Check-in is at 8:30 am, with the program beginning at 9:00 am. The day will include lunch and will end with a Vigil Mass at 5:00 pm.
Registration is $70 per couple ($35 per person) or $45 for a single commuter. This fee includes materials provided. Be ready to sign up for both you and your partner at the same time.
Single attendees are also welcome (those who may not have a partner or if your spouse cannot attend.) If you plan on attending alone, please sign up at the link HERE.
This workshop helps couples understand how the trauma of child loss affects the family dynamic while teaching them how to love each other through the complexity of child loss. The workshop also facilitates a safe space where couples can share their answers to vital questions that are pivotal in moving toward healing.
We Say Goodbye Once More by Charles and Bridget Mersmann, Parishioners of The Church of the Magdalen
We lost our latest baby, Zelie Kate, in November and were finally able to bury her last month. It brought us much closure but also brought back the raw emotions and grief that have sat with us these last few months.
We were optimistic with this pregnancy. Given our difficult journey as a family thus far, that is saying something. We have two healthy children at home, ages six and three. In between them, and since our 3-year-old son was born, we have miscarried five. The doctor check-ups were going smoothly. Early sonograms showed a growing baby, and my lab results appeared to be fine. All giving us hope that, maybe this time, we would see this pregnancy through and would welcome a healthy child into our home. As we got nearer to the next regular appointment and sonogram, symptoms I was all too familiar with started to develop. That optimism immediately turned into anxiety, sadness, and even anger. I just knew at that time we had lost the baby. We went ahead and scheduled an appointment with the doctor, where we quickly confirmed my feelings. I was heartbroken yet again. We were heartbroken.
To this day, and throughout it all, we do not have answers as to why, but we have faith that our Father above is looking out for us. Our losses have led to the discovery of amazing organizations seeking to support grieving families. Among them, The Fletcher Foundation, Bridget’s Cradles, and Red Bird Ministries.
This past January, we were able to attend the Red Bird Ministry’s “Loving Through Loss” Couples Workshop at the Spiritual Life Center. What a great opportunity for Charles and I to take intentional time to check in on our grief and learn how to better support each other. We were blessed to meet other couples who have lost children and were provided with an opportunity to talk with a Cana counselor or spiritual director. Learning about Red Bird Ministries has also shown us where we can play a small part in helping others during a time of grief and suffering the loss of a child.
The next “Loving Through Loss” Couples Workshop will be held Saturday, July 8, 2023, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Spiritual Life Center. To register, go to slcwichita.org or call 316-744-0167.