Seasons of Hope is a unique grief support program for Catholics that focuses on the spiritual side of grieving the death of a loved one. It invites those who mourn to accompany one another and to meet Christ through scripture, prayer, reflection, and simple activities that offer comfort and help to foster healing and spiritual growth. The updated Seasons of Hope Leader's Guide and four journals can be used by a parish grief ministry. Individuals are also able to use the journals for personal reflection and prayer. You can start with any of the four journals, each of which covers a standalone "season" of six sessions that each have their own theme rooted in a passage from scripture.
The Seasons of Hope program was created by author M. Donna MacLeod following the death of her daughter and has been used in thousands of parishes by tens of thousands of people since its original release in 2007. Updates to the new edition of the Leader's Guide include:
a new introduction; a new chapter about offering group sessions online; revised content and activities that meet the challenges and needs of the contemporary Church and culture; an updated resource list; access to online facilitator training materials; and information about caring for those living grief from losses such as suicide, overdose, miscarriage and other child loss, natural disasters, or homicide.
The Leader's Guide continues to include FAQs about creating and sustaining successful grief ministries in your parish. It also provides outlines and scripts for the six group sessions of each season. Those sessions include scripture, prayer, reflection, activities, and faith sharing. The Seasons of Hope Journals, which are perfect for individual and group use, have been revised with a new introduction and updated resource listings. The journals also include Bible references, reflections, prayers, and space for writing.
