Pregnancy and Infant Loss

Usually when we grieve due to the loss of a loved one, we grieve the loss of someone we knew for many years, someone we have talked to and shared many memories with.  We miss something, or rather someone, who was there with us for many years.  But for those who lose their own children through miscarriage, still birth, ectopic pregnancy, infant death, or SIDS “You have to deal with the loss of your hopes and dreams, ” as one woman who experienced infant loss wrote. It is hard enough to grieve for something/someone that we had and then now miss.  It is even harder though to grieve over something that we’ve always wanted but never had, or better put, had always wanted to love but which was only here with us for a brief while. 

Last Wednesday evening we celebrated a Mass to offer prayers for those little members of our community who went to God too soon, and to try to comfort one another in the midst of loss.

The children who have gone to God were represented during Mass in the sanctuary by lit candles. 

I could almost feel the presence of the children there at the Mass as I looked at the candles.  One could almost sense that they were there praying with us.

During the Mass, mothers went up and lit a candle. Some lit two, three, four. 

Dr. Shaddy played profound, healing music.

I thank parishioner Carol Moscarello, the head of our Elizabeth Ministry, for coordinating the event.   Please contact Carol at 732-691-6001 or Moscarellocarol@yahoo.com if you would like to join the Elizabeth Ministry here at St. Gregory’s and offer help and support to families with unborn and newborn children.  Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement offering encouragement, hope and healing to people in the areas of childbearing, sexuality and relationships.  The ministry is based on the visitation story of Mary and Elizabeth in the Gospel of St. Luke.