Words of Encouragement

from

Rhonda Abrams

Bereavement Coordinator

"All Saints-All Souls Day/Our Great Cloud of Witnesses" and "Children's Grief"

This month I am giving you an encore of some of the message from last year’s October Bereavement Bulletin. I feel strongly about the importance of honoring those who have shaped our lives because of their strong faith and character. I carry with me every day, those who paved the path before me, those who travel with me today, and those destined to follow in my footsteps. They are my “tribe”. They are, as Hebrews 12:1 says, my “great cloud of witnesses” that surround me and cheer me on to the great things God has created me to do in this journey of life.

For those of you carrying the burden of grief, there is a great cloud of witnesses praying for you and cheering you on. We include them in our prayers, and they also pray for our strength, our healing, and our renewed purpose in life. Whether you realize it or not, loved ones, both living and departed, leave you with the “gift” of their love and their spirit. Think about those people in your life and what made them unique and special to you. What aspect of God’s goodness do each of them represent? We thank God for each one of them.

We honor one of our dearest prayer advocates during this month of October, the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary! We celebrate and honor the powerful prayers that she taught us in the Most Holy Rosary, which are very powerful in battling the forces of evil and brokenness in our fallen world. The Rosary prayers also bring us comfort in our sorrows, as we unite ourselves to the font of grace that Mary carries forward to her beloved Son, Jesus. Mary connects us to the heart of Jesus as she prays for us and with us.   

October is also the month that we acknowledge and pray for all who suffer the pain of pregnancy and infant loss. The bulletin this month includes an updated list of local resources available for support for this very delicate type of loss. Red Bird Ministry is a new parish based Catholic-focused grief support ministry for individuals and families living in the wake of the loss of a child from pregnancy through adulthood. Continue to carry forward the story of your baby/child. For ways to do this and to support those grieving, read this helpful article from PALS: Pregnancy, Infant, and Child Loss Awareness Month - Because of You, My Child - Pregnancy After Loss Support

We continue the celebration of our great cloud of witnesses through the month of November with All Saints and All Souls days.  Two of the articles in this month’s bulletin ask you to prepare things now in October to begin the celebrations of All Saints on November 1st. We reflect upon all the ways the saints’ lives touch us and make us better. Even in death, we share in the communion of saints, through Christ, by praying for each other and continuing our bonds of love.  

I pray that this month’s newsletter brings you a wellspring of peace and encouragement. Join us either in-person or virtually, for our free monthly grief support groups. We are here for you and can help you sort through your questions as we walk with you along your grief journey.