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Coping with Death

A Time of Grief—Short Prayers for Your Healing

By Peggy Ekerdt A few weeks after the sudden death of my brother-in-law, I spent the day with his 6-year-old son. As I tucked Carl into bed that evening, it was all I could do to pull up the covers and kiss him good night. Not able to trust myself to speak, let alone pray, I fled the room before he could see my

29May

Finding Ways to Celebrate Special Days After Loss

My mother died one warm September evening nearly 20 years ago, and I remember well the first holiday season that followed—the sense that someone was missing from the table, that something was wrong with all the rejoicing, that everything had changed forever—and not in a good way. With time, I came to adjust to the

05Nov

Grief, Memories and Annual Reminders

Excerpt from “Getting Through the Annual Reminders of Your Loss” from CareNotes. Memory writes on every page of the calendar – her a birthday, there a holiday, further on a wedding date. In the wake of death, those precious days bear a bittersweet tinge, a pang that celebrations they mark will never be

27Jan

Serious Illness in the Family

Whoever the patient is, whatever the condition, serious illness deeply affects the whole family. Adults struggle to keep the family functioning amid the physical stress of home care or hospital visits and the emotional stress of medical dilemmas and worry. Kids are upset both by the threat to the loved one and the

21Sep

Dealing With Family Conflict as a Loved One is Dying

Even though the steps through grief can be similar, the way each family member moves through the process is unique. Such differences may produce antagonism between and among family members. While some conflict in the family at this difficult and emotional time may be inevitable, working through these difficulties

14Sep

Turning to God in Times of Grief

The Catholic funeral can be a rich source of God’s comfort Throughout the liturgy, you hear God’s caring, consoling promises to you. There is the promise of God’s comfort, heard in many of the prayers and in the readings. Finally, there is the promise of eternal life, repeated many times throughout the funeral

24Aug

When a Grandparent Dies

A grandparent’s death is a heavy loss for a child. These two generations often share a special closeness—a pure-love relationship uncomplicated by the power and independence issues that cause friction between child and parent. A grandparent can be a safe and nurturing lap, an indulgent babysitter, a rapt audience,

15Oct

Handling the Heartbreak When a Baby Dies

These are the voices of parents of some of the many thousands of children who are stillborn, who die as newborns, or who succumb to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome each year. These tragic deaths leave parents with shattered dreams, empty arms, disbelief, and deep pain. They are left with many difficult decisions and

16Apr

Dealing With All the “Stuff” After a Loved One Dies

Sorting through the belongings of a loved one can bring up many issues: pain of past hurts, sadness of hopes unrealized, anger over decisions made about an inheritance or a cherished item. Dealing with the stuff becomes a responsibility for someone after each person dies. Perhaps in this case, that person

18Feb

A Lenten Journey Through Grief

If there ever was a season designed to help us move through grief after a loved one’s death, that season would be Lent. Just like the stages of grief we all must go through, Lent involves a series of passages: from darkness to light, loss to gain, fear to trust, sorrow to joy, and ultimately, from death to life.

Coping with Death

A Time of Grief—Short Prayers for Your Healing

Finding Ways to Celebrate Special Days After Loss

Grief, Memories and Annual Reminders

Serious Illness in the Family

Dealing With Family Conflict as a Loved One is Dying

Turning to God in Times of Grief

When a Grandparent Dies

Handling the Heartbreak When a Baby Dies

Dealing With All the “Stuff” After a Loved One Dies

A Lenten Journey Through Grief

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