ForMission 2.0 Registration

Navigating Individual and Communal Grief in Initial & Lifelong Formation - For-Mission 2.0 Program

(Available for attendees and graduates of ForMission and Orientation to Formation Programs only)

Mary Pat Garvin, RSM, Ph.D in For-Mission 2.0 will explore how members of religious congregations – both those in initial and lifelong formation -- might navigate experiences of grief in a healthy and holy manner. Grief, a most human and natural emotion, follows all types of losses. Many religious congregations, in particular those in the northern hemisphere, are experiencing a series of losses; the passing of beloved members, the closing of valued ministries, the withdrawal from parishes and schools, etc. For other congregations, after much prayer and discernment, the decision to stop accepting new members generates a deep communal experience of grief and loss. Drawing on insights from theology, spirituality, and contemporary psychology we will explore our topic seeking ways to notice God’s graced companionship as we navigate this time in history.