Grief on the Road to Emmaus A Monastic Approach to Journeying with the Bereaved

Grief on the Road to Emmaus taps directly into that time-tested approach to seeking God in community to give perspective to ministers of consolation, bereavement facilitators, and anyone who is called upon to accompany people grieving any significant loss;,the hurting and the traumatized, the hopeless and the rudderless.

Beth Hewett explains how core Benedictine values of love, mutuality, hospitality, listening, prayer, humility, action, and community serve as a basis for accompaniment and grief counselling. The book, which includes narratives and limpid explanation of theory as well as simple and effective personal exercises, is a wise and practical guide, which could help anyone working pastorally in roles where listening is important. Directed to the practitioner, the author writes beautifully and honestly of her own experience and self-work with bereavement. Full of insight into the experience of the valley of the shadow of darkness she shows how we can walk gently with suffering and make it a journey of faith, hope and love.

Drawing on her years of experience as a bereavement minister and educator, Beth Hewett offers readers a gentle approach to bereavement ministry that echoes Pope Francis’s call to accompaniment. Her book is both detailed and practical. Indeed, it is a great handbook for anyone involved in this ministry.

Grief and mourning come to everyone. In that sense, grief and mourning are normal. The dominant American culture, which shows a marked aversion to pain, sadness, mourning and loss, can leave those who would offer support to these folks floundering for ways to help. Beth Hewett offers a guide for ministers of consolation, who above all offer a ministry of presence to those struggling with grief and mourning. Using a monastic framework as a platform, she offers paths forward into the liminal space that grief and mourning create, so that through embracing their pain and loss, those who mourn are not only comforted, but also can be transformed. An important guide for anyone seeking to support those facing loss, pain, sorrow, and brokenness.

While coming from an ecumenical viewpoint, Grief on the Road to Emmaus is a valuable guide for any practitioner supporting the bereaved. This book is rich with information about expected grief, is supported by relevant theories and up-to-date research and illustrates how one can compassionately and lovingly companion those who are grieving.

Grief on the Road to Emmaus is a sensitive and practical guide for providers of bereavement support. Through storytelling, knowledge, experience and self-guided activities, Hewett provides the reader with a strong understanding of the multiple aspects of grief work. Regardless of one’s level of experience in the bereavement field, there is much to be gained from Hewett’s unique perspective on how to attend to the needs of those who are grieving.