Home > Resources For Families > Bereavement Services

Dealing with the death of a loved one is never easy. The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington present the following listing of people and organizations in the Washington area that offer help to the bereaved.

The Bereavement Program
Parish and Hospital-based bereavement support groups,for individuals and families grieving from a death loss.

Contact Person: Sr. Clarisse Ballenger, SSA, EdD
301-754-7742

The program consists of eight consecutive Wednesday evening meetings which are held at 9805 Dameron Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (across the street from Holy Cross Hospital) from 5:30-7 p.m., and are free of charge.

MIS Support Group
MIS is a community-based support network founded in 1981 to offer information, support, and comfort to grieving parents who have experienced the loss of their baby during pregnancy or after birth.

Contact Person: Mrs. Cubby LaHood
301-681-5784

For recorded information about MIS and subsequent pregnancy support groups, call:
301-460-6222

Healthcare professionals who are interested in MIS services for their patients, please call the clinical coordinator, Harriet Dolinsky, L.C.S.W.: 703-471-0744

Meetings: first Thursday of every month, 7:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Hospital, third Thursday of every month, 7:30 p.m. at St. Raphael’s Parish, Rockville, MD.Please call ahead to reserve a space.

Rainbows for All God’s Children
This is an internationally-based grief support program for children. The program is run by volunteers through a parish or school.

Contact Person: Ms. Nancy Iden
301-229-6815
Fax: 301-229-0040
www.rainbows.org

Post Cana
Lives change dramatically after the death of a spouse. These Social and Spiritual support groups for widows and widowers meet locally throughout the Archdiocese.

Contact Person: Mary Jo Rodgers
301-365-9075

Parish Programs

St. Pius X Parish, Bowie, Maryland

St. Pius X offers a bereavement program for families of people who have died, meeting every Monday evening over a nine to ten week period during the winter months. Sr. Kathleen meets individually with bereaved people over the summer months.

Contact Person: Sr. Kathleen McPeak, SSJ
301-262-0660

St. Matthias Apostle Parish, Lanham, MD / Holy Family Parish, Mitchellville, MD
These parishes have joint bereavement/grief support meetings that meet weekly.

Contact Person: Mirian Jacik
301-345-6045

St. Raphael Catholic Church, Rockville, Maryland
Living with Loss Bereavement Program
http://www.straphaels.org/social_concerns.htm

Contact: Ursula Boesch 301-762-7134 or Carolyn Huard at 301-881-7456

or email: livingwithloss@gmail.com

For more information about bereavement programs in your area, please contact:

Office for Family Life Ministry
Archdiocese of Washington
301-853-4546
Fax: 301-853-7660