The Healing Journey

December 6, 2025

“Small things done with great love will change the world.”
— Mother Teresa

Blessings amidst the Pain of Loss and Grief

By Joan Joyce

In this season, I would like to share an experience of community support and its lasting impact on those grieving the loss of a loved one. So many who are grieving express feelings of loneliness, on top of the sadness. Loss can translate into time standing still for the bereaved, as the equilibrium of their world, as they knew it, has been disrupted. In today’s fast-paced culture, the bereaved often find little understanding or patience for the time needed to process loss and grief.

We’ve become accustomed to medications that alleviate pain, that provide a “quick fix” for discomfort, but there is no such remedy for the heartbreak of loss and its accompanying grief. Grief has to be lived, and there is no right or wrong timeline for healing.

Thankfully, unexpected blessings surface, even in the midst of the darkest days. One such blessing occurred earlier this year, when a member of the St. Jude Parish Healing Shawl Ministry reached out to offer Healing Shawls and Prayer Squares to Bereavement Group members at the Monroe Senior Center. The prayers, the loving care, and the gift of personal time and talent, were evident and palpable in the beautifully crafted items received by those grieving a loss. The Bereavement Group members were deeply touched and grateful for the kindness and compassion woven into the Healing Shawls.

A recipient recently shared that she wraps the shawl around her when she feels her lowest and needs comfort. The prayerful embrace of community support was a true unexpected blessing of God’s reminder that we are never alone. Thank you to St. Jude’s Healing Shawl Ministry.

Another blessing was bestowed upon the Bereavement Group, via the generous donation of grief-related books by Carolyn Killian, Director of Bereavement at Catholic Cemeteries. Similar to the support provided by the Healing Shawls, books offer understanding, comfort, and validation of the many complex emotions experienced by the bereaved.

Kindness is always important, but it is very profoundly experienced by those who are hurting. Gestures of kindness help to alleviate some of the loneliness and fear, and offer hope.

(Joan Joyce is the facilitator of the Bereavement Group at Monroe Senior Center.)

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