Owen’s Story – Infant Loss & Hope Amidst Heartache

I’ve known Owen’s mom for a couple of years now and we met because someone we both knew thought it could be a potentially healing experience for us to share our stories with one another.  I feel blessed to have people in my life who are willing to journey with me and who understand that our children are a gift from God to be loved and cherished, even after they have gone to heaven. 

There are many kinds of infant losses which are unexpected and sudden such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and SIDS for example.  But what if you were told by a medical expert that the miracle baby growing inside of you would surely die? 

“I listened as a stranger told us that our baby would soon die.  Listened as a stranger told us that we would have, at most, a few minutes or hours to hold our baby alive. But that far more likely, we would lose our child long before birth. That our beloved son was likely never to grow, and not to survive the length of my pregnancy. That we could lose our precious baby any day”.  (Owen’s mom)

When I first read the story of this little boy’s short life, I was moved to tears and knew that it deserved to be shared.  I will let this babylost mom tell you in her own words about how her and her husband loved their son letting God decide when it was time for him to go.  Owen’s life matters and has meaning and his story begins like this…

By The Brightness After Rain

My life is not what I ever imagined it would be. It is true that there has been far more pain than I ever could have fathomed. But that pain, though always present, rests now in the shadow of something far greater. That pain now resides in a quiet place, surrounded by blessing and beauty far beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed of. My life has been transformed completely – not into the life I once hoped for, but into one so much fuller and richer and deeper. And that gift of transformation and beauty has been given to me and to my little family by just one tiny person. Our precious newborn son Owen.  God’s perfect, transforming gift.

To read Owen’s full story, please click here.

Prayer for Our Child in Heaven

Dearest Little One, we thank Our Heavenly Father for blessing us with your sweet, yet brief life.  Know that you have touched our lives forever and we will always love and miss you.  We trust Jesus will keep you safe in His care, and pray that one day, we’ll also be able to hold you for eternity.  Holy Spirit, may You heal our hearts; inspire us to live faithfully in the hope of everlasting peace and joy in Heaven, and may we all be together as a family again.  Amen.

NOTE:  Prayer cards featuring the “Light of Life” image by Libby Dulac are available.  Pls. contact us for more information.

Goodnight Sweetheart…Prayer for Our Baby In Heaven

We started teaching our son prayers in utero and are grateful that we did!  From the very first day we were given the news that our baby existed, we spoke to, and prayed with our tiny Sweetheart. 

Throughout our pregnancy, I wrote letters to our little one, and then shared them afterwards with his Daddy.  Instinctively, these little notes often included a prayer.  Our day always ended with night prayers together as a family; “let’s pray baby!” we would say.  In our hearts, we knew our baby was listening no matter how small he or she happened to be. 

The following prayer is included in a book called A Treasury of Prayers (2010) which is published by the Parishioners of Saint Nicholas Roman Catholic Church.  We submitted this in honour of Keaton and to perhaps inspire others to remember their little ones when they pray.  

It brings us a lot of comfort knowing that although Keaton is no longer in our arms, we are still able to pray as a family each and every day, just like we did when we were pregnant and expecting the arrival of our first born.  We have faith that as we hold hands in prayer here on earth, our son also joins us with praises from heaven. 

Goodnight sweetheart, we love you…     

PRAYER FOR OUR BABY

Dearest Little One, may our Heavenly Father bless and protect you, keeping you safe wherever you may go.  Mommy and Daddy love you very much and always will.  We are so thankful to be given the gift of life from God, our Creator.  Pray my child, that Jesus will cradle you in His arms as you continue to grow in His peace and love.  May you be nourished spiritually by this love, remembering that our love for you is also never-ending.  We joyfully anticipate the day when we will be able to see you face to face, look into your innocent eyes and hold you in our arms together.  Amen

                               

Miscarriage Prayer by Mother Angelica

I wanted to share this prayer, one that was brought to my attention at a special Celebration of Life Memorial Mass held at St. Ann’s Parish on the Feast of The Holy Innocents.  It was a beautiful service and words such as these featured in the program were comforting.  To read a Blessing of Parents After Miscarriage, click here:
 
My Lord, the baby is dead!
 

Why, my Lord—dare I ask why? It will not hear the whisper of the wind or see the beauty of its parents’ face—it will not see the beauty of Your creation or the flame of a sunrise. Why, my Lord?

 “Why, My child—do you ask ‘why’?  Well, I will tell you why.

You see, the child lives. Instead of the wind he hears the sound of angels singing before My throne. Instead of the beauty that passes he sees everlasting Beauty—he sees My face. He was created and lived a short time so the image of his parents imprinted on his face may stand before Me as their personal intercessor. He knows secrets of heaven unknown to men on earth. He laughs with a special joy that only the innocent possess. My ways are not the ways of man. I create for My Kingdom and each creature fills a place in that Kingdom that could not be filled by another. He was created for My joy and his parents’ merits. He has never seen pain or sin. He has never felt hunger or pain. I breathed a soul into a seed, made it grow and called it forth 

I thank You for the life that began for so short a time to enjoy so long an Eternity.

                                                                                        ~ Mother M. Angelica