2101 Lucas and Hunt Road, St. Louis, MO 63121 (314) 385-0841

Cemetery personnel often hear questions being raised by grieving family members who want to know WHY someone was taken from them. This is particularly true when it is a child that has died or when someone meets a sudden or violent death. They often want to know why God would let such a thing happen. On this page, St. Peter's Cemetery would like to identify a few resources for people who have such questions and are struggling for answers about the loss of a loved one. Printed Materials - A large number of authors have written about God's role in the inevitable end of life. While not a comprehensive list of publications, we recommend the following books and pamphlets: Good Grief, By Grainger E. Westberg, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, MN Praying Our Goodbyes, By Sister Joyce Rupp (OSM), Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN Living With Grief After Sudden Loss, Edited by Kenneth Doka, Taylor & Francis Publishers, Bristol, PA Web sites - There are a number of web sites that provide counsel and comfort at the time of a loss. While these sites cannot answer specific questions, we would recommend the following: The Bereaved Parents of the USA is a national non-profit self-help organization that offers support through local chapters and on-line. The Bereavement Journey is site where anyone who has lost a loved one can find support. Support Groups - For some people, the best way to get answers to their questions is to meet others who have recently lost a loved one and to talk it out. Several support groups that are available in the St. Louis area include: Children's Hospital of St. Louis offers the Family Grief Support Program. This is a support group for children, adolescents, and parents dealing with the loss of a loved one. The Sunsets Group is for children ages 4-12. The Stages Group is for young adults ages 13-18. In the Parents Group, the parents of children in Sunsets or Stages share their loss and learn from each other about how to handle a child who is experiencing grief. Call (314) 997-5057 or 996-5105 for information. The SSM DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton offers a grief and loss support program through their Pastoral Care office. Call (314) 344-7356 for further information. St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur has the Mercy Friends Grief Support Group for anyone who has experienced a significant loss. Call (314) 569-6470 for information. The medical center also offers Mercy HeartPrints, a ministry that helps families who have lost an infant. Their information number is (314) 569-6878. Both the Mercy Health System and the Greater St. Louis Hospice Organization provide listings of local support groups in the city of St. Louis and surrounding counties. Pastoral Contact - Most families that come to the cemetery for a funeral already have a pastor or other religious adviser to counsel them. In such cases, we strongly encourage the open and frank discussion of the family's questions with that spiritual leader. For those occasions when there is no pastor or when someone seeks alternative counsel, the pastor of St. Peter's United Church of Christ (the congregation that operates St. Peter's Cemetery) is willing to meet and try to answer their spiritual questions. Contact with the pastor can be make through the Cemetery Office, the Church Office (314-521-5694), or by E-mailing him at pastor@stpeterschurch.org