I found this post this morning browsing through facebook. I think this is something that we can all grow from as we all go through moments of “GRIEF”.
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Good Grief: A Meditation of How Grief can be a Gift in Strange Package
As a priest I walk with a lot of people in their grief. It’s a regular part of priesthood. I remember back in 2007 how tough it was for me:
- The Deacon of my parish, Nerus, like a father to me, died after a long battle with cancer. His final words to me were, “I’m not so good right now, but I’ll be better soon.”
- My administrative and pastoral assistant, Catherine, like a mother to me, developed a rapid form of Alzheimer’s and within that year went from being at the top of her game to no longer recognizing anyone, within a year she was gone.
- My Parish bookkeeper, Shirley, also like a mother or an aunt, died suddenly.
- I was transferred from a parish I loved. This too was like a death, death by a thousand cuts.
- My father died shortly thereafter, after a long illness.
- A new parishioner lost her 4 year old nephew when, climbing on a dresser, it fell over on him and he was killed
- Another parishioner lost her 25 year old son, know well to us all, when he was shot to death.
All in a year. I remember telling God it was too much. And though I got no answer, I haven’t had a year like that since. (story continued here)
The Apostolate of Hannah's Tears 