National bereavement ministry moves forward with new efforts

Training materials in Spanish and an expanded presence on the web are just two of the up-and-coming developments from the National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved.

Founded in 1990, NCMB offers pastoral and spiritual support to the bereaved, caregivers, agencies, congregations, dioceses and others who work in bereavement ministry through education efforts and a bank of resources. Its headquarters are located at the Maria Center on the campus of the School Sisters of Notre Dame motherhouse in Lemay.

NCMB also uses as its foundation the Order of Christian Funerals, developed by the U.S. bishops to define and provide guidelines for the rite of passage from death into eternal life. The text includes four main parts: the vigil for the deceased and related rites, the transfer of the body to the church, the funeral Mass or liturgy outside of Mass and the Rite of Committal.

Ingrid Seunarine, named president of NCMB earlier this year, told the Review that a Spanish-language manual for its ministry of consolation training program recently was published. The effort took about three years to complete, said Seunarine, who also is the director of bereavement services for the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.