St. Thomas the Apostle offers 'Handling Grief During the Holidays'

The holidays may be a very painful and difficult time if you and your family have experienced the death of loved ones during the past few years. All around us, our culture celebrates while your heart is heavy, and even the tiniest thing can instantly touch off a tidal wave of sadness.

For help in coping during such an emotional time, come to the program, "Handling Grief During the Holidays," at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1500 Brookdale Road, Naperville. Come by yourself or invite family members or friends to join you.

Paula Kosin, a licensed clinical professional counselor and facilitator of the grief support group at St. Thomas Church, will discuss challenges the holidays can pose and identify strategies to help experience the season with some quiet joy, including ways to honor deceased loved ones and experience the healing presence of Jesus.

Kosin also is the author of the recently-published book, "Grieving: a Spiritual Process for Catholics," a helpful combination of best current practices for healthy grieving from the mental health field with comforting contemporary Catholic Christian spirituality.

The program, sponsored by the behavioral health ministry at St. Thomas the Apostle, is free but registration is requested to ensure adequate seating arrangements.

To register or get details, contact Annette Kubalanza, director of pastoral care at St. Thomas, at akubalanza@stapostle.org or (630) 355-8980, ext. 124, by Thursday, Nov. 2.

The behavioral health ministry at St. Thomas strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness and to minister to the emotionally/mentally ill and their families and friends with confidentiality and respect. Support is offered through advocacy, prayer and education. For information about the ministry, contact Susan Kearney, coordinator of the behavioral health ministry, at (630) 355-8980, ext. 108.

St. Thomas the Apostle, a parish of the Diocese of Joliet, strives to bear the Good News of God's unconditional love to all generations through worship, faith formation, witness, and service. Organized in 1984, the St. Thomas faith community numbers more than 3,000 households and over 9,000 registered members. Complete news and information on parish events, guest speakers and special programs is available at www.stapostle.org. For general parish information, call (630) 355-8980.