The Church is often looked to as a source of comfort when difficulties in life arise. I recall a college professor of mine once claiming that few people are simply drawn to the Lord because of His beauty and goodness, but rather, run to Him in desperation for answers to the pangs and needs of the human heart. At the time, I instantly recoiled at his statement in the great optimism that, surely, humanity was not so fickle. But after a quick glance at my own life, many friends, and the Gospel itself, it seems he was right. God, in and through His Church, offers comfort to the human heart.
Consider the man who was recently knocking on the doors of the Cathedral in search of a priest to aid him in a spiritually discomforting presence taking place in his home. Or the young mother calling the Church desperately in need of diapers for her child when she still had another week before her paycheck would arrive. What about the young couple on the brink of divorce who ran to the Church as a last hope for healing? Or the fallen away daughter calling for resources and guidance as her devout elderly mother was approaching her final days.
These are all scenarios I have been honored to witness over the past year but the last one came through my phone just a few weeks ago.
I listened to this loving daughter as she nervously confided in me that she was no longer Catholic but felt the great duty and desire to carry out her mother’s wishes which were deeply rooted in the mother’s Catholic faith. She wept as she recalled the final days and burial of her aunt, a faithful Catholic like her mother, whose legacy was not carried out according to the teachings of the Church. “I’ll never forgot my mother’s face as we attended the funeral of her sister. I don’t want to do that to her. I want to honor her Catholic faith.”
We spent the next hour or so discussing the Church’s teachings on difficult end of life questions. We covered everything from the practical forms and documents for finances and health care to considerations for scripture readings and burial options.
She laughed and cried as she shared stories of her mother and wondered how she could ever honor enough the incredible woman she is. She smiled at the idea of inviting people to pray the rosary prior to the funeral reminiscing, “My mom has always loved the Blessed Virgin Mary. She doesn’t go anywhere without a rosary.” I could tell her own statement had resonated somewhere deep within her and I simply let her be quiet for a moment.
The planning brought her great comfort and she could hardly wait to discuss these things with her mother. After we ended our conversation, I sat in my office thanking God for the gift of faith.
The Church recognizes the sacredness of life at every stage and invites us to approach the end of our lives with dignity and the great hope of life eternal. As faithful Christians, we hope to leave a legacy that inspires others in their journey of faith and carries out our deepest values.
The month of November is often set aside as a special time to remember and pray for our deceased loved ones, but perhaps this might also be a time to look at our own lives and how we are called to be witnesses to Christ, even in our passing from this world.
The Office of Marriage, Family & Respect Life, together with the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota have assembled an End of Life Planning Guide that will soon be made available to the people of the diocese.
Our hope is that this guide will assist the faithful in responding to that call to be witnesses to Christ in our health care decisions, placement of assets and the beautiful liturgies at the end of our lives. Through this guide, we hope the Church will be able to extend her arms of comfort and grace to the often difficult questions that come with the reality of death.
If you would like to host an end of life forum this spring where copies of this guide and further resources will be made available, please contact the Respect Life Office. We also plan to make electronic copies available on our website so be sure to watch your parish bulletin. You can reach us at 605-988-3755 or online at www.sfcatholic.org/RespectLife.
How blessed are we that God has revealed His great love to us and provided answers to the deepest longings of the human heart?
Emily Leedom is the director of Marriage, Family and Respect Life for the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls.
