Thanatophobia is an extreme fear of death and the dying process. According to the Cleveland Clinic, an Ohio nonprofit academic medical center, it is thought that between 3% and 10% of people experience an above average fear response in relation to death and dying. 

To help parishioners address this fear and relieve anxiety, St. Martin de Porres Church in Columbia hosted an End-of-Life Workshop on Juneteenth to bring understanding and peace of mind about death and dying. The two-day workshop included experts in different fields who addressed Catholic teaching on end-of-life care, wills, trusts, probate and funeral planning.

Juneteenth, a federal holiday since 2021, is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. It specifically marks June 19, 1865, the date when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, effectively ending slavery in the state. The day is a celebration of Black history, culture and resilience; it honors the struggles and triumphs of African Americans. The holiday is also an opportunity to promote Black culture and knowledge and show solidarity to support Black communities. It was an ideal time to share valuable information to Black Catholics and bring faith-based understanding to an often difficult topic.

The parish invited experts from various areas during Juneteenth to address people and provide access to important end of life information. Long-time parishioners Christie and Ross McClary, of McClary Funeral Home, and Yvonne Murray-Boyles, of the Law Office of Yvonne Murray-Boyles, shared their immense knowledge on preparation.

“It is never too early to begin planning,” said Christie McClary, “and it can be such a gift to your family.”

Murray-Boyles discussed wills and power of attorneys.

“When choosing someone to manage things when you’re incapacitated, choose someone you trust, and that may not be your first born or a family member,” she said.  Murray-Boyles suffered a stroke in the courtroom in 2017 and had a long recovery. “You never know when the worst can happen.”

The parish also received amazing community support from Associate Probate Judge Alexander S. Imgrund of the Richland County Probate Court; Israel Stone, Jr., attorney of the Law Office of Israel Stone, Jr., LLC; and representatives from Leevy’s Funeral Home and Bostick Tompkins Funeral Home. The Department of the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Fort Jackson provided materials for veterans in the parish community.

“A will usually makes the probate process easier,” said Imgrund. “But it can be made very difficult if there’s no will, and families do not always get along.”

Staff from the Diocese of Charleston also provide invaluable support. Kathy Schmugge, director of the Office Family Life, kicked off the workshop with a presentation and booklet called We are the Lord’s. She shared amazing stories and practical scenarios to teach what the Catholic Church says about end-of-life care.

“To die well, one must begin by living well,” she said. “Is there anything keeping us from God?”

Other diocesan offices also provided support, including the Office of Stewardship & Mission Advancement that sent Catholic estate and personal planning workbooks. The Office of Catholic Cemeteries shared information about making a choice of final resting places.

“We hope that members will consider their parish when they are doing their estate planning,” said Timothy Dockery, secretary for Stewardship & Mission Advancement.

Father Michael Okere, pastor of St. Martin de Porres, said the parish is indebted to those who presented on these important topics.

These are the “type of things you don’t want to think about, but need to,” parishioner Johnathan Kirkwood said. “This provided lots of great information, we don’t know what we don’t know. I’m grateful my parish decided to do this for its members.”