Mother's Day/Father's Day Mass

A co-worker of mine gave me a flyer from her church bulletin the week Lia was due. It was for a Mother's Day/Father's Day mass specifically for parents who have lost a child at any age from early miscarriage til adulthood. John and I decided that we would go. I cried through much of the mass, but they were good tears.

The mass was very touching and the priests homily was as well. He spoke about pictures and remembering. How the pictures can bring back the memories in an instant, but also you remember just at that spot. It is very true. I can look at our picture of Lia Rose and so many memories come flashing back into my head. The awful memory of the moment that I lost her. The memory of holding her in our arms. Memories of the excitement about going to see the sonogram pictures and memories of being excited about what the future held. I will always have those memories, some good, some bad, but I do not want to forget.

The mass continued and they sang some of the songs that they usually sing at masses when someone has passed. Those songs always get to me. They also gave single long stems roses to everyone that was there as a remembrance. It was just a touching mass all around.

After the mass they had refreshments in the parish center. We went and signed their mailing list so we could get notified of other such events as it isn't our parish, but a nearby one. As we were sitting the priest who said mass came over and introduced himself. We got to tell him our story and I appreciated that he listened. He acknowledged the fact that I was pretty far along and for that I was grateful. Many people don't even think about it. We told him that we do have pictures and he asked how the hospital was. He heard our whole story, slightly abbreviated while he sat and spoke to us. It felt good to talk about it to him. I think that John and I will make this a tradition.