Grief Support Resources
~specially curated for grieving parents~
You will find that many of our resources listed are focused on the loss of a child. However, we invite and encourage anyone who is grieving a significant loss to explore these resources. We think you’ll find that many of them will speak to your grief no matter the loss you have experienced.
Table of Contents:
- Children’s Memorial Garden at Terra Sancta
- Prayer Recommendations
- Book Recommendations
- Blog Articles
- Listen: Find Playlists of Music and Podcasts
- Organizations that Offer Additional Grief Support
- Counselor Recommendations
- Quotes of Faith and Comfort
- PDF’s: Free Downloads that Address Your Questions about Grief
- Artwork and Images
- Pregnancy Loss Resources
- Suicide Loss Resources
- Parish Support Groups
Children’s Memorial Garden at Terra Sancta
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Children’s Memorial Garden
A holy place where families can celebrate and remember their children who have returned to God.
This is a beautiful, peaceful, meditative, inspiring, and holy place, where the veil between heaven and earth feels thinner. It is a place to feel the Lord’s comfort in your grief, and to hope in the joys of heaven.
Located at Terra Sancta Retreat Center in Rapid City.
Click Here to consider having a placard engraved with your child’s name included in the memorial.
Prayer Recommendations for Grieving Catholics
Prayers for Grief on Hallow
Hallow is a Catholic meditation, prayer, and sleep app. It offers a 14 day free trial. Click each of the images below for direct link to that prayer.
Chaplet of Rachel’s Tears
This beautiful prayer was written by our own Fr. Leo Hausmann, with an Imprimatur from Bishop Muhich.
For a custom made chaplet of prayer beads please contact our diocesan hermit at smcjacobsocarm@gmail.com
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary by Our Lady of Kibeho
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows dates back to the Middle Ages, but it gained new popularity following the Marian apparitions in Kibeho, which have been approved by the Catholic Church.
Click Here for a Written Guide to the Seven Sorrows Rosary
Click Here to pray a 7 Sorrow’s Rosary with Bri Edwards and Many Hail Marys at a Time
Litany of Grieving
This prayer, written by Diocese of Rapid City grief advocates, Dionne Eastmo and Brianne Edwards, is offered to you to give voice to our prayers when grief leaves us speechless.
Litany of Waiting
This prayer by Fr. Mark Toups is from the book: Rejoice! An Advent Pilgrimage into the Heart of Scripture: Year A
It will help you pray through the waiting, uncertainty, sorrow, and suffering that comes with your extraordinary grief.
Novenas for your Loved One’s Birthday and Anniversary of Death
Lach’s Legacy is offering two novenas to accompany you in prayer through YOUR seasons of heightened grief.
Sign up to receive these novenas and they’ll be sent right to your inbox in the 9 days leading up to your loved one’s birthday and the anniversary of death.
Catholic Books for those who are Grieving
Recommended Book List
This link will take you to an Amazon list of books recommended by our Catholic Grief Ministry team. Some of these books will directly address grief, others address topics that can be closely associated with grief, such as understanding our interior movements, surrender and abandonment to divine providence, understanding of suffering, and trust in God’s love.
Faith-filled Blog Articles for a Grieving Heart
Lach’s Legacy Blog
These blog articles are written by Brianne Edwards, one of our Diocese of Rapid City grief advocates. Bri writes with vulnerability and gentleness, grounded in her Catholic faith, as she shares her experiences with grief after the unexpected loss of her son.
Also check out these articles written by Bri as guest blogs on other platforms.
Red Bird Ministries Blog
Reading stories or reflections in grief always helps our families to find comfort and see the heart of someone wrestling with grief. Take a look at our blog and dive into helpful content that will truly touch your heart.
Check out this article: My Mission Begins in Heaven
Praying Through Ministries Blog
This is a Christian ministry equipping and emboldening men, women, and children with Biblical support and encouragement as they journey through the difficult seasons of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and Child Loss.
Listen: Playlists of Music and Podcasts
Spotify Music Playlist
This Spotify playlist assembled by our Catholic Grief Ministry team is designed to help you invite God’s grace into your grieving heart and soul.
