The Healing Journey

September 7, 2024 Divine Guidance By Carol Ann Fong When people get you down,think about God’s goodness. When you’re in despairsing praises of loveto the Great God above. When things seem...

September 6, 2024“Suicide is one moment of weakness in a courageous fight for life.”— Author unknown In this booklet, “Divine Mercy After Suicide,” Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, shares his personal...

September 5, 2024‘You are the most incapable person…’ No one understood death and grief like Mother Teresa, who worked with the sick and dying in Calcutta. She once said, “I begin each day with holy...

September 4, 2024The New Day Bereavement Program has scheduled several sessions for Fall 2024. Additional programs will be announced soon. To check for updates and read more about the program,...

September 3, 2024 A Prayer in Loving Memory Almighty and eternal God,from whose love in Christwe cannot be parted,either by death or life,hear our prayers and thanksgivingsfor all whom we remember...

September 2, 2024“Everything that exists on Earth has something mysterious hidden in it. Every visible being carries the stamp of the Eternal…” — C.F. Blumhardt ***

September 1, 2024The following is excerpted from a column about the late Norman DeTullio by Joe Pisani. Many years ago, when I was a teenager and life seemed so much simpler, I put pen to paper and...

August 31, 2024How do I know if I am ready for a bereavement group? Nothing can prepare us for losing someone we love. The intensity of the emotions is not like anything we have ever experienced...

August 30, 2024“Each person's grief is as unique as their fingerprint. But what everyone has in common is that no matter how they grieve, they share a need for their grief to be witnessed.”— David...

August 29, 2024Roadside memorials are a public expression of grief that have existed for centuries, and in modern times, they have become increasingly common, not only with the deaths of well-known...

August 28, 2024The 17th Annual Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference has chosen a theme the organizers hope will inspire all men to think more seriously about the purpose of life … the ultimate...

August 27, 2024Six years ago, when Nancy Mecca’s beloved husband Nick of more than 30 years died, she was so overwhelmed with grief, she didn’t think she could go on. Her world was turned upside...

August 26, 2024Very often, families and friends have a bubble ceremony at the interment of a young person who has died. People participate by blowing bubbles while the following prayer is read:...

August 25, 2024 A Fallen Limb A limb has fallen from the family tree.I keep hearing a voice that says, “Grieve not for me.Remember the best times, the laughter, the song,The good life I lived while...

August 24, 2024Carolyn Killian, Director of Melanie Barnard is a volunteer with the “Conversation Project,” a group that sponsors panel discussions on end-of-life questions from a Catholic...

August 23, 2024Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Bridgeport, in cooperation with St. Rose of Lima Church, will hold a Mass for Suicide Healing and Remembrance on September 7 at 5:30 p.m....

August 22, 2024Carolyn Killian, Director of Bereavement for the Diocese of Bridgeport, wrote the following tribute to the late Dominican Sister of Peace Mauryeen O’Brien, OP, a leader in the...

August 21, 2024“Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to him. That is all the doing you have to worry about.”— St. Jane Frances de Chantal Some of the Church’s greatest saints were women whose...

August 20, 2024 Condolences May the sweet light of change shine in the darkness,May the first breath of each morning begin life again,May the memories unfold as prayers for life,May the love...

August 19, 2024Memories of our loved ones who have passed come in all shapes and sizes. Some leave us consumed with longing for our time together, others resurrect occasions when we argued and...

August 18, 2024The following reflection was written by Fr. Richard Murphy, Associate Pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Greenwich. A member of the New Day bereavement team, he read this...

August 17, 2024Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will celebrate a Lourdes Healing Retreat on Saturday, September 7 at 1 p.m. at St. Mary of Stamford Parish at 566 Elm Street. Coordinated by David D’Andrea of...

August 16, 2024“In the middle of the night, I go walking in my sleep,From the mountains of faith to the river so deep,I must be looking for something, something sacred I lostBut the river is wide,...

August 15, 2024 The Promise of Tomorrow We walked the path of this life,Hand in hand, heart to heart,Joined as one, Husband and Wife,Until we had to part. Death is a curious idea,My love for you is...

August 14, 2024 Prayer for Aging All Gracious God, you have given me all I am and have,and now I give it back to you to stand under Your will alone.In a special way, I give You these later years of...

