Death, Grief

After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope is a book about grief, healing, and hope after miscarriage. Not afraid to examine the raw emotions that accompany such an experience, the author tells women that they are not alone in reacting strongly, even frighteningly, to their loss and reassures them that hope and healing will come. Having experienced multiple miscarriages herself, Karen shares excerpts from her personal journals, as well as other women's stories, rich quotes about grieving and the healing process, and practical advice. A helpful resource section includes a wide variety of information from both Catholic and secular sources.

Well-known author, psychologist and priest Fr. Benedict Groeschel draws on his own years of personal experiences in dealing with people's problems, tragedies and darkness as he offers help and guidance for any Christian troubled or burdened by life. If you are struggling with fear, anxiety, grief, loss of loved ones, hurt, anger or anything that makes life difficult or the road through it dark, then this book was written for you. Fr. Benedict offers practical suggestions on how to keep going and even grow with the help of God's grace, even when this help seems remote.

The Christian response to the problem of evil and suffering began with the cross of Christ. Our answer is inseparable from the cross-from Jesus' own encounter with evil and his triumph over it. In this light, Fr. Benedict recalls some of our most frequently encountered sorrows and griefs: the failure of friends, financial and personal insecurity, the failure of some in the Church, our own inconsistent behaviors and weaknesses, and the death of loved ones. As we examine these painful experiences, he shows that we can find solutions in the Gospel and in the lives of saints, heroes, and very brave ordinary people.

Many guides have been written for people struggling with the mystery of evil. But each generation, each age has its own dark background in front of which the struggle to keep going must be worked out. In every age, men ask 'how am I going to go on to arise from darkness?' It is that which my book will address.
ùFr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

Several years ago, a ruptured tumor almost killed Richard John Neuhaus. During a series of complicated operations, weeks in critical condition, and months in slow recovery, he was brought face to face with his own mortality. As he lay dying and, as it turned out, recovering, he found that despite his faith he had been quite unprepared for the experience. This book traces his efforts to understand his own reactions and those of his friends and family, and explores how we as a culture understand and deal with death. As I Lay Dying testifies that dying is-and is not-part of living. We can and should live our dying. Neuhaus interweaves his own story with thoughtful inquiry, circling through philosophy, psychology, literature, theology, and his own experiences to create provocative meditations that explore the many aspects of dying: the private and public experience, the separation of the soul from the body, grief, surrender, and mourning. The result is a book that shakes the foundations of our being-and yet is oddly and convincingly tranquil.

Someone in your family is diagnosed with a terminal disease and your whole world is turned upside down. What can you do to help them through their final days? Where will they be cared for? And by whom? How do you decide? What do you do when members of the family disagree on the best way to care for the dying loved one? What resources are available to make it easier for everyone involved? What ethical issues may arise regarding the withholding or withdrawal of life support? How can the loved one be ministered to spiritually as he or she prepares for etemity? When is it time to let them go and how do you go about it? How might hospice help? This is only a small sample of the many matters covered in this handy guide for those who are responsible for the care of a dying loved one.

The loss of a loved one is often devastating. And while each person experiences grief in a unique way, for many, finding their way back to a place of wholeness seems impossible. The emptiness and darkness seem to never fade.

Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell these are the Four Last Things toward which we are moving each hour of the day and night. Read this book, and you'll have a firm grasp of one of the most important doctrines of Holy Mother Church that holds the truths of Heaven and our own salvation.

Grief touches all of our lives, but it does not have to paralyze us with fear or inaction. God allows suffering because He knows how powerful it can be to our spiritual lives and to helping us fully embrace His love and mercy. In this insightful and practical book, you'll learn how to live a life of redemptive suffering that will draw you through grief into a state of tenacity, meaning, holiness, and joy.

Author Jeannie Ewing is no stranger to suffering. Her family has long struggled with bipolar disorder and depression, and her baby daughter was born with a rare genetic disorder that caused her bones to prematurely fuse together. Despite the many layers of sadness, loss, confusion, and anger, Jeannie responded to God's calling and transformed her life into one with profound purpose and joy.

Combining her training in psychology and counseling with real-life examples, Jeannie will show you that there is much life to be lived in the midst of loss.

Pain, loss, and confusion can transform into healing and peace when you take the journey with an experienced grief counselor who experienced this pain first-hand when it struck her own family. Her practical, prayerful meditations address all aspects of grief.

There is no sure route through grieving. Jerusha McCormack provides instead a series of signposts by which we may find our own path to a new life. "We are all amateurs at grief," she writes, "it comes to us all; we must all go through it. To treat grief as a problem to be fixed, or (worse still) to medicalize it, is to rob us of the extraordinary privilege of encountering this experience on our terms: for each of us has our own way of grieving, and each of us has something special to learn from the process."

