Grasping the Meaning of Death: some pastoral notes

Abstract

Although frequently hidden and forgotten by our society, death is a reality that every one of us, sooner or later, will have to confront. Many deaths are experienced as an abysmal question and provoke great distress and enormous stupefaction. For other people, especially some believers, death becomes a religious experience of perceiving God and grasping the meaning of life. This article first describes some features of the actual experience of death, continues with some theological reflections, and, thirdly, offers useful pastoral guidelines in connection to its main issues.