On the Lost Children's Day, celebrated all over the world on October 15, prayers for the parents of unborn and deceased children were prayed in the Lichen basilica.
“We surround ourselves in a special way with our prayers and the kindness of parents who experienced the loss of a child before birth. This is a special day for all parents who have experienced the loss of their child. Millions of parents around the world are asking themselves - maybe once again - why did it happen, why to us? This question, which is difficult to answer, parents ask God, sometimes with resentment or anger. Certainly spoken with great pain and suffering. It takes a long time to find peace of heart and myself after this painful experience "
They were asked that God's love would heal their wounds, and the children were welcomed into the Father's House: “We believe that the power of your cross covers their short life on earth, and that your resurrection opens the gates of Heaven for them. We bless you for everyone who respected the dignity of these children through a funeral worthy of man. We ask you for the parents of each of these children to console them and fill them with your grace. "
Prayer was also given to the conceived children, who today are growing in their mothers' wombs. After the Holy Mass celebrated at 7.00 p.m. in front of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Licheń, the Sorrowful Queen of Poland, parents and relatives of prematurely deceased children had the opportunity to light a light as a sign of their memory and prayer. This custom has been practiced every year in the Licheń basilica since 2018.
"God forgets no one" - he emphasized, commenting on the Friday Gospel, encouraging reflection on life: "Every human life comes from God, because God wanted us to live. We were surrounded by God's love from the very first moments. He will never stop loving us. He will love us forever. This reflection helps us to understand a little bit the situation of children who have passed away from this world. Their lives were very short, but that doesn't mean they were less important or accidental. God also wanted the existence of those children who died before birth. "
“God has called every man to eternity, immortality, life in heaven. It doesn't matter how long he lived on earth, whether he lived for a hundred years or several hours. We are talking about the beginning of human life that begins in silence. God calls a man and for a while no one knows about it. Even a mother, but God knows it from the very first moment of her existence, ”noted the curator.
St. John Paul II: "These children live in God" - reminded Fr. Kumala. - “Their life is endless. They too have been given the gift of immortality, have been called to be happy with God. Although the parents did not see their child's face, they did not recognize him, when their time of life is over and they complete their earthly journey, they find themselves in heaven and recognize their children - this is a mystery we believe in. It cannot be otherwise, ”he said, encouraging them to pray for parents who lost their children.
Highlighting their drama and pain, the priest cited statistics that show about 2 million miscarriages every year. The curator also referred to the situation in one of the European countries where 10% of newborns are subjected to neonatal euthanasia, which, according to doctors, have no hope for a bearable future (as reported by the Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal, citing cases from 2016/2017).
The Day of Remembrance of Unborn and Dead Children has been celebrated in the United States since 1988. Since 2004, on the initiative of the Parents' Organization after Losing and Parents of Sick Children "Why", on October 15, Poland has been celebrating the Lost Children Day. This day also draws attention to parents who often did not have the chance to get to know their offspring and to mourn their loss properly. Every year, up to 40,000 miscarriages occur in Poland. At the Sanctuary in Licheń, there is the Licheń Center for Assistance to Families and Addicted People and the NaProTechnology Clinic, where you can receive spiritual and psychological support.
Text: Sanctuary Press Office
