Grief and loss are a part of life. We all experience it, yet in our culture it is often a taboo subject. It is very common for people to allow matters regarding one’s final wishes to get pushed off until some other day. “Having lost family members in the past, and in the last year, my beloved husband of 50 years, I was still not prepared for some of the issues family members face at the end of life–one’s own or that of a loved one,” says Mary Garland, Holy Spirit Verona parishioner and head of its Healing Ministry.
To address these complex issues, the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit Verona will present a three-part “End of Life” lecture series beginning next week. Relying on trusted experts from our community, we will begin a dialogue about three major areas of concern: logistics, palliative care/emotional and spiritual.
Held on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. on March 18, April 8 and May 13, the topics will be covered as follows:
- March 18 – Logistics/Funeral Planning – Bob Prout and Julia Prout, Prout Funeral Home, Verona
- April 8 – Communicating about Serious Illness and End of Life – Maria Roesler, RN, MSN, CCCHPN, Administrative Director, Palliative and Supportive Care, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, RWJ Barnabas Health
- May 13 -Spiritual -What Happens After Death? – Reverend Katherine Rollo and Father Jerry Racioppi, Holy Spirit, Verona.
The community is welcome to attend all sessions or individual sessions.
The series is sponsored by the Holy Spirit Healing Ministry.
All meetings will be held in the Holy Spirit Fellowship Hall at 36 Gould Street.
For more information, call the church office at (973) 239-2850 or visit its website.
