December 14, 2023
— Jennifer Hubbard
The mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown left our nation forever scarred and indicted a society that condones violence. Jennifer Hubbard’s 6-year-old daughter Catherine was among the victims on that December 14 morning in 2012.
Karen Avitabile, editor of the Catholic Transcript, interviewed Hubbard and said, “In the depths of her inconceivable pain, despair and grief, Hubbard turned to God and rediscovered her faith in a newfound way. She realized it was the only way she could bear the impact of her daughter’s death and the subsequent changes she underwent in life.”
For those of us who have endured the loss of a loved one, such a tragedy will either pull us from God or bring us closer to him.
Catherine’s death led Hubbard to begin an animal sanctuary in her daughter’s honor because she loved animals. She later shared her journey in “Finding Sanctuary: How the Wild Work of Peace Restored the Heart of a Sandy Hook Mother.”
She said: “The difference for me — and I hope the difference for you, having read this — is that now I understand that a heart stirred is a summons from our Father who is calling us to action. For what we do in love for others will be what restores hope and faith in humanity for them during those dark days. With my heart now stirred up after losing Catherine, I act quickly and I hope the same is true for you.”
Her story is a story of pain and loss, but also transformation, faith and reconciliation.
She told Karen, “Whether through Catherine’s death or trials since or through the joys I have experienced and the graces I have been afforded, I have been changed and transformed — I would not be who I am today if I had not walked through them.”
She is currently working on a second book about forgiveness, which she believes must be a choice for ourselves and those who have hurt us.
Reflecting on losing Catherine, she said, “That girl was fierce and determined and loving and compassionate. I would love to know what a 16-year-old who had all that compassion and love would be. I also know she’s good, and I don’t have to worry about her.”
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