Thank you for your care of loss families. We are praying for you and your work.
Here are some resources that you may find useful as you minister to those experiencing perinatal loss:
A resource list of websites, books, and organizations that you and your patients may find useful.
Sacraments information: if you believe a child might be alive but is dying, you can baptize them. In the Roman Catholic Church, if a child survives long enough, baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist are all sacraments that can be potentially administered by the proper minister. Remember, in any situation of death, anyone who intends what the Church intends can baptize.
Remains information: we encourage you to provide any remains to the family whenever possible, even if they are not identifiable (for example, if baby is so young that their body is unrecognizable). It can be helpful to provide information of funeral homes near you that will assist families in finding a burial place for their little one’s body.
Rituals information: policies vary by diocese regarding what rituals are available to Catholic loss families in terms of funerals or burials in Catholic cemeteries (see Dr. Jorgensen’s research project on this topic here). In any situation of perinatal loss, and at any point after the loss, families can participate in the Rite of Naming and Commendation of a Child who Dies before Birth. This Rite need not be led by an ordained minister and need not take place in a church building. We highly recommend the Rite as a very accessible ritual the Church can offer all loss families.
A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss is a book written by Dr. Jorgensen primarily for families. Each chapter also includes a section for support people, such as yourself.
The Haven Bereavement Doulas website has many more resources, such as blog posts with ideas for burial vessels and trainings for NFP instructors.