August 13, 2024  “How different life appears when one is certain of the next world, with its love and freedom. We were certain. We knew that providence would carry us through our time on Earth....

August 12, 2024“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Jesus In Sarah Young’s international bestselling devotional “Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His...

August 11, 2024The following story is an excerpt from the book “Mother Angelica’s Answers, Not Promises”by Mother M. Angelica with Christine Allison: A young woman once wrote to us about the death...

August 10, 2024Epitaph By Merrit Malloy When I dieGive what’s left of me awayTo childrenAnd old men that wait to die.And if you need to cry,Cry for your brotherWalking the street beside you.And when...

August 9, 2024“You can be at all fronts, wherever there is grief, in the power of the cross. Your compassionate love takes you everywhere, this love from the divine heart. Its precious blood is...

August 8, 2024A German book from the 1500s had the remarkable account of a miraculous vision by a young shepherd boy — a vision of 14 children surrounding the Christ child who came with a message of...

August 7, 2024More than two years after her son John died at 36 of brain cancer, Patty Dillon reflects on how she sees things in a different light now. My beautiful son, John, died on February 20,...

August 6, 2024For centuries, Raphael’s Transfiguration was considered the most famous oil painting in the world, a painting so powerful and majestic the Emperor Napoleon took it from the Vatican and...

August 5, 2024“Lord, help me!”— Canaanite woman We’ve all heard the Gospel story of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus for a miracle because her daughter was tormented by a devil. Even though she...

August 4, 2024“You are not alone.”— Alcoholics Anonymous slogan When Don walked into his 12-step meeting, he saw the familiar sign on the speaker’s table that said, “You are not alone.” He sighed....

August 3, 2024 Loving God, A candle burns in my heartand warms my soul.It never flickers. It never wanes.It is the memory of those I lovewho are now at home with You.I ask You to keep them closeto...

August 2, 2024One of the most moving songs about family grief and the loss of a loved one is “The Baby,” a song that was made popular by country singer Blake Shelton. It talks about life, love, and...

August 1, 2024“In the midst of adverse circumstances, people tend to feel that love has been withdrawn and they have been forsaken.”— from “Jesus Calling” The daily devotional “Jesus Calling” by...

July 31, 2024 For Grief by John O’Donohue When you lose someone you love,Your life becomes strange,The ground beneath you becomes fragile,Your thoughts make your eyes unsure;And some dead echo drags...

July 30, 2024 In Times of Loss... We pray that in this time of loss,You'll feel God's love much more,And that you'll find your comfortIn the presence of the Lord.We pray God pours upon youHis sweet...

July 29, 2024The Gospel stories of Martha, Mary and Lazarus offer moving portraits of two sisters and a brother, blessed to be close friends of Jesus, who often visited their home in Bethany. The...

July 28, 2024Dr. Mary Neal drowned in a kayaking accident in 1999 on a waterfall in Chile’s Fuy River. But that wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning. While her friends rushed to save her as she...

July 27, 2024 Dear Lord, I know that …To let go is not to welcome sorrow but learn from it.To let go is not to deny but to accept.To let go is not to stop caring but to care in a different way.To...

July 26, 2024Sandra Ann had a special devotion to St. Anne. Maybe it was because the woman who raised her was named Ann (after her biological mother gave her up and her adoptive mother left). She...

July 25, 2024 The painting “Forgiven” is the work of artist Greg Olsen, who describes it this way: “Even though this piece was originally inspired by Isaiah 1:18, ‘though your sins be as scarlet…’...

July 24, 2024Stand by Me When the night has comeAnd the land is darkAnd the moon is the only light we'll see.No, I won't be afraidNo, I won't be afraidJust as long as you stand,Stand by me So...

July 23, 2024“Grieving is as natural as breathing, for if we have lived and loved, surely we will grieve...”— Nancy Howard Cobb The following is an excerpt from the book “In Lieu of Flowers: A...

July 22, 2024Has it ever occurred to you that your life would not be the same if it hadn’t been for the inspiration and comfort from a supporting cast of characters who held you up when you fell...

July 21, 2024“When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”— Author unknown Cynthia knew when her mother took out the little box that contained photos of their relatives,...

