For those who grieve . . .

This morning at Mass, we heard the following words spoken in the “prayer of the faithful” (aka “the intercessions”):  

— For those who grieve the loss of a loved one, may God bring them consolation and hope, let us pray to the Lord.  

Last year (2023) was a grief-filled year for me and my family.

— On April 23rd, after my brother-in-law +Doug Bruchman’s long and heroic struggle with cancer, he passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family.  At the age of 58, he had been my sister Nancy Dore Bruchman’s husband of 34 years.

— On July 19th, after a short illness, my dad +Gene Dore, passed away peacefully at his home in Ocean City, MD.  When he died, he was surrounded by loving family and friends.  At the age of 87, and for five years before that, he had been the widower of my mom +Carolyn Marie Winterling-Dore. My mom and dad were married in October of 1959.  

— On July 29th, my sister Kelly Sheehan’s father-in-law, (the dad of my brother-in-law Toby Sheehan) +Thomas Patrick Sheehan, Jr., unexpectedly passed away while peacefully sleeping at home and at the age of 94. He left behind his lifetime soul-mate of 66 years, his wife Karen.  My niece and nephews consequently lost both their grandfathers within nearly one week’s time (that is, my dad and Tom too).

— On September 26th, my brother-in-law +Richard Sies died very suddenly after suffering a heart attack while on his job. At the age of 57, he had been my sister Tracy Sies’s husband for 32 years.  +Richie’s death was a great shock to all of us and was the fourth family death within six month’s time.

— Last year, I lost some long-time friends and former classmates as well (standing out most in my mind was my friend +Linda Malat Tiburzi).

As I contemplate all of these losses of 2023, already this year death has struck close to me.   

— Last week on Thursday, January 25th, death suddenly came knocking again. This time it was that of my young friend and protégé, +Nicholas Hickman.  He died suddenly and very unexpectedly under tragic circumstances.  His passing has caused me tremendous grief and profound sadness.  It’s so very heartbreaking to lose such a beautiful person who was so young (age 27), and who in life had so much joy and love to give to others.

Collectively, all of these deaths within a year’s time have been so difficult to face, even as I am a person of faith.  

This morning’s prayer spoke so loudly to me I found my eyes welling with tears . . .

Please God, eternal rest grant to all of these loved ones who without exception will be missed so much.  

🙏

** See a tribute slide show for +Nick on YouTube at the following link: https://youtu.be/2Nel8lKV2UA?si=Int12Yq_oj4jZkqO

 https://youtu.be/2Nel8lKV2UA?si=Int12Yq_oj4jZkqO