Pope Francis lends encouragement and support to parents who have lost children

 

Bereaved parents from Verona's "Talità Kum" associazione  (Vatican Media)

POPE

• POPE FRANCIS
• GENERAL AUDIENCE
• DEATH
• PRAYER

Pope encourages bereaved parents to find comfort in prayer

Pope Francis offers words of closeness and comfort to a group of parents who are mourning the loss of a child and suggests prayer can bring solace to the heart.

By Linda Bordoni

Acknowledging the pain of the ‘Talita Kum’ group of bereaved parents, Pope Francis on Saturday morning said "The first thing I want to do is to look at you, welcome your stories marked by pain with open arms, and offer a caress to your heart, broken and pierced like that of Jesus on the cross.”

Apologizing for his difficulties in speaking due to a cold he has been battling for the past week, the Pope’s address to the group was read by his collaborator, Monsignor Filippo Ciampanelli.

"The loss of a child is an experience that defies theoretical descriptions and rejects the triviality of religious or sentimental words, of sterile encouragements or phrases of circumstance, which, while intending to console, end up hurting, even more, those who, like you, face a tough internal battle every day," he said.

The inadequacy of words

And emphasizing the inadequacy of mere words in the face of such profound loss, the Pope called for a deeper, more compassionate response to those who grapple with the daily challenges of mourning a child.

"Pain, especially when it is so deep and devoid of explanations, needs to cling to the thread of a prayer that cries out to God, day and night, (…) not attempting to resolve the drama but, to dwell on questions that always return."

Reiterating the importance of prayer as a constant companion in the grieving process, the Holy Father said “There is nothing worse than silencing pain, putting a silencer on suffering, removing traumas without facing them, as our world often encourages in its rush and numbness."

In the face of grief,” he said, God's response “is not a theoretical discourse but a compassionate presence, walking alongside those who grieve and lifting the burdens that oppress them."

God's compassionate presence

The Pope reflected on the Bible story about Jairus' daughter that, he said, highlights the transformative power of God's compassionate presence in the midst of death. “The quote, "Do not be afraid, only believe!" he explained is a message of hope, “assuring those in grief that death does not have the final word.”

In conclusion, Pope Francis expressed gratitude to those who, with courage, embark on the painful journey of confronting those who grieve and highlighted the importance of support in times of profound loss. Thus, he assured those present of God’s embrace, of his personal affection, and of the comforting presence of the Church.