As of March 15, 2011
I cannot tell you how many times I have stood in front of the Pieta here at the Shrine and other places-more than a thousand-and said, "Only you truly understand what this feels like." It was the grace of God and the Holy Spirit that the Friars started this ministry. My prayers are with you. I feel as though all of those children honored today were totally at peace and with us in spirit.
Incredible, just incredible...I am exhausted and teary, but so grateful to have participated in this weekend.... I can't put everything into words right now, but all I can say is that this entire ministry is Spirit-filled and Spirit-inspired.... many lives were touched...beginning with the three of us...
The retreat in March had such a profound impact on me. The love, compassion, and healing I experienced was a true blessing. The retreat was one of the best experiences I ever had and I treasure the memories. God is so awesome. He supplies us with great things and puts wonderful people (like you and the others) in our paths. We all have suffered so much with our losses, yet He provides us with such a wonderful opportunity to share and bond with each other.
I sat in the back of the Church Saturday after 4:00 pm Mass and attended a wedding ( I didn't known the bride or the groom but was able to enjoy it and have a good cry) I am glad I am now able to do that , as for me it is still a way to privately grieve (my son) and "what might have been"; sounds crazy but this is a crazy business... Grieving
Your Pieta Ministry had a profound affect on (my husband). It also helped us heal as a couple ... it really did and continues to help us ...
The weekend we spent with you was life transforming ... it was for (my husband) and I immediately. I would have said I year ago that (we) probably wouldn't still be together ... but we are and things have improved 10000% .. Of course we will never have the life we had when we were a complete family ... we will ache for (our daughter) and carry this cross until we are home ...
You may not fully realize what a wonderful thing it is you are doing to open your home and make a safe place where one can let their guard down, be mad at God, talk incessantly about their child and form a bond with others who have walked in our shoes. I hope you continue this wonderful program and God Bless all the Friars for their friendship, compassion and love.
Once again, we want you all to know that we left this weekend with exactly what we had hoped for - strength, wisdom and just a little more Peace.
Being able to be with others who are suffering the same kind of loss is very comforting in that whatever you say is okay and accepted. As always, bringing all of these emotions to the surface is painful but necessary. The welcome at the friary is so caring and we feel so much at home. The healing service was remarkable and I've never been exposed to anything like that. Coming here is such a blessing and a help to us. Thank you so much for everything!! I just wanted to thank you all for your comfort and sharing this weekend. I came home not with any answers but with the feeling that I am not alone; I share my hurt, pain and love with my special Pieta Family. No one else can understand when I get quiet for no reason and want to be alone, when I do crazy spontaneous things which are out of character for me; when I just go in my car and sobbed until the tears can't flow anymore, when I thrash out in anger at a loved one for no reason at all .................. but you all do!! You get it and it was comforting for me to hear all your stories, all your innermost feelings and I thank you for that. I hope to keep in touch with you all and know that you are all in my heart and thoughts everyday - this is a club no one wants to be in but I am honored to have met you all and thank you for your friendship.
Where can I begin? To say the weekend was amazing both spiritually and physically is an understatement. When I lost my son, I was numb, void of feelings at times, not knowing why I was feeling some of the emotions I was having, mad at God at times, having no patience with those around me who could not possibly understand my pain, etc. This went on for a few years; I tried small groups of people who have had a loss but until I surrounded myself with parents who have suffered the same loss as me and received the spiritual guidance I needed to try and understand and cope, I was floundering.
The Good Friars opened up not only their home but their hearts and soul to us; fed us both physically and spiritually. I didn't want to go home at times; I wanted to stay in the "safe environment". But that isn't the real world, one must go out and continue on and through the prayers and talks and venting with the other parents, I found it is OK to feel like I do at times and I can always email one of them and just "talk"; we are all in a select club, one which no one wants to be in but if we have to be, what better place to be but surrounded by such loving people, both lay and religious.
It's the first time since it happened ... (in 8 years)... that my wife has found any peace at all. Thank you
A truly wonderful experience-no answers as to the "why" this happened and that's ok- so good to be with those "who get it." My faith was dim, but with a little help and this retreat, the light, as with my son's candle, has begun to shine again. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
...I feel so safe here I don't want to leave. But then I realized that it was the spirituality of everything that I have experienced here that has lifted me up. If only I can keep that same spirituality, I will be ok. Losing it keeps me in a dark place. Keeping it helps me get through the day. So I have to keep it.
I again can't thank you enough for the retreat. It was great to be among the walking wounded.
Last weekend's retreat left me with the peace and comfort I needed to face the anniversary of (my son's) death with more love, faith, and hope - and a bit less pain.
Thank you so much for everything you did to make the Pieta retreat a truly life-changing experience! I know that it cannot be easy for you to re-live the pain of your loss over and over again either, and we are extremely grateful for your willingness to reach out to us so generously. As we go through this particularly difficult month, our hearts will be linked to yours... I know for sure that the Lord's hand guided all of this. What a gift!
(My husband) and I wanted you all to know how much this ministry has helped us. It feels sad to say that because of the loss of our children that something good like this comes out of it, but isn't that what we are searching for? Some good or something better than just the grief and loneliness. Some kind of purpose. The candle, the cards, letters, prayers, everything was perfect.
For us, this retreat was transformational. I honestly don't know where we would be without it.
This was a Godsend to us. We have been so isolated in our grief and have not had any help with the spirituality of grieving for our children. We are so grateful for the kindness and compassion shown to us. Please accept our thanks for this ministry;
There are no words to adequately say how much comfort, peace, faith, reassurance and so much more that it (this retreat) brought to me. I do believe now that through (a friend's name) God was inviting me to be a part of this weekend
We come away emotionally and physically exhausted, but with a renewed faith that our children are truly alive and still with us; we come away with HOPE. There is nothing that can totally take our pain away, but somehow sharing with each other does help.
I know for us when we are opening our souls and sharing our grief, it is always best when we are in our homes where we feel safe and not so vulnerable. God's house is the next best place to do so.
We want to thank the Friars for sharing so much of yourselves. Every one of you has made a difference in our grief journey. You have helped us to see what genuine faith in God can do; we see how much you all truly care.
We have all been blessed by your love and compassion. We hope that Pieta will continue to be the balm to our souls that is has been in the past.
