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Next chapter celebrates 15th anniversary as diocesan ministry to divorced and separated

   Fifteen years ago two divorced women in St. Luke Parish in Belleville, Betty Seymore and Pat Bruss, participants in the diocesan Ministry Formation Program, approached Sister Grace Marie Mueller, SSND then parish pastoral associate. “Is there anything in the Church that would guide us through the aftermath of divorce that would nourish us spiritually and integrate us into the life of the Church?” they asked.

Betty and Pat had heard that Sister Grace had been involved in the development of the ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, hence the question.

Knowing the great need, Sister Grace approached Irene Dill, director of Pastoral Services in the diocese, Irene agreed that the divorced are a vital but often abandoned segment in the Church.
She suggested an informal meeting of the four which led to monthly Saturday afternoon sessions at the Pastoral Center. A basic guide was chosen — the book “Rebuilding” by Bruce Fisher — which provided the format for the sessions. Each meeting began and ended with prayer while the topic of one of the book’s chapters brought out personal life stories that were shared.

Early on, a core group of dedicated members was formed for ongoing planning. This group has rotated over the years from past to present members, all sharing the ownership and responsibility of the meetings and the privilege of serving and giving back.

Tom Smith, who followed Irene Dill, became the diocesan contact person for the ministry.
Through the years the gathering space for Next Chapter evolved with the weekly meetings moved to the Pastoral Center.

In the beginning, Sister Grace attended a ministry training led by Father Jim Young, Paulist priest, the founder of the ministry from the Paulist Center in Boston.

From those beginnings the yearly conference eventually moved to Notre Dame University and each summer since 1994 several Next Chapter members attended the North American Conference of Separated and Divorced Catholics (now known as Catholic Divorce Ministry).

Much growth and development has taken place in the group itself and especially in the lives of the participants, as was shared in an informal gathering of present and past participants Nov. 25 at a 15-year reunion at the Pastoral Center.

Past members reflected on their initial apprehensions about coming to a meeting the first time. Many were surprised to hear laughter coming from the meeting room. “Surely these could not be divorced people!”

No one ever wanted to be part of such a group, but they found there was a way through the pain and the hurt to a better place. Several said the group was life-saving during the lowest time of their lives.

The on-going development has happened through many facets of the ministry: a speaker series, the newsletter, Steps to Wholeness workshops, fund raisers, such as the yearly golf scrabble, presentations on the annulment process, Lenten Masses at parishes, a book club studying growth and spiritual literature, and social activities, including a monthly night out at a local restaurant.

The basic purpose and foundation of the ministry is the personal and spiritual growth of the participants so that as life evolves they are empowered to be their own person with an enriched faith life which will assist in preserving and developing relationships with family, friends and members of Next Chapter.
Everything points to bringing them to be an integral part of the church and of the faith communities in which they participate.