By Joe Pisani
NEWTOWN — Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Bridgeport in cooperation with St. Rose of Lima Parish will hold a Mass for Suicide Healing and Remembrance on Saturday, September 7 at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend the Mass at the church on 46 Church Hill Road in Newtown.
“Everyone is invited, regardless of their faith,” said Carolyn Killian, Director of Bereavement. “The Mass is to remember those who have died by suicide and those who are mourning. There are so many people living with incredible sadness after having lost someone they care about to suicide, and it is important as a faith community that we support them in their pain. We need Christ’s presence to bring them comfort.”
The Mass coincides with the start of National Suicide Prevention Week from September 8 to 14. Many parishes throughout the country have scheduled Masses to pray for those who have died and those who grieve their loss.
Father Peter Cipriani, pastor of St. Rose, talked about the significance of the Mass and said: “Imagine a doctor or nurse who is ill, in the cure — tending to those who are just as ill or more so — they discover they are being healed. When we pray for those whose lives were lost to the illness of suicide, we find that these prayers, inspired by the hope that God has placed in our wounded hearts, is the very balm He uses to fully heal both them and us.”
Killian added, “Mental illness is so misunderstood in our society and the grief process people experience is extraordinarily painful. They experience sadness and incredible pain and guilt because they couldn’t do anything to help their loved ones, no matter how hard they tried.”
The names of the deceased will be placed on the altar in prayer.
In her role as Director of Bereavement for the diocese, Killian says, “I’ve talked to so many parents who are heartbroken over losing a child, and you can’t believe the anguish they are going through.”
The Mass with be celebrated by Father Cipriani, joined by Father Richard Murphy of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Greenwich.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and according to data by the Centers for Disease Control, almost 50,000 Americans died by suicide in 2022, and another 1.7 million tried to take their lives in 2021.
Killian said she hopes the Mass will also raise awareness of the Church’s understanding of mental health and suicide. For centuries, the accepted belief was that suicide was a sin. However, the second edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide (2282). “We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to Him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives (2283).”
Also, in observance of the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children, Father Peter Cipriani will celebrate a Mass on Saturday, September 14, at 11 am at the St. Rose of Lima Cemetery at 20 Cherry St. in Sandy Hook. The entrance to the cemetery is on Black Cherry Lane.
The observance will also include comments by Jessica Powers, the New England Regional Coordinator of Students for Life of America.
For more information, contact, Don R. Mallozzi of St. Edward the Confessor Parish in New Fairfield at 203.417.1976 or email don.r.mallozzi@gmail.com or Mariotte Corson of St. Rose of Lima Church at 203.426.9275 or email at mariottecorson@gmail.com.
Mallozzi urges everyone to attend to pray for an end to abortion and in remembrance of the children who were lost to it.
The organizers of the event said, “By participating in the National Day of Remembrance, visiting these solemn memorial places at other times of the year, and spreading the word about this prayer campaign, you are helping to humanize our aborted brothers and sisters and deepening your own commitment to ending the injustice of abortion. The National Day of Remembrance also offers hope and healing to women who have had abortions and others who have been hurt by abortion.”
The observance was first held in 2013, and last year thousands participated at 210 locations throughout the United States.