Making Sense of Suffering Podcasts
In this Spotify playlist of Catholic podcasts, we invite you to take a dive into some beautiful episodes that will help you make sense of suffering, trust God’s goodness, and find purpose in your pain.
YouTube Video Clips
The Mass Unveiled
This is a lovely video reminding us of the invisible realities of the unification of Heaven and Earth during each and every Mass.
The Communion of Saints
A clip from a talk by Fr. John Riccardo about what the Communion of Saints means to those of us who have lost someone we love.
Organizations that Offer Grief Support
Red Bird Ministries
Red Bird Ministries is a Catholic grief support ministry for bereaved parents. They offer a robust collection of resources including retreats, one-on-one comfort calls, spiritual direction, a community app to connect with other bereaved parents, a blog, a podcast, and more…
The Lourdes Center
The Lourdes Center is the grief ministry offered through the Diocese of Sioux Falls. They offer counseling, a variety of grief support groups and retreats, as well as Camp Sydney for grieving children.
Lach’s Legacy
Lach’s Legacy is a nonprofit based out of Rapid City with a mission to provide connection, comfort, and hope to families who have experienced the loss of a child, especially the unexpected loss of an infant.
Widowed Persons Service
This is a grief support group specifically designed to help the widow/widower. Meetings are held monthly, with a speaker or in a discussion group format. They have monthly social activities, offer 8 week grief discussion groups and have outreach volunteers available for one on one visits.
Let others who have walked a similar journey be there to help you, as you work your way through grief to healing
Catholic Grief Counselors in the Diocese of Rapid City
Catholic Social Services
Catholic Social Services has several available counselors. When you call for an appointment, they’ll pair you with the counselor that they believe will be the best fit for you.
Branch and Vine LLC
Jason Stamper is a licensed professional counselor in Rapid City with a particular interest in trauma. He could be a great fit for those experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, or continued effects from their traumatic bereavement.
IDDM by the CatholicPsych Institute
This is a nontraditional form of therapy that is done daily through a messaging app. Mentors are all coming with a Catholic understanding of the human person, and provides a uniquely integrated approach to God’s work of healing.
Faith-filled Quotes of Comfort
Check out this PDF of Catholic Quotes for those who Grieve
Free PDF Downloads to Answer Questions about Grief
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What are typical things I can expect while I’m grieving?
- PDF: What is Grief?
- PDF: Normal Grief Emotions & reactions
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Just when I think I’m feeling better, I’m hit with really hard days again. Is this normal?
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How do I know if I’m experiencing grief, depression, or anxiety?
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Help me to see the beauty that God can create from these ashes.
- PDF: Lessons in Loss
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My baby wasn’t baptized yet. Will my baby go to heaven?
- PDF: Unbaptized Babies
Artwork and Images
Our Lady of the 7 Sorrows, Adriaen Isenbrandt (1520)
The First Mourning (Adam, Eve and Abel), William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1888)
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pasquale Sarullo (1800s)
Mary Lamenting the Dead Christ (Pieta), Giovanni Battista Gaulli (1667)
Agony in the Garden, Frans Schwartz (1898)
Pieta, William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1876)
Let the Children Come to Me, Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein (1800s)
Gethsemene, Carl Bloch (1873)
Pregnancy Loss Resources
- Red Bird Ministries has robust and beautiful resources on miscarriage and pregnancy loss. Click Here to see the Red Bird Ministries resources.
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My baby died before he/she was named. Should I still consider giving him/her a name?
- PDF: Naming your saints
Suicide Loss
- When a Loved One Dies by Suicide
- This film resource is based on the book, When A Loved One Dies By Suicide: Comfort, Hope, and Healing for Grieving Catholics, which was written by and for Catholics who have experienced suicide loss. You will hear from fellow Catholics—both clergy/religious and laity—as they share about their loved ones, their journey with grief, and the comfort and hope they have found in faith, community, and the Church.
- Books (also found on the Recommended Book List above)
Parish Support Groups
- Blessed Sacrament, Rapid City
- Hoping to re-establish a group soon!
- Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, Spearfish
- Seasons of Hope Support Group for the loss of a loved one. Contact the church office for more information 605-642-2306
