Remembering Loved Ones
on All Souls' Day
September 21, 2010
Send us your prayer request online to remember loved ones in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on All Souls' Day, November 2; The Feast of St. Edmund, November 16; and throughout the month.
"We regret to inform you of the passing of…" No one wants to hear these words, especially not a devoted and beloved mother. Yet for one young Selma mother, these words were spoken not once, but twice.
We heard about Jasmine and her most recent tragedy through family and fellow churchgoers, who were struggling to raise funds to bury her son, Terrell. The courageous 16-year-old drowned while trying to save his best friend from an unforeseen river undertow during an afternoon swim. Both boys disappeared in the turbulent water as people on shore watched with a feeling of helplessness and deep anguish.
Jasmine was faced with an impossible choice. Should she pay the funeral home to bury her son Terrell with dignity and go without food and lose her home? No one should ever have to make this kind of heart-wrenching decision.
Just imagine the prospect of losing your home to pay for the funeral of your last remaining child. You see, Jasmine is no stranger to tragedy. One year ago, she lost her precious 5-year-old daughter, Gracie, who was playing on the front lawn when a car veered out of control, jumped the curb and ran over the helpless child. An emergency room doctor came out of the ER to tell the distraught mother, "I am terribly sorry but …"
Tragic deaths are familiar occurrences in Selma, where life for the poor is difficult during the best of times. One of the most distressing moments of a grieving parent's life takes place when a funeral home delays the burial of a
loved one because the family can't pay the funeral costs. Here in the Deep South, funerals play a critical role in healing. With Terrell's passing, his extended family will gather, dressed in white, to celebrate their loved one's "homegoing." The funeral is where they will sing and joyfully praise Terrell for his heroic action not unlike Jesus Christ, who gave up his life so that others might live.
I am reminded of how acutely I remember my grandmother Victoria's passing when I was a child. I held her hand as she winced in pain from advanced stomach cancer. In those days there were few pain medications so it was excruciating to watch her death struggle and even harder to understand why this was happening before my eyes. But during her funeral I was consoled by the loving words spoken in fellowship to celebrate her life and light. This is my lasting and beautiful memory of her.
The Edmundite Missions has a history of helping the poor find trusted resources and relief. We work with reputable funeral homes to help families put their loved ones to rest with grace and dignity. At the present time, we are
providing Jasmine with food and counseling to help her to grieve and heal.
Without your financial support, it would be impossible for me to help individuals like Jasmine find peace and dignity. We will always do what we can to provide a hand up to those in need. Each week I struggle to raise an additional $7,426 for Emergency Charity expenses, which help pay for funeral costs, medicine, overdue gas or electric bills and other vital necessities. Every day we continue to feed those who are hungry. It costs $38.40 to fill a food bag with fruit, vegetables and protein.
As we celebrate the faithful departed this November in honor of All Souls' Day, I pray for Jasmine and all of our needy and supporters in remembrance of those who have passed on to the next life, with God's grace and love. Please help us to provide for the dignified closure of life for Jasmine and others like her who live our faith, regardless of the situation into which they were born.
"The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist." – Pope St. Gregory the Great
In gratitude and service,
Rev. Richard Myhalyk, S.S.E.
Send us your prayer request online to remember loved ones in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on All Souls' Day, November 2; The Feast of St. Edmund, November 16; and throughout the month.
