Some years ago I suffered a major loss in my life. It left me feeling totally alone, lost , and with no sense of belonging. I eventually found the support that I needed and I became very involved in an organisation called Beginning Experience for many years. It gave my life a whole new purpose and meaning. When it was time for me to move on, I decided to set up a bereavement group in my own parish, and I was involved with this group for a long time. It was a very rewarding experience, and such a privilege that people allowed me in to their personal grief. All this changed my life in a way that I never expected, and I often wonder how different my life would be had I not experienced my significant loss.
And now years later, while I still feel called to work with those bereaved, I was rather surprised and humbled when my parish priest approached me to become involved in a funeral team that he was planning to set up in our parish.