March 15, 2025

Elms College hosts symposium on ‘finding hope’ in grief

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Carolee McGrath

Elms College President Harry Dumay, Ph. D., addresses the crowd gathered for the “Finding Hope in the Midst of Grief,” symposium, held Saturday, March 8, at the Mary Dooley Center on campus.

CHICOPEE – More than 50 people gathered at the Mary Dooley Center at Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee Saturday, March 8, for a symposium entitled “Finding Hope in the Midst of Grief.” This is the third annual symposium Elms College has hosted to address mental health.

The speakers included David Arfa, the Bereavement Coordinator for Baystate Hospice and Rev. Ute Schmidt, the director of spiritual services at Baystate Health.

“Our grief is part of our life, but never all of our life. We assume it’s total. Even someone overwhelmed in the early grief, if they look at their day, there are time when it is more intense and less intense,” said Arfa, who is also an interfaith chaplain.

Both speakers guided nursing students and clergy on how to walk with people experiencing grief.

“We are going to talk about grief as a normal reaction in our human lives and we’ll talk about how we can support one another through grief, acknowledging, recognizing, accepting, finding support in community and within our respected spiritual traditions,” said Rev. Schmidt.

Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne, who opened with prayer, shared his experience as a pastor.

“When I was a pastor at a parish I started a support group for parents that had lost a child. No deeper sadness than that for a parent. Most losses we can imagine, but a parent losing a child, there is no space for it,’ he said. “So the opportunity for people to be with each other was such an incredible grace. Where two or three are gathered, there is the Lord. This symposium today is working with people who will walk with those in grief.”

The event was sponsored by the Diocese of Springfield and the Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies at Elms College. Support also was provided by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Mary Parish in Hampden.

A video version of this story will be featured on Saturday’s edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22 News.