Grief Ministry

Part of our shared human experience is losing loved ones. 

The Grief Ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of Marriage and Family Life connects individuals with Catholic bereavement and grief ministry communities, as well as provides the local Church with events and resources to assist those processing or struggling with the death of a loved one.

“In the People of God, by the grace of his compassion granted in Jesus, many families prove by their deeds that death does not have the last word: this is a true act of faith. Every time a family in mourning – even terrible mourning – finds the strength to guard the faith and love that unite us to those we love, it has already prevented death from taking everything. The darkness of death should be confronted with a more intense work of love. ‘My God, lighten my darkness!’ is the invocation of evening prayer. …"

-Pope Francis, General Audience June 17, 2015

Click the link to view more information about the following recurring events on this page:
Events at the Archdiocese of New Orleans Retreat Center
HALOS (Healing All Loss of Overdose or Suicide)
TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) [For survivors of loved ones who died while serving in the military.)
Children's Grief Ministry
Red Bird Ministries Events

 All events listed below, unless noted otherwise, will be held at the 
The Cenacle on the Lake
5500 St. Mary Street  Metairie, LA 70003

GRIEF SUPPORT MEETING

Monthly grief support meetings are held twice a month at The Cenacle on the Lake.
  6:00 - 7:15 PM: For anyone who has encountered any loss
Free and no registration necessary.
Contact Jewell Bayhi at 504-330-5974 or [email protected]

REMEMBRANCE TEA

Sunday,  June 29, 2025 | 2:00 - 4:00 PM

Register by calling 504-596-3050

GRIEF RETREAT: Finding Our Hope and Purpose

Saturday, August 2 - Sunday, August 3
The Cenacle on the Lake - Metairie, LA

Register at neworleansretreats.com or call 985-778-6277 for more information.

HALOS (Healing All Loss of Overdose or Suicide) is a ministry within the Archdiocese of New Orleans that supports people, parents in particular, struggling with the loss of a loved one due to a drug or alcohol overdose or suicide.

A HALOS group meets at the St. Benilde Parish Office, Metairie on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, from 7:00 - 8:00pm. 

For more information on this ministry, please contact Val Hebert at 504-427-0327 or [email protected].

TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) is for survivors whose loved ones have died while serving in the military. 

Next Beginning Experience Retreat

October 3 - 5, 2025

 The Beginning Experience is peer grief resolution for separated, divorced and widowed persons.  
  Don’t know where to turn? Struggling with grief or loss?
  When distress, despair, anger or grief are trivialized, dismissed and remain unresolved, life may seem unfulfilled and aimless. The loss of self-esteem, together with feelings of sadness or bitterness, becomes a way of life. Well-meaning people advise, “Get over it,” but it is just not happening.
  Sometimes the pain of the loss of a loved one, either by death, separation or divorce, cannot be overcome quickly or easily. It has become a habit to utter, “I am OK” when asked, but inside there is a heavy heart.

  Healing can start with a Beginning Experience weekend at a retreat center. Through the Holy Spirit, a safe and sympathetic environment is created. Listening and understanding allows wonderful transformations throughout the weekend process. It is not a quick fix.
  Rather, the weekend renews hope that a new life can be found beyond the pain.

Contact Tiffany Crowson at (504) 495-3553 or [email protected]
  or visit the Beginning Experience website for more information or
  to register for a Beginning Weekend.

Grief is a normal reaction for children to the death of someone significant. When children experience the death of a person who has played a significant role in their life, it is normal for children to struggle, whether the relationship with that person was caring and loving, or contentious and difficult. The absence of a person takes time to fully accept and even then, children may continue to miss them in their own special way. In truth, children never "get over" a person's death, but they can learn to live with the reality.  Grieving children often feel alone and misunderstood.  Grieving children feel less alone when they are with other children who have experienced the death of a significant person and when they have loving, consistent adults in their lives. 

These statements are from the National Alliance for Children’s Grief of which Jewell Bayhi, our Coordinator of Grief Ministies, is a member. 

Children need as much from us in their Grief process or even more than adults do.

CHILDREN'S GRIEF MINISTRY EVENTS

More events are being planned for children and will be announced as soon as they are finalized.
 

Red Bird Ministries is a Catholic non-profit grief support ministry that focuses on bereaved families who have experienced child loss of any age and circumstance, including pregnancy loss through miscarriage and stillbirth, and after birth as an infant, child, adolescent, or adult. It is Catholic because of the critical role the Church’s Sacraments play in the healing process. While they operate as Catholics, this  pro-life, pro-family ministry serves anyone who has experienced the loss of a child.

Monthly Red Bird Ministry Meetings   Red Bird for Grieving Parents meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30 - 7:45 PM in the Our Lady of the Lake School Cafeteria (312 Lafitte Street, Mandeville, LA 70448)