July 20, 2024 Prayer in Time of Sorrow Father of all mercies and God of consolation, You love us eternally and transform the shadows of death into the dawn of life. Look upon our grief. Be our...

July 19, 2024 What Will You Leave? What kind of mark will you leave in this world,When it comes your turn to depart?Will it be lots of houses and gold?Or a lasting imprint on someone’s heart?Someone...

July 18, 2024When Marie watched her grandson Johnathan several days a week, she would take him to Eucharistic adoration at the chapel of St. Joseph Church in Shelton, where she conducts the Holy...

July 17, 2024Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said one of the most moving moments for him during the four-day Eucharist pilgrimage that came through the Diocese of Bridgeport in May was the day he...

July 16, 2024The Sisters of Carmel are a cloistered, contemplative order at the Carmelite Monastery of the Sacred Hearts in Colorado. They live a life of prayer and sacrifice for God and neighbor....

July 15, 2024Farewell My Friends by Gitanjali Ghei It was beautiful as long as it lasted, the journey of my life. I have no regrets whatsoever, save the pain I’ll leave behind. Those dear hearts who...

July 14, 2024“God speaks to their spirits in a way no one else ever has as He prepares to call them home.”— Trudy Harris, RN Trudy Harris spent much of her life caring for the dying during their...

July 13, 2024 Prayer for Emotional Healing Dear God, I need You! I need your help today, O Lord. I feel wounded, empty, shut down and depressed. Sometimes I feel hopeless, for I have struggled a...

July 12, 2024“Papa’s death does not give me the impression of death, rather one of a true life. I find him again after six years absence; I feel him near me, looking at me, protecting me.”— St....

July 11, 2024In Lieu of Flowers By Shawna Lemay Although I love flowers very much, I won’t see them when I’m gone. So in lieu of flowers: Buy a book of poetry written by someone still alive, sit...

July 10, 2024“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” was written by preacher Joseph Scriven as a poem to comfort his mother in Ireland because he was far from her in Canada. He published it anonymously,...

July 9, 2024  God the Father knows all our needs and desires without our even mentioning them to him. He knows when we’re hurting because of loss. He knows when we’re anxious about our children or...

July 8 2024When Carey drove into the church parking lot on Wednesday morning, it was filled with cars, far more cars than were usually there for daily Mass. At first, he thought there might be a...

July 7 2024The existence of Heaven has always been a topic of debate for non-believers. So many celebrities, self-proclaimed agnostics and intellectual wannabes often say this life is all there is,...

July 6 2024“The day will come when we will meet again, not just in memories, but face to face.”– Author unknown In his novel “A Prayer for Owen Meany,” author John Irving described grief as a...

July 5, 2024 Thank You, My Neighbor By Janice Frichette Thank you, my trusted friend, welcome listener, partner, too,For the oh-so-many thoughtful things that you selflessly do.You’re been there...

July 4, 2024 O Blessed Mother, Pray for the United States! Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception,Patroness of the United States of America,Please help our country.Help us to return to what is...

July 3, 2024“Death is a fact of life, but not the end of life."— Mother Angelica When Rita Antoinette Rizzo was in 6th grade, Sister Prudence asked, “Children, can anyone tell me what the opposite...

July 2, 2024 Those we love… Those we love don’t go away;They walk beside us every day.Unseen, unheard, but always near,Still loved, still missed and always dear. ***

July 1, 2024We never know when God is going to call. Praying for the sick and dying can give them the strength to surrender and let the Holy Spirit radiate their body, mind and soul. The following...

June 30, 2024 Trust In God Do not look forward in fearto the changes in life;rather, look to them with full hopethat as they arise, God,whose very own you are,will lead you safely through all...

June 29, 2024“Your faith has saved you.” — Jesus The Gospel writers tell us that Jesus wept, but they never say Jesus smiled. Do you remember the story about the woman who was hemorrhaging for 12...

June 28, 2024Throughout the summer, the months known for family get-togethers and outdoor activities are often marred by stories of infants and children drowning. It is one of the most devastating...

June 27, 2024“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”— Jesus In the Museo del Prada in Madrid, Spain, hidden from public view, is an oil painting...

June 26, 2024Rolland G. Smith, former television reporter and news anchor at WCBS TV in New York, once told a story that offers great advice for those of us who are seniors and losing our friends:...

