Crossroads Conversations

A gentle space for meaningful conversations

Some of life’s most important conversations are the ones we often avoid. Crossroads conversations is a warm and welcoming gathering – an opportunity to come together, share stories and explore thoughts about life, death and dying in a supportive and relaxed environment.

Inspired by the global Death Cafe movement, Crossroads conversations offers a simple but powerful idea – people coming together over coffee and cake to talk openly about death. These conversations are not structured, clinical, or confronting – they are guided gently by the group, with no agenda or expectation. Rather than counselling or therapy, it is a space for connection, reflection and honest dialogue.

Whether you have received a terminal diagnosis, are supporting someone who has, or are navigating grief after losing a loved one, this space is here for you. It is also open to anyone who is seeking to better understand life through conversations about its natural end. You are welcome to share as much or as little as you feel comfortable – listening is just as valued as speaking.

There is something quietly powerful about gathering with others – often strangers – and discovering shared experiences, fears and hopes. These conversations can help reduce the isolation that often surrounds death and grief, and gently remind us to live more fully.

Crossroads conversations is intentionally inclusive and respectful of all faiths, cultures and beliefs. While grounded in the values of CatholicCare, this is not a religious forum or a place of persuasion. People of all backgrounds are warmly welcomed, and every perspective is treated with dignity, openness and care.

Join us for a cup of coffee, a conversation and a moment of connection. Because sometimes, the most meaningful discussions begin at life’s crossroads.

For more information:
P: 1800 324 924
E: info@catholiccaredbb.org.au

The Burrow Cherrybrook

Date: Friday 22 May 2026
Time: 3.00pm – 4.30pm
Location: 132 Shepherds Drive, Cherrybrook
Fee: $10 – $15 contribution to cover refreshments

Join us for a welcoming afternoon at Crossroads Conversations, our first Death Café
experience – an opportunity to pause, reflect, and connect over a cuppa and sweets.

Crossroads Conversations is not a counselling session or support group, rather, it is a safe, respectful space for open discussion. Together, we will explore questions such as “What does
a good death mean to you?” and “What conversations around death do we often avoid”.

There is no pressure to speak, you are welcome to just listen. Participants are invited
to share stories, reflections and questions, with gentle facilitation to ensure the space
remains inclusive and free flowing. You will also hear from our doulas, who will share what draws them to this work and how they support others at life’s crossroads.

Whether you’re navigating loss, supporting someone else, or simply curious to explore
these important conversations, you are welcome to join us.

RSVP via the link below or call 1800 324 924. Spaces are limited.

RSVP HERE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Crossroads Conversations, really?

It’s not a grief group or a therapy session. Crossroads Conversations is simply a space where people gather over a cuppa and cake to talk openly about death. The aim isn’t to arrive at answers, but to get more comfortable with the questions. Think of it less as a seminar and more as a living room conversation we don’t usually allow ourselves to have.

Why would anyone want to talk about death with strangers?

Because strangers can be easier than loved ones. There’s a kind of honesty that emerges when no one expects you to perform a role… no need to be the “strong one,” the “optimist,” or the “fixer.” People come because death is the one certainty we all share, and yet we rarely speak about it plainly. The relief of doing so can be surprisingly profound.

Is it depressing?

Not in the way people fear. Conversations about death often circle back to life – what matters, what doesn’t, what we’re postponing. There’s laughter as often as there are tears.

Do I have to share something personal?

No. You can listen the entire time if you like. But many people find that once the conversation begins, something in them loosens – stories, questions, even half-formed thoughts that have been waiting for a place to land.

Who comes to these things?

Everyone. People who’ve recently lost someone. People who haven’t. The quietly curious. The deeply philosophical. The practical planners. Occasionally someone who just wandered in for the cake and stayed for the conversation.

Do I need to be Catholic to attend?

Not at all. Everyone is welcome. We are a Catholic organisation, guided by Gospel values and Catholic social teaching, but there’s no expectation to share that. You can come as you are – beliefs, doubts, or none at all. The table is open to anyone willing to sit and talk.

What should I expect when I walk in?

A table. Cake and warm drinks. A facilitator who gently opens the space. And then – conversation that unfolds in its own unpredictable way.

Why now? Why are these conversations happening more?

Because people are tired of pretending death isn’t part of life. In a world that often encourages distraction and denial, there’s something grounding about gathering to say: this will happen, to all of us. What do we want to do with that knowledge?