S3 E11 When a Loved One Dies by Suicide with Deacon Ed Shoener
Shownotes
***WARNING***
This episode discusses suicide and suicide prevention. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, help is available. Call or text 988 to speak with someone.
So often when our loved ones die unexpectedly, we are left with so many questions, especially right after it happens. We might have regrets of things we wish had or had not said; arguments we may have had that we did not get to reconcile or heal from. But what about those times when the death that comes unexpectedly comes because our loved one was struggling in ways that are not so obvious? What if their ultimately struggling results in death by suicide?
Our Guest
Deacon Ed Shoener was ordained a permanent deacon in 2004 and serves at St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Scranton. Shoener is a founding member of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and the Catholic Institute of Mental Health Ministry at the University of San Diego. He serves on the Council on Mental Illness of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability. Deacon Shoener, along with Bishop John Dolan, is coauthor of the books Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders and When a Loved One Dies by Suicide (Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN).
He, along with family and friends, founded “The Katie Foundation” after his daughter, Kathleen, died by suicide in 2016. Katie’s obituary went viral because it spoke to the needs and concerns of people who live with mental illness. He lives with his family in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Links from the Show
Responding to Suicide: Winner of the Resource of the Year award and a first-place in resources for ministry from the Association of Catholic Publishers.
When a Loved One Dies By Suicide: Comfort, Hope, and Healing for Grieving Catholics: Winner of a second-place award in the general interest category from the Association of Catholic Publishers and honorable mention in grief and bereavement from the Catholic Media Association.
Scripture
Prayer for the souls of all those who have died by suicide and the loved ones they’ve left behind including Katie and Bishop Dolan and his family.
Journaling Questions
How can we be sensitive to those who have lost a loved one who died by suicide?
How do Deacon Shoener’s words give you hope for eternity?
What are some of the misconceptions you had regarding suicide? Has your perspective changed since listening to the episode?
Who is someone you can pray for? Try writing a prayer specifically for that person.
What is your mourning glory?