Grief and Mourning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Psychological and Pastoral Perspective

Krzysztof Trębski

Published: 2021-12-301

Vol. 20 (2021)

Grief and Mourning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Psychological and Pastoral Perspective

Krzysztof Trębski

Abstract

This article considers the difficulties associated with grief, mourning, and healing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current pandemic has affected the way individuals overcome grief, since the bereaved must grieve without the usual social, cultural, and religious supports. Due to the ban on visiting the sick in hospitals as well as gathering and mourning in funeral homes, many people are experiencing pathological grief. This article indicates the importance of pastorally accompanying people who are going through the complicated process of mourning,1 and it emphasizes that, through spiritual help and psychological accompaniment, this period can lead to healing that results in posttraumatic adaptation (resilience) and inner development.

Keywords:

grief and mourning, COVID-19 pandemic, psychological aspects, pastoral accompaniment

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Trębski, K. (2021). Grief and Mourning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Psychological and Pastoral Perspective. Rocznik Teologii Katolickiej, 20, 163–176. Retrieved from https://rtk.uwb.edu.pl/index.php/rtk/article/view/11

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Krzysztof Trębski

kris.treb@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0115-5787

Affiliation:

University of Trnava Slovakia

Bio Statement (e.g., department and rank)

REV. KRZYSZTOF TRĘBSKI, MI, PhD, is a priest of the Order of St. Camillus and an assistant professor in the Department of Family Studies of the Faculty of Theology of Trnava University in Slovakia. He is a member of the Italian Society for Theological Research (SIRT), the European Society for Catholic Theology (ESCT), and the Polish Theological Soci- ety. His research interests focus mainly on pastoral theology, the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, bioethics, and counseling in a pastoral context. He has published twelve scholarly monographs and numerous articles in Polish and foreign journals.

ORCID 0000-0003-0115-5787