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MaryM
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A homeschool friend of mine has a friend who has just found out that the baby they are expecting next month does not have a bladder and therefore is not expected to live more than a few hours after birth.
She was asking if anyone knows of a Catholic-based network for parents who are anticipating or grieving infant loss? Is anyone familiar with a specific Catholic organization like this? - it seems to me I've heard of something but it's not coming to me.
Also she said your prayers would be greatly appreciated for the family and baby Gianna.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Chari
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I do not know, Mary, (I know there are Protestant groups......let me know if you need those), but I will pray for your friend. And, for all of those who will be exposed to her example of LIFE.
Prayerfully yours,
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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shartlesville
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I will keep them in my prayers!
Please don't let them give up hope. I should think there would be a way to "build" a bladder. My uncle is undergoing surgery for bladder cancer and they are going to rebuild one for him. There must be a way to build one for this baby.
I don't know of any specifically Catholic grieving groups but my friend Maria has a beautiful website called Mother's Grieving Heart
Blessings,
Krisann
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aussieannie
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Mary, this is not Potter's syndrome where the baby's have no kidneys? (maybe a condition similar or related.)
If it is, there seems to be support groups on the web that are specific to this conditon and loss that might also be a help (though a Catholic group would be an important aspect for her.)
One of my closest friends lost a baby this way, it was stillborn at birth - a group of friends prayed for a miracle for this little child but it was not God's will - I will remember this family in my prayers tonight.
God Bless, Anne
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Lorri
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I don't know if there are specifically Catholic websites, but there are many other resources out there. I can recommend some good books. For her, "A Rose In Heaven" and "An Empty Cradle, a Full Heart" are very good. If she has other children, "Sad Isn't Bad" is helpful, though it doesn't address the loss a sibling. For the whole family, "Tear Soup" is wonderful for the grief process. Oh yes, "Mommy, Please Don't Cry, There are no tears in Heaven" is very beautiful.
Here's the links on Amazon.com-
A Rose In Heaven
Mommy, Please Don't Cry
An Empty Cradle, A Full Heart
Tear Soup
Sad Isn't Bad
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MichelleW
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We have just such a group at our parish and it is a worldwide Catholic organization so there is probably one in your area. It is called Elizabeth Ministries. The Elizabeth Ministers are women who have "been there." They come alongside women who are going through pregnancy related issues including loss. A wonderful, wonderful group of loving ladies.
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chicken lady
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This is a little raw and close to home for me but I can tell you there is a group in Cleveland, started by a couple from here in Steubenville, who lost their son, and felt very unsupported. They took that pain and started a greiving support center. I just e-mailed a friend for their info I will post the exact name later. BTW the beformentioned books were passed onto me via Donna on this group and they are very helpful and good. Please extended my most sincere sympathies and please assure them of my holy hour today.
Here is the name...
www.cornerstoneofhope.org
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Donna
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molly wrote:
| BTW the beformentioned books were passed onto me via Donna on this group and they are very helpful and good. |
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Reading Karen Santorum's book, Letters To Gabriel, was extremely helpful to me. But, in all honesty, it was sitting and crying...many times...with a friend of mine who also experienced the loss of her infant, that helped me most. Sharing that experience with another grieving mother helped heal the wound.
I pray your friend is able to find someone with whom she can share her grief and sorrow. She is in my prayers in a very special way.
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Chari
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Molly, you are always in my prayers, too. I am so sorry.
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Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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Sarah in SC
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I searched many times for a Catholic based grief support group--locally, nationally, anywhere. There is one website for a group that's in England, but I have yet to find one stateside.
There's a very good book called, "And God Cried, too," that's good for grief with school aged children. My son had a very difficult time when we lost our last baby at almost 20 weeks--and this book was good for us to read together.
I recommend they find a good grief counselor--Catholic, Protestant, whatever--a good grief counselor will respect their Catholicism no matter the counselor's faith background. Personally, I found that my Southern Baptist grief counselor was INFINITELY more helpful than the Catholic Deacon we were referred to.
A good grief counselor can begin helping them NOW. Preparing for what's coming can help enormously when the baby arrives. There are lots of issues to think about now--birth plans and plans for how they want the first few hours after the birth to go. Especially in getting their baby baptized immediately, etc.
I've got a long list of grief resources for parents. We've used a number of them in the past several years, as we've lost a total of nine babies, and both my parents, in the recent past. I'd be happy to email you a list of resources, if you think it would be helpful. Just let me know.
I'll be praying for your friends, their family, and that precious baby. May God envelop them in His care and give them His peace as they forge ahead. I'm so very sorry.
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Happy wife to Tom and mama to Mac, 12, Hannah, 8, Rosemary, 6, Luke, now 1! and the 9 little angels that Mary is rocking.....
"What good shall we then do with today?" --Benjamin Franklin
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teachingmom
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Yes! A friend of mine helped to start a ministry to moms in this woman's situation. It's called Prenatal Partners for Life. My friend's story is here.
I'll pray for your friend's friend. What a sad situation.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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MaryM
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Thank you everyone for all your resources. Special thanks to you, Molly and Donna, whose grief is still felt so acutely. I'm sure it is very hard to talk about and I very much appreciate you sharing. I will pass all this information on and am sure it will be very helpful. As I mentioned it is a friend of a friend. The family who has received this diagnosis about their baby is not in this area, so I don't know them and can't support them here locally.
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Mary M. in Denver
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jdostalik
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Dear Mary,
After I lost my firstborn, I had a hard time finding Catholic support. A book I found that helped me tremendously and IS Catholic is by Gregory Floyd: A Grief Unveiled. Though the Floyds lost their little boy at age 6 in a terrible accident, it was so helpful to me in presenting the true teaching and comfort of Mother Church.
My prayers are with this family. 
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God Bless,
Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
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Tami
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I'd recommend calling the local Catholic hospital. They will have resources, sometimes groups, maybe even referrals to specific grief counselors or priests - she could specifically ask for someone to help her through this in support of and respecting her Catholic identity.
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God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Topic: Catholic support - grieving infant loss?
