"This book is a resource for reflection for those in ministries of
caregiving or bereavement. It is an excellent tool for training new
ministers of care or bereavement. While dealing with grief that comes from sickness, suffering
and death, the book also reviews the many forms of loss that people deal with throughout life.
Relational loss comes from changes in significant relationships or opportunities to be
with these people. Functional loss involves changes in bodily functions or adjustments in
independence. Structural loss comes when a person loses a part of their body or the function
of a part of the body. Systemic loss is experienced when children leave the home or when
a friend leaves the priesthood. These are but a few of the losses experienced in life; each has
its own unique effect on the person. The grief model includes the phases of initial awareness,
an awareness of the extent of the loss, gaining perspective, resolving loss, reformulating loss
and transforming loss. How a person reacts to loss and how people experience the phases varies.
A caregiver will respect how the person chooses to work through grief, while providing supportive
assistance to prevent the lingering effects of unhealthy responses. The book offers several
reflective exercises that allow ministers to recognize their own patterns of response to loss as
they assist others." --Rev. Henry Mancuso in The
Priest, May, 2000
"More books are appearing on grief every day, including books that deal with grief in the
context of spirituality. Yet, here at Spiritual Book Associates, we have seen nothing
like this new title from Alba House. Written especially for those involved in grief ministry,
Dealing with Grief offers an incredible range of resources, from descriptions of the
various 'stages' of aspects of grief, to theological resources for grief ministry, to very
practical evaluations and exercises for pastoral ministers. Readers will also note with gratitude
an excellent annotated bibliography. There is a basic philosophy at work here. Roussell puts it
this way: "By accepting our own human vulnerabilities, we are able to enter into the struggles
of others." Roussell goes the extra step, though, to work out what that principle means in
the nuts and bolts of grief ministry. If grief ministry is an area you care about or bear
responsibility for, this is a book you should read." --Spiritual Book News,
a publication of Spiritual Book Associates, December 1999
"Beginning with an overview of the grief process and the nature of bereavement ministry, the
author helps us understand what a person's experience of loss might be. He discusses triggers of
anxiety and sadness as well as ways of finding new life and new meaning. The roles that theology
and Scripture play in nurturing hope and understanding faith are also pursued. The appendix
includes pastoral resources for self-evaluation in the areas of empathy, respect, genuinesss and
warmth. Caregiver resources, a bibliography that lists both pastoral and grief literature complete
the book. The affirmation and education offered to the person walking the journey with someone
in grief make this a valuable resource." --Miriam J. Gallagher, RSM in
Ministry & Liturgy, May 2000
"Following a holistic model of human life, Roussell believes that good medical and pastoral
care must address mind, body, spirit, and relationships. From the Christian point of view, the
doctrine of the incarnation is the basis both for a creative theology of suffering and the
spiritual transformation of caregivers and their patients. Jesus Christ shares in our pain and
the pain of our patients and invites us to transformation even in the context of death. In order
to be effective in bereavement ministry, caregivers must be aware of their own experiences of
mortality, suffering and pain. In so doing, they identify with the pain of the universe and their
own connectedness as fellow sufferers with their patients. Openness to God's own suffering
presence in her or his own suffering enables the caregiver to become a channel of divine healing.
The unique aspect of Roussell's book is his emphasis on the spirituality of the caregiver which
is often lost in our attempts to be objective and professional.... Roussell's book is an excellent
contribution to the growing literature on bereavement ministry. Its strength and attraction is
its holistic approach to the well-being of every participant in the healing circle. Roussell
effectively combines narrative with theological reflection, using his own experience and the
experiences of his patients as a means of understanding the significance of spiritual healing for
care giver and patient alike. Hospital chaplains, priests and ministers, parish nurses, and lay
ministers will benefit from encountering this slender text." --Bruce G.
Epperly, Georgetown University in New Theology Review,
August 2000
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Dr. Jeroid (Jerry) O'Neil Roussell, Jr., a certified
chaplain, teacher, consultant and ministerial advisor, is Coordinator of Pastoral Care at
St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon. A brilliant speaker, he holds a Doctorate in
Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary as well as a BA in Humanities and a Masters
of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. His talents as as teacher give life and
depth to his pioneering programs in Pastoral Ministries at Loyola Marymount University, Los
Angeles and Marylhurst College, Oregon.