Emotional support – the ‘Surviving Divorce’ initiative

The ‘Surviving Divorce’ initiative is designed to bring healing and renewed hope through a supportive, faith-filled environment. Over the course of  the sessions, participants will be guided through the emotional journey of divorce while discovering God’s love and the possibility of restoration.

Testimony 1: As a born and bred practising Catholic, in 2022, when I was going through my divorce, I was having difficulty even saying the word. No one besides my very close relatives (that I could count on one hand) and very few friends knew what I was going through and I didn’t share this with those in my church community. I kept this closeted as I was still having a hard time believing that I was divorced.

And God saw the desire of my heart so I was so happy that the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) relaunched their ‘Separated, Divorced and Widowed’ retreat led by Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon and, as a bonus, they introduced a 12-step ‘Surviving Divorce’ programme which provided monthly support and created a safe space for persons separated or divorced—this was an answered prayer.

As I attended each session, I got an opportunity to grow closer to God, be a witness to others who shared their stories that sounded very similar to mine, and feel at home in this judgement-free zone. I now had a family that supported me in a way that neither my family, nor my parish community could.

The programme is so well thought out—each session building on the other. The approach used by the facilitators made sure we had time to share in smaller groups which helped me feel safe.

I thank God for this programme as I was able to make peace with this phase of life, and though I continue to heal and grow closer to God, the blessing it has been to me led me to have a strong desire to support the AFLC by becoming a facilitator. I look forward to journeying towards healing, together with you.

Testimony 2: Working with the ‘Surviving Divorce’ programme, with the intentions of being a facilitator and not as someone who needed it was an eye-opener.

My revisiting the wounded areas of my life not only measured my growth, but it also brought to the forefront baggage that I still carried, which was affecting my present in a negative way.

I know I have forgiven and moved on and 40-plus years later, I still feel an ache when I shared on my feelings and loss from my divorce. The programme allowed me to revisit, compare my growth and work on areas that had a blinking red light attached to them, mostly related to anyone whom I suspected was not telling the truth.

Writing my responses to the questions encouraged me to journal and journalling helped me to clean house. I wrote brutally honest because I knew no one would see it and that helped me close some doors gently and move on.

Listening to others share helped me tremendously, just knowing others understood my pain and my loss was comforting. I did not feel so alone anymore. I did not realise how alone I felt all these years, until I listened to these sharings.

The ‘Surviving Divorce’ initiative brought additional healing and hope for a peaceful future, but I know it is ongoing, working on self.

For more information and to register for an upcoming session, please contact us at 299-1047 or via email: aflc.pc@catholictt.org or visit aflcrc.org