Speaking with Our Children about the Death of Pope John Paul II
By Lisa M. Hendey
“Be not afraid!” – Perhaps these words of advice, given to us by
our beloved Pope John Paul II at the beginning of his
pontificate in 1978, are the best resource available for parents
looking to provide comfort and reassurance to their children at
the passing of this great spiritual light. I have found this
week that along with dealing with my own personal mourning, it
has been important to spend time in prayer and conversation with
my children as they deal with the death of the only Pope they
have ever known.
Children are so wonderful – they freely and without reservation
express many of the emotions we “grown ups” hold inside. My two
boys are no exception. I find myself looking to my ten year old
son Adam frequently as a role model of empathy and compassion.
Adam, at ten years old, has always been a perceptive child, and
particularly so when it comes to human suffering. He’s the first
to cry “Stop, he needs help!” at the site of a poor person
looking for support. He’s also his mother’s greatest defender,
coming to my aid against the light hearted teasing of his father
and older brother. So it’s no surprise that he is particularly
in tune to Mom’s mood this week, and to the profound wave of
emotions that fill my heart.
To help shepherd my own “flock” through this period of mourning
and prayer for our Church’s leaders, I consulted one of the best
group of “experts” I know on the topic of Catholic parenting,
the mothers at the Catholic Mom Community (www.cmomc.org). I
asked them for their insights on how they are speaking with
their own children about the death of the Holy Father and this
time of transition for our Church. I am happy to share some of
their words of wisdom.
•Attend Special Masses and turn to the Eucharist – Mom of five
Lisa, from Greenville, California, plans to attend special
Eucharistic celebrations being held several evenings this week
in her own parish. Children may obtain holy card memorials at
these services that will remind them for years of the many good
works of this special man. •Family Prayer – Many families are
taking time to remember the intentions of the Holy Father during
their family prayer times. Denise, a mother of five daughters
from Apple Valley, California, says her family is setting aside
time each evening to pray as a family. •Monitor Television
Watching – Mary, mother of a large family in Alton, Illinois,
recommends monitoring children’s exposure to television
coverage. It is important, especially with younger children,
that time be taken to explain images they may view on television
that may frighten or confuse them. Prudent at any time, this
advice to monitor our children’s viewing is especially
appropriate at this time. Suggested alternatives might include
viewing a videotape documentary on the life of John Paul II.
•Family Rosary – Knowing the Holy Father’s dedication to the
Rosary, family time spent praying the Rosary is a wonderful
tribute to John Paul II. Sassy, mother to nine from Iowa, has
encouraged her children to remember the Cardinals in their
prayers during this important time of discernment. •“Be not
afraid!” - Bea, mother of five from Arizona, is one of my
favorite “experts” and a continual font of wisdom for me, as she
has raised one daughter and four sons, (including one priest and
two seminarians). She counsels: “When Christ died the apostles
were afraid, ran and hid for a while. When our first Pope, St.
Peter died, I'm sure the Catholics at the time were also afraid.
When a baby is being born, it is said HE is afraid. He is
leaving the only world he's ever known. He has a sense that he
will die, But his life is about to begin. The Pope's life, his
life in eternity is about to begin, we should rejoice for him.
When Christ ascended into heaven he told the apostles they
should rejoice because He is going to the Father. The Pope's
mission on earth was finished and God called him home. We should
rejoice for him. It is for ourselves that we weep because he has
left us. Christ said about the Church that "the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it." We have God's Word, nothing else
is needed. Another phase will begin in Our Church, we should
rejoice. God will not abandon us. He never has. It is we who
abandon Him by sin. The only thing we should fear is sin. It is
time to pray for our Church and await what God has in store for
us. The Pope would always say "Be not afraid." The biggest honor
we can give our Pope at this time is to heed his words.”
Regardless of how you and your family take time to commemorate
John Paul II and his papacy and life of service, time spent in
prayer and conversation with our children during this historic
time will be remembered for years to come. We need look no
further than to the example offered us by this special light of
Christ himself as we take time with our own loved ones to
remember him and to seek his intercession in turning our hearts
towards Jesus Christ.
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous
web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and
http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic
literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more
information.
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