through initial phone contact, followed by home visits and, where requested, providing meals.
Bereavement Seminars: These twice annual seminars (usually November and May) are conducted by Deacon Henry deMena, MA, who has served as Bereavement Coordinator at the St. Barnabas Hospice. These seminars offer valuable information and insight to help participants better understand what they are experiencing.
Candlelight Remembrance Service: Usually held the week before Christmas, this beautiful service creates a peace-filled, moving evening of remembrance for those who want to feel more spiritually connected to their deceased loved ones at Christmastime.
Bereavement Support Sessions: The parish is currently in the process of developing a six-week series of weekly gatherings for those in need of support following the loss of a loved one. The series will be held either once or twice each year, and will offer those in need an opportunity to share and support each other during the grieving process.