DIVORCE/SEPARATION

DivorceLINK: A peer ministry specifically for and to those separated/divorced – open to all persons of any faith tradition. It is during this difficult time we offer persons time to deal with grief, recover from turmoil and loss; rebuild their life again through the Levels program, open forum RAP support groups, various workshops, family activities and spiritual and social events. “No one should face the ordeals of separation or divorce alone.”

• The RAP’s support group meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at St. Aloysius Rectory, 157 Cleveland Drive , Cheektowaga , from 7 pm to 9:00 pm
• The LEVELS groups meets for eight weeks each spring, summer and fall, at St. Aloysius Rectory, 157 Cleveland Drive , Cheektowaga from 7 pm to 9:00 pm
• For a brochure, newsletter, events, times, locations and/or a Separation/Divorce packet or parenting packet contact your Office of Family Life Ministries at 847-2210 or e-mail familylife@buffalodiocese.org

DivorceLINK brochure

CROSSROADS: Crossroads is a Catholic Community of single adults, forty years and older, seeking to share diversified spiritual and social needs and blessings. For anyone interested in knowing more about this organization – for a taste of upcoming events – for cancellations due to weather, for membership information, etc. please call their voice mail hotline at 635-8010.

BRIDGES: St. Bernadette Church’s group for divorced, separated & widowed individuals, that meet once a month. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Rectory Conference Room of St. Bernadette Church, 5930 South Abbott Road in Orchard Park . We have many activities planned for the next few months and if you would like an e-mail update, please contact carboni@roadrunner.com. Bridges is open to anyone, not just parishioners of St. Bernadette’s Church. For more information, please call Dawn 472-2491 or your Office of Family Life Ministries at 847-2210. Bridges is financially self-supported, and thus monetary donations are always appreciated.

EVERY WOMAN OPPORTUNITY: The mission of Everywoman Opportunity Center, Inc. is to help women achieve personal and economic self-sufficiency. “Prepare to be a part of the workforce of tomorrow – come to Everywoman today.” For more information, call 847-1120 or www.everywoman.org.

RESOURCES: Grieving the death of a loved one can be a long and painful journey. The re is no time table for the mourning that one feels. Grief work is the process that involves learning to live with the emptiness, creating meaning out of the loss and rejoining life to live more openly and fully. Your Office of Family Life Ministries provides you with a free Bereavement Packet full of resources, information on support programs and reflections on a variety of topics to assist you in this personal journey. Please feel free to contact us at 847-2210 or e-mail familylife@buffalodiocese.org. We also have a parenting packet.

In addition this Office works in collaboration with the Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Buffalo providing resources and speakers for the Bereavement Lecture Series Workshops.

Memorial Services are held twice yearly. To make a reservation or for more information call 873-6500.

Bereavement Hotline: 716-332-0202

RELATED PROGRAMS FOR HEALING

YOUNG ADULT BEGINNING EXPERIENCE: is a weekend for persons age 16 and up who have experienced parental death, separation or divorce. For more information, contact Steve & Liz Wascak at 585 237-5155 or Bob & Cathy Cobbett at 585 872-6276. For a brochure, contact your Office of Family Life Ministries at 847-2210 or e-mail familylife@buffalodiocese.org.

BEGINNING EXPERIENCE: is a weekend adapted to the formerly married and meant for persons who have worked through the first stages of grief after death or separation/divorce of one’s spouse. Call the Beginning Experience information line at 585 987-1750. For a brochure, contact your Office of Family Life Ministries at 847-2210 or e-mail familylife@buffalodiocese.org.

ANNULMENT COMPANIONS provide the extra support people need while going through a process that can be filled with questions, doubts, fears, anger, emotional uncertainty and heartache. Referrals provided. Contact Barbara Wyse at 633-7786 or e-mail BJWTR@aol.com.

ANNULMENT WRITING WORKSHOP: Help with annulment papers? Facilitators, knowledgeable in the Marriage Tribunal Process leading to a Church Annulment, are available to as sis t individuals to prepare the “paper work” necessary to begin the annulment procedures. So often just putting together the information needed can be overwhelming. This workshop will help ease the stress of putting together the necessary information. For more information or to register call Barb Wyse at 633-7786 or e-mail BJWTR@aol.com.

For information call 565-2525 or your Office of Family Life Ministries for a flyer of topics and dates.

KIDS/TEEN GRIEF GROUP: Open to boys and girls age 5 and above who have lost a family member or a friend. Children are broken up into age appropriate groups. Program is free. Donations greatly appreciated. For more information, please call Day Cummings at 716-627-4934 or e-mail momsspirit@aol.com or www.circleofdaughters.com.