Dealing With Grief: Interview With Sister Sarah Hennessey
Grief has many faces, and Sister Sarah Hennessey has seen them all — through funerals, fractured friendships and the quiet ache of transition. In a world that pushes us to grieve alone, she offers a different way: brave grieving in community. “God is the one who stays,” she says. Her vocation isn’t just spiritual direction. It’s walking with others through the sacred work of loss.
When You Let the Gift Go
For the last month, when his back legs got wobbly, and he started to lose weight–and when he got too weak to climb the stairs–I carried him up and down, his lanky body leveraged awkwardly against my left hip, his breath heavy and hot in my ear. Every night at bedtime, he nuzzled his nose into my arm before curling up on the floor. Then, in the morning, he’d lie splayed out near Justin on the other side of the bed. We have become experts at maneuvering over his warm, furry body in the darkest rooms. We walk carefully, always just assuming he is there.
Religious Traditions Help With Holiday Blues
The holidays can stir a mix of joy and challenges, but faith traditions offer a unique lifeline. From “Blue Christmas” services to moments of communal singing, shared meals and acts of giving, faith communities provide meaningful ways to navigate grief, loneliness and stress. These gatherings remind us we’re not alone and offer a chance to rediscover hope and joy — even in the midst of life’s heaviest seasons.