June 25, 2024 Only For a Short While Oh, only for so short a while youhave loaned us to each other,because we take form in your act of drawing us,and we take life in your painting us,and we breathe...

June 24, 2024 For All the Faithful Departed O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of your servants and handmaids the forgiveness of all their sins. Through our devout...

June 23, 2024“The strongest relationships are not always the ones that show no struggles, but the ones that grow through them.”– Author unknown When someone we love dies, there is so much shock and...

June 22, 2024When John got a call from a former colleague that their former boss, Ken, died, it brought back a lot of memories of their years working together. Sure, they had disagreements, but...

June 21, 2024“The greatest challenge of our Christian faith is the acceptance of the infinite love that God has for each of us.” — Sr. Elissa Rinere CP Throughout history, many mystics have been...

June 20, 2024“Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.”— Ambrose Bierce There are some things we wish we didn’t have to deal with while we’re grieving, such as last wills...

June 19, 2024After country music singer Keith Whitley died at 35 in 1989, Vince Gill started writing “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” However, he only finished it after his older brother Bob died of...

June 18, 2024  Prayers for Those Who Mourn Lord God,you are attentive to the voice of our pleading.Let us find in your Soncomfort in our sadness,certainty in our doubt,and courage to live through...

June 17, 2024 An Irish Blessing The love of God upon you, The hope of God within you, The grace of God beside you, The joy of God around you. ***

June 16, 2024Poet Judy A. Campbell wrote: “In August we lost my husband’s dad. He was a beautiful person to everyone. When he became sick, he and I would have heart-to-heart talks about his life and...

June 15, 2024 'As we prepare for this' Father’s Day, we remember with great compassion all the fathers who have lost a precious child and who silently carry unimaginable pain every day in their...

June 14, 2024“Over the years I have felt the truest, purest love—the love of God, really, I imagine that's what God's love feels like—is the love that comes from your dog.” — Oprah Winfrey The most...

June 13, 2024 Prayer to St. Anthony for Peace of Mind O holy St. Anthony, your deep faith in Jesus Christ comforted your heart, especially during times of trial and distress. Help me grow in faith,...

June 12, 2024“It’s much easier to talk about acceptance than to accept, and much easier to discuss faith than to have faith.”— Tim Russert None of us will ever understand the death of a child. It...

June 11, 2024           You Don’t Just Lose Someone Once By Donna Ashworth Words You don’t just lose someone once,You lose them over and over,sometimes many times a day.When the loss,...

June 10, 2024As Catholics, we believe that our prayers can help a loved one get to Heaven sooner. One traditional prayer for this intention appeared in “My Prayer Book,” by Fr. Francis Xavier...

June 9, 2024“God’s direction is our protection.” Never doubt that God is always at work in your life … not just your life, but in everyone’s life. He doesn’t discriminate. And his love is personal....

June 8, 2024“Missing you comes in waves and tonight I’m drowning.”— Chris Young Susie was blessed to have two wonderful parents — Lillian and George, who met when they were still children. They went...

June 7, 2024 O Sacred Heart of Jesus,I Place My Trust in Thee O Sacred Heart of Jesus,I place my trust in Thee.Whatever may befall me, Lord,though dark the hour may be,in all my woes, in all my...

June 6, 2024Today marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy beaches in Northern France during World War II, which began the liberation of Western Europe from the Nazis....

June 5, 2024 “Lord, help me to find strength for my journey and light for my path as I join my suffering to that of your Son’s suffering and death on the cross.”— Bishop Robert Baker, “Prayers of...

June 4, 2024“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”― Amit Ray After a sudden death, the foundations of our world are shaken. Death is inevitable, but a...

June 3, 2024“In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it...

June 2, 2024“The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world,
 And he who eats of this bread, he shall live forever, he shall live forever…” Today we celebrate the Solemnity of...

June 1, 2024Fr. Jim Sullivan, rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, began his homily talking about patience — or lack of it. He said the occasions are many to exercise...

May 31, 2024 Blessings Your blessings, have you counted them today?Did you take time to kneel and pray?Or in your rush did you forgetGod’s blessings, as your needs He met? — Crystal Cox ***