Pastoral Responses to Matters of Faith
Bereaved children or adults and those who support them may make statements about death, dying and the afterlife which demonstrate an inaccurate or incomplete understanding of our Catholic teachings. It is our hope that these guidelines may help you to provide a pastoral response that supports the bereaved while remaining true to our Catholic beliefs. Pope Francis' video below may also provide some important background information for caregivers.
Please click on any of the topics below to learn more about our Catholic Teaching and how to respond to questions.
Note: Non-Catholic students or staff members will likely have different understandings about many of these teachings. It is always important to engage in respectful conversations and to listen without judgment when these differences are noted. You may wish to read up on other faith traditions, especially if the deceased community member is not Catholic. Even young children can grow to understand that we are more alike than different. Please refer to the sections on Prayer for more on Culturally Sensitive Responses to Grief and Comfort the Grieving for more information on Preparing Safe Spaces for the Bereaved.
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