Support for Grief and Loss

Words of comfort. Someone to listen. A caring presence.

One of the most important parts of a Chaplain’s job is to be available and to listen. By acting as an unconditional source of comfort and reassurance, Chaplains help facilitate healing at times of grief or loss.

Loss means different things to different people. For some, it means the loss of someone they love. For others, it means the loss of a job, the loss of friendships, the loss of physical mobility, or the “gray cloud” that is the loss of everything all at once. The grief that accompanies loss can be swift and severe. Your whole life is impacted. It affects your sense of meaning and purpose, leaves you emotionally shattered, and causes you to question your future.

Hospital Chaplains often deal with grief in its immediate stages. When the unexpected happens — an accident, a difficult diagnosis, the sudden loss of a loved one — a Chaplain helps interpret difficult medical information for patients and families and supports them in their time of crisis.

Chaplaincy Services responds quickly to medical emergencies throughout the hospital. The services of the St. Mary’s Medical Center Grief Support Center are also available to patients and families in need of long-term grief counseling.