As Catholics, we believe in the resurrection of the body. We profess it in our creed. We're taught that to bury and pray for the dead are corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We honor the dead in our Liturgy through the Rite of Christian burial. We do all of this, and more, because when Jesus Christ took on flesh for the salvation of our souls he also bestowed great dignity on our bodies.

In Hope to Die: The Christian Meaning of Death and the Resurrection of the Body, Scott Hahn explores the significance of death and burial from a Catholic perspective. The promise of the bodily resurrection brings into focus the need for the dignified care of our bodies at the hour of death. Unpacking both Scripture and Catholic teaching, Hope to Die reminds us that we are destined for glorification on the last day.

Our bodies have been made by a God who loves us. Even in death, those bodies point to the mystery of our salvation.

When a close friend or family member dies, it can be difficult for children to express their feelings. I Miss You helps boys and girls understand that death is a natural complement to life, and that grief and a sense of loss are normal feelings for them to have following a loved one's death. Titles in the sensitively presented A First Look At series explore the dynamics of various relationships experienced by children of preschool through early school age. Kids are encouraged to understand personal feelings and social problems as a first step in dealing with them. Written by psychotherapist and counselor Pat Thomas, these books promote positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers. The story lines are simple and direct--easily accessible to younger children. There are full-color illustrations on every page.

Expanded edition of the original bestseller!

Friar Jack Wintz's bestselling book now includes readers' photos of their beloved four-footed companions who are waiting for them in heaven -- where Friar Jack reassures us, with simple teachings from scripture and St. Francis of Assisi, we will see them again!

"Our God is a God of overflowing love, goodness, and beauty who is ready to give over everything to those he loves. This goodness is reflected in the whole family of creation. When God says of any creature, whether human or nonhuman, that it is good or very good, it's not simply a matter of moral goodness. The creature also has an inherent goodness and beauty--a beauty that reflects God, who is Beauty itself."

Cover photo: Hollie Betzler (2001-2018), Michigan's first grief therapy dog, served faithfully at her family's funeral home and area nursing homes for 16 years, giving a comforting paw at just the right time to just the right person. Her family anticipates her serving the same role at the gates of heaven, where she now waits for them.

It is said that children learn what they live. But children also teach the adults in their lives lessons on subjects such as unconditional love, self-sacrifice, self-forgetfulness, patience and more. The ordinary way an adult learns these things from his or her children is by caring for them.

Every parent knows that. But some extraordinary children seem sent by God to teach us about the -big questions- such as life, death, suffering, and the existence of God. The children in this book, all of whom suffered terribly during their short lives, bore witness to God's love and an understanding of the meaning of suffering and -what to do with it- that belied their years. And their teaching was not limited to their immediate family: Everyone with whom they came into contact, from doctors and nurses, to major political figures and popes to family friends and other children, was profoundly affected by the encounter.

This book will make you cry, yes, but the tears will be mixed with something akin to joy at the beauty of the short lives of Brendan, Margaret, and Audrey, and awe at the grace and dignity with which they bore their crosses, lived and enjoyed this life, and ultimately left it to be with the God they all loved. In this time in which there is so much despair and sadness, and in this world in which we are so frequently reminded that it can truly be a -vale of tears, - let the Littlest Suffering Souls remind you that this present life is not all there is; let the Littlest Suffering Souls point you to heaven and to Christ.

Some take a lifetime to fulfill their purpose. Others, such as babies that die prematurely, need much less time to accomplish God's plan for their lives. Authors David and Colleen Currie share the story of their tenth grandchild, Louis Gerard, to offer hope to families suffering the loss of an infant and to assist children in the grieving process. Loving Baby Louie is a poignant story that will help small children understand the loss of a sibling and the eternal life that awaits them in Heaven. As Scripture tells us, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthian s 2:9).

About the Authors
Colleen and David Currie reside in the Chicago area. They have eight children and eleven grandchildren. Loving Baby Louie is the true story of their tenth grandchild, Louis Gerard. In 1993, Colleen and David and all of their children joyfully entered the Catholic Church from Protestant fundamentalism. Colleen is a full-time mother and grandmother and David is a popular Catholic author and lecturer. He has been a frequent guest on both radio and television, including Relevant Radio, EWTN, and the History Channel.

About the Illustrator
Talena Streeter earned a degree in graphic design from the University of Colorado at Denver. She has worked professionally on all kinds of illustration projects--from advertisements to corporate logos. She especially enjoys illustrating children's books and helping talented authors bring their stories to life. Talena thanks God every day for her 'husband, her family, and the chance to do what she loves for a living.