Pastoral Care Ministry
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”
(Matthew 11:28)
An integral part of the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship, the Pastoral Care Ministry serves the Archdiocese of Atlanta by providing training, resources, and fellowship to each member of the Body of Christ when they are hurting, in need of healing, and seeking support.
Through your generous giving to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, the Pastoral Care Ministry is there when individuals are in the midst of hardship. It assists in building and supporting bereavement and widowed ministries for local parishes, supports those facing the sorrow of miscarriage through Carried with Love, and provides regular meetings and retreats for those who are divorced or separated as well as children of divorce.
The Pastoral Care Ministry aids in outreach initiatives and collaborates with parish leadership so they can support those entrusted to their care. Through Springs of Love, it assists Catholics called to foster and adopt. With Military Caring Parishes, it advocates for active military, veterans, and their families. Those who experience same-sex attraction or sexual identity incongruence gain guidance and support through Courage and Eden Invitation retreats and meetings. These are just a few of the many initiatives the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship provides through the Pastoral Care Ministry.
Making an Impact
Thanks to the Pastoral Care Ministry, parishes can benefit from free online bereavement training. In collaboration with the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, the ministry updated and relaunched “Accompanying Those Who Mourn” to ensure parish and Catholic community leaders are equipped to understand grief and accompany someone in their sorrow.
With the annual Safe Haven Sunday, the ministry addresses the harmfulness of pornography and provides resources to families so they can become proactive in protecting children and confident in discussing the impact of pornography on marriages, families, and society as a whole.
“People come to the Church when they’re hurting and broken, and the Church responds to those needs. If there’s a wound or hurt that needs to be addressed and healed, Pastoral Care responds.”
Experience the Ministry
How You Can Help
Give to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal to help the Pastoral Care Ministry provide hope and healing through programs like Life Giving Wounds.
Life Giving Wounds is a Catholic, peer-led ministry that helps young adults and adults with divorced and separated parents give voice to their pain and find deep spiritual healing. Active in the Archdiocese of Atlanta for over four years, an annual retreat takes place during the season of Lent. Over 60 participants have been impacted, and Pastoral Care Ministry is now offering weekly small-group meetings to continue to provide regular guidance and fellowship for those on this journey of healing.
Testimonials
"This retreat helped me understand the reality of my parents' divorce and its effect on me. My weekend journey was enlightening and deeply spiritual. I see, now, that Jesus has always been with me and I am leaving with hope and a go-forward plan."
"The retreat weekend was beyond words. It met me where I was and took me miles from there on the path to healing. I truly believe it saved me years of healing on my own. I would enthusiastically recommend the retreat to others. My faith and understanding of Catholicism has greatly deepened."
Learn more about the Pastoral Care Ministry here.
Participate in the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal to offer your support: