Remembering Our Babies

Last night there was a special and touching 

prayer service hosted by the Elizabeth Ministry.

People gathered to remember the ones they lost.

From the Easter candle, families lit candles to remember the child(ren) they lost. As part of the service, open to anyone from the community or diocese, each child was remembered by name.

Human Life is Precious

Anyone looking at a portrait of our family would count nine children.

But that picture wouldn't tell the whole story of our family. Two children are missing.

We have no images of those children, who were miscarried in early pregnancy. We never really got to know them, even knowing if they were boys or girls, or one of each.

Yet they existed -- and still exist.

If they were here with us now they would be in college, or at least be college-aged. Long ago I gave them names to help me pray for them and with them: Stephen Michael and Anne Marie.

They were sandwiched into the middle of our family, so their absence creates a four-year gap between our older set of four children and a younger set of five. I'm grateful to the Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha for those five younger children. Doctors there figured out why I had miscarriages and found a simple solution, injections of the hormone progesterone.

I'm also grateful that the doctors intervened when they did. Apparently conventional medicine didn't deem miscarriages worth investigating until a woman had three. We weren't willing to wait for another baby to die. But how I wish we figured out the problem earlier.

The image above, or at least one similar to it, has given me great comfort, particularly because the angel is holding two babies.

A magnet we used to have on our refrigerator also comforted me. The magnet contained a quote from St. John Paul II: "Human life is precious because it is the gift of a God whose love is infinite; and when God gives life, it is forever."

The great pope settled my concerns about why God even bothers to create earthly lives destined to be so short. Our Lord has a higher purpose and plans for those tiny children -- though while we are still on Earth we may never fully grasp His designs. He lovingly created our little ones, and they rest surrounded in His love.

Over the centuries, church scholars have discussed what happens to babies who die before they have a chance to be baptized. I am no longer concerned with that question after a wise person recommended simply entrusting those children to God's mercy. Ultimately, I couldn't think of a better place for them.

"Is there anyone among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish?
"If you, then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" -- Matthew 7:9-11

Sometimes when I pray, I imagine Jesus holding my babies. I ask Him to kiss them for me. And I ask them to kiss His Holy Face for me. Pray for our family, I ask the children, so that some day all of us can join you in God's presence.

I encourage anyone who has undergone the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death to attend an Oct. 14 prayer service hosted by the Elizabeth Ministry and led by Father Reeson. The 7 p.m. service will honor and remember our babies and offer support to those who mourn their deaths.

Let us entrust our little ones to the Lord and find our solace in Him.

Stephen Michael and Anne Marie -- and all of your little friends --  pray for us!

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Prayer Service & Open House

Yesterday our school families gathered for a prayer service and open house.

Then families headed to the school ...

 ... bringing their supplies.

Students found their rooms, discovered their teachers and learned who else is in their classroom.

In a few classes, they 

began their homework.

There was even ice cream.

By the end of the night, there

 were a lot of supplies left behind.

Prayer Service Tonight

Jean Lahrs is suffering from a serious liver condition and needs our prayers.  Our parish community will gather to pray...........

Prayer Service for Jean Lahrs

Thursday, September 18

6:30 pm

St. Columbkille Worship Space

Please join us as we lift Jean and her family in prayer. 

A Quick Two Weeks

 For the last time this summer, Religious Formation students gathered in the courtyard to prepare for classes.

 The summer session ended with a 

Prayer  Service led by Deacon Thome.

Then it was time for Ice Cream and 

look back on a quick two weeks.

What did you do?

"Grandma, when you were little, did you own slaves?"
"No! why are you asking such a silly question?"
"In school they said that some people used to make other people be their slave."
"Yes that happened, but it was a long time ago. It stopped over 100 years before I was born."
"Why did they do that?"
"Because people didn't love one another enough."
"When you were little did you send Jews to die in the hollow cast?"
"It's the holocaust, and no, I wasn't born then either. But it was when some people in Germany didn't show enough love towards people because they were Jewish."
"When you were little, would people kill babies before they were born?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so. That was called abortion and it used to be legal. I was older than you are when it stopped."
"Why did people do that?"
"Because they didn't love enough. It was hard to imagine when I was little, but it's wonderful that today abortion is looked upon as negatively as slavery or the holocaust."
"Did you help stop abortion? What did you do?"

We look forward and long for a day when abortion is universally decried as wrong. Tomorrow night you have a chance to work towards that future.

Adoration for Life Service

St. Columbkille Parish

Wednesday, December 11th

6 to 7:30 p.m.

(following the 5:30 Mass)

After the Loss of a Child

The Elizabeth Ministry sponsored a Prayer Service to remember babies lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death and offer support to those who have suffered the loss of a child.

As part of the service, candles distributed to the attendees were lit through fire from the Easter Candle.

A poignant moment in the service when each of the families called out the name of the baby or babies they had lost.

In November we have remembered those who have died. Now we also think of those who have lost a relative as the holidays arrive.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. The Elizabeth Ministry will host a prayer service (led by Father Damian) on Monday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m.

We will remember babies lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death and offer support to those who have suffered the loss of a child.

This service is open to everyone, not just parishioners, not just Catholics, not just residents of Sarpy County. For more information, call Bridget Huggins at 402-541-3090 or email (bridget.em@cox.net).

The Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement designed to support women in the joys, trials, and sorrows of childbearing. Our mission is to cherish children, encourage families, and build communities. We are women from the faith community who are willing to share their experience, presence, and story in the hope of encouraging other women.