Ministry of EMBRACE
A Ministry of Consolation

Empathy
Ministry
Bonding
Reassurance
Affirmation
Compassion
Encouragement

WHO WE ARE

Mary Our Queen's Ministry of EMBRACE is comprised of fellow parishioners who have, through death, suffered the significant loss of a loved one. Because of our losses, we all share a pain uniquely our own and want to reach out and help others experiencing this pain. The letters of EMBRACE represent: Empathy, Ministry, Bonding, Reassurance, Affirmation, Compassion, and Encouragement.

OUR MISSION

To offer comfort and hope to bereaved parishioners through our prayers and presence. To listen with compassion, patience, and understanding. And to provide a place for support, trust, open communication, and healing.

WHAT WE DO

CD Recordings - Recordings of the funerals held at Mary Our Queen are made and given to the family along with a sympathy card, Care Notes, and support materials.

Memorial Crosses - A small wooden cross, for anyone buried from Mary Our Queen, is placed in church. It has the deceased name and date of death. The cross will stay for one year, as a way for our parish family to remember and pray for the deceased and their family. On the one-year anniversary, the cross is taken down and presented to the family. We typically try to coincide this presentation with a Mass said in the deceased's memory.

Baby Angels - A small figurine is given to families who have suffered a miscarriage or pre-term death of a baby.

Monthly Grief Support Group - Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Kenny Center. The meetings, facilitated by the members of the Ministry of EMBRACE, provide the grieving person an opportunity to gain: HOPE and understanding, suggestions for coping, and a circle of friends who can share the ups and downs of the grief journey. The meetings consist of prayer, scripture, sharing, and support materials.

Grief Companions - Frequently, members of our ministry choose to walk closely with the bereaved on their grief journey. Such as a widow with a widow, a parent with a parent. During the first year, contact is kept through phone calls and notes, especially on holidays and special days, offering support and reassurance. WE KNOW, WE CARE.

Sympathy Notes - Sympathy notes, on behalf of the parish, are sent to parishioners in the event of a death in their extended families. Christmas cards and Mother's Day / Father's Day cards are sent.

Christmas Memory Tree - Parishioners are invited to bring an ornament in memory of a deceased loved one.

Rose Petal Rosaries - If available, a bouquet of roses from the funeral is saved, the petals dried and given to the family, along with information to have a rosary made from the petals.

Potluck Dinners - Two or three times a year, we sponsor potluck dinners for the widows, widowers, and bereaved families. These dinners offer fellowship and a good meal for the lonely.

Workshops and Training - Members of the Ministry of EMBRACE continue to learn and gather new ideas to help the grieving. The Omaha Grief Network is a resource on the local level, and the National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved is a resource on the national level.

Resource Materials - The ministry has support materials for the grief process. Books, pamphlets, and videos are available. We also have lists of other area support groups and professional referrals.