Dear Kitty, I believe the Holy Spirit has led me to search my inbox & listen to your talk on the advent retreat. Being consumed with taking care of my sister battling cancer I never followed the retreat sessions. My 42-year-old sister passed away on Christmas Day after suffering from cancer for almost 7 years. We have been distraught & there are times my faith seems to fail me & I cannot accept what has happened to her. Thank you so much for reminding me of God’s Grace & Divine Mercy. I prayed Divine Mercy every day with her until the end. I felt so connected to your suffering. I was extremely touched by the story of your dad’s “surrender to God.”  I desperately wanted to “hold” onto my sister forever & never let her go. Perhaps I’ve learned through this message it’s never too late to surrender to a God who loves us unconditionally. May God continue to bless your ministry & your family. Warm greetings, Antoinette

Dear Antoinette, I’m so very sorry for the loss of your sister to cancer. She suffered for so long, and I’m sure you were a great consolation to her, especially with the praying of the Divine Mercy chaplet. What a gift! Of course, we all want to hold on to our loved ones as long as we can, but they do not belong to us–they are only loaned to us for a time. The good news is that for people of faith, all will be restored in the end. I can’t wait to see my dad again! And I’m sure your sister will be waiting with open arms. May Our Lord bless you and console you in your grief, Kitty