The Healing Journey

August 27, 2024

Six years ago, when Nancy Mecca’s beloved husband Nick of more than 30 years died, she was so overwhelmed with grief, she didn’t think she could go on. Her world was turned upside down and nothing seemed to make sense.

“I signed up for the New Day bereavement program, and I can’t believe the difference it has made,” she said. “After such a life-changing loss, I never imagined that one day I could feel joy or happiness again.”

As she looks back and reads what she wrote during the program, she realizes now that much healing has taken place. “I tell my friends who have just lost their husbands, ‘You may think you can’t even mention your husband’s name without being overcome by emotion, but this program will really help you,” she said.

Carolyn Killian, Director of Bereavement of Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese of Bridgeport, said, “New Day is so effective because it addresses the practical, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of grief.” Some examples are:

Practical: How am I going to do everything my spouse, parent, brother and sister or friend used to do? Who’s going to host Thanksgiving dinner?

Physical: Is my trouble sleeping due to grief? Is my recent medical issue somehow connected? Why can’t I focus anymore? Am I going into early dementia?

Emotional: Am I going to burst into tears like this forever?

Spiritual: How could God let this happen to me? I always went to church every Sunday; why did my husband die?

Killian said New Day has distinguished itself for decades as a highly successful faith-based, small-group support program, which provides a structured pathway so people can have an opportunity “to find a place of healing and feelings of peace and comfort.”

“We have seen young people and old people in deep grief,” Killian said. “We’ve seen many, many parents who have lost children. There are so many people struggling to figure out how to go forward with incredible loss, and this offers a way to see where God is on their grief journey.”

The 9-week bereavement programs are offered by Catholic Cemeteries. For further information, visit ctcemeteries.org/newday or call Killian at (203) 404-0023.

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