[Magdalen] "No parent should ever have to bury their child."

[Roger Stokes]

On 06/10/2015 00:18, Susan Hagen wrote:
> I don't think it is a loss you can ever 'get over'.  I do pray for the
> strength to endure and for whatever comfort they can find.

In my last parish I had a church member whose daughter had committed 
suicide while suffering post-natal psychosis.  She said that she had 
told another priest, whose son had died as the result of an apparent 
accident, that you don't get over it but you get better at dealing with it.

Later her other child, the younger brother, died from a comgenital 
condition.  He had received emergency baptism on the day he was born 
(coincidentally the day I was ordained deacon) as he was not expected to 
survive.  He was a testament of life in adversity.  He wanted a 
collection for his favourity charity at his funerl so at his requiem 
during my address I got a collecting bucket from where it had been out 
of sight, put it on the coffin and said I wanted a silent (paper not 
coins) offering as people approached the rail for communion or a blessing.

Roger