SHAP Testimonials

This retreat really brought my husband and me closer together. After our third pregnancy loss, we didn’t know how to reconnect or grieve together. This retreat helped us work through the grieving process as a couple.

We very much enjoyed the Holy Hour at the Chapel this past weekend. It gave us a chance as a family (my husband and my two living children, ages 10 and 8) to come together and say prayers, find healing, and remember our third child, Gregory, who was born sleeping on 6/20/14. There have been rare times when we can come together as a family and be invited into Christ’s presence while we remember and celebrate Gregory’s life and those of other children who have died.

We all enjoyed the rosary so very much, and it was very meaningful to place candles near Gregory’s brick and to place our candles close to the Eucharist. My husband was especially touched by the reverence that the monstrance was handled with — and to sing part of the hour — it was very moving. We liked the open air Chapel there, as it brought nature into our midst and helped us connect with God.

I think one of my favorite parts was the realization, as I looked up at Christ, that my son continues to be the reason why we return to Christ — why we seek His face in the midst of our sadness — and that my son’s brief life is a testament to the power of one human soul and how, even though he never took a breath, God used his life to touch ours so deeply — Gregory’s life and death has brought us closer to God. I loved smelling the frankincense that was burned during the Holy Hour on Sunday, as it helped connect me to the sights and smells of my own adult baptism, when I converted to the faith 16+ years ago. Smelling the incense always gives me a sense of peace and reminds me of God’s promises. I can always clearly envision our prayers rising to heaven when I see the frankincense smoke billowing upward…

Thank you again to everyone who was a part of this beautiful night. We hope that it will continue as an annual tradition as we’d like to keep coming back as a family…

It was comforting to spend time with other couples facing the same struggles and who truly understand what we are feeling. I left the retreat with a renewed sense of peace and hope in God’s plan for my future.

I did not really want to go on the retreat — well, I guess I did and I didn’t. We wanted to have a child, but I was afraid I would hear something I did not want to hear. The first half of the retreat was difficult for me because as the doctors described the various reasons for infertility included endometriosis, I saw how it was decreasing our chance of conceiving. I felt angry, that my body would betray me in this way, that I did not know sooner, that I was having such a difficult time when my friends and family seemed to have it so easy.

During the second half of the retreat, however, I discovered that I was not alone in this anger and frustration. I heard other people’s stories of sadness and loss. I realized that while we did not have a child we were blessed to have our family’s support, that we had only been undergoing our difficulties for a short while in comparison with couples who had endured heartbreak and disappointment for years. It was nice to vent with the other women, to hear I was not the only one who felt angry when I saw new baby photos or pregnant women, even when these people had not harmed me in any way. It meant a lot to know that my feelings were normal and that other people felt the same way and struggled with the same issues. The reconciliation and healing Mass were especially helpful because they allowed me to vent my frustrations to God and receive healing, both through the Sacrament and the blessing of our marriage.

We are still not pregnant, but this retreat helped us make a plan of how to proceed instead of merely feeling lost and confused. It strengthened our marriage and, hopefully, will help me to put my faith and trust back in God.

When we first heard about the Sarah’s Hope & Abraham’s Promise Couple’s Retreat, we really weren’t sure exactly what to expect. All we knew is that there would be other couples like us having the same painful difficulties.
When we got there, we immediately felt the love and caring experience that we would so gratefully feel that day.
It just felt right sharing and discussing with the other couples that we had met. We left with so much more faith and love that had filled our hearts.

Any Catholic couple struggling with infertility could greatly benefit from the Sarah’s Hope & Abraham’s Promise Couples Retreat. It provided me with education of fertility and Catholic Church teachings, spiritual guidance, and a healing prayer service for me and my wife.

The service was beautiful. I knew I would cry at some point, but I didn’t know what the trigger would be. I think seeing people of all ages coupled up, not coupled up, and all being there to support those who are suffering made me feel like I wasn’t alone. I am a 40-year-old single woman who has never been married. Yet I yearn to be because I have wanted children all my life through the covenant of marriage. I thought I would feel alone at the prayer service, but seeing old people, priests, and others sitting by themselves made me feel like part of a larger group. I cried when I prayed to the Lord asking him to give all the couples at the service the courage to be brave during a confusing, uncertain time. I cried because I know exactly how painful it is to be in their shoes. I cried because the service brought out a level of compassion I didn’t know existed in me. The service was beautiful.

The whole time I was there I couldn’t stop shaking, and when me and my husband went to the front for the prayer I was shaking even more and my heart was beating extremely fast. I don’t know what it was, but it was so special. We have our faith put in God’s hands.

Almost immediately upon entering the church, I felt a powerful, welcoming warmth. I knew that the Holy Spirit was very present there, reaching out with love and compassion for those who are weary and suffering. Thanks to all those who made this event [Future Full of Hope Infertility Prayer Service] possible. May it continue to heal heart, mind, and body!

Usually when we get the Catholic Spirit, I set it aside with every intention of reading it. Life usually happens and I never get around to it. It was a blessing that one night I was drawn to read the Catholic Spirit. The information about this service was in that issue, and I was interested in it so I added it to my Google calendar and moved on. I actually had forgotten about it. I’m so thankful for the reminders I set because I feel the service was exactly what I needed. It really showed me that we need all the support we can get during this journey.

It’s been nearly 14 years since my daughter was born. She followed three miscarriages and preceded another. However, those years of loss made her high risk pregnancy perhaps the most precious experience of my life. My mother, a retired nurse, was directly involved in our care, and we were blessed to watch our daughter grow in sonograms every other week from a six-week heartbeat and even more frequent as we approached her birth. Those six or so years of loss lead me to a much deeper faith. I learned to listen for God’s will for my life very much on my own. We were not close to family until my pregnancy with Madison. We can’t always see the miracles that God is working in our lives when we are in the midst of a trial and not getting what we think we need. And in fact, that precious time of my pregnancy has now extended throughout her life! He taught me that she is His, as I am His, and my approach to raising her is completely different as a result. I’m here to orient her life to love and to lead her back to Him. Your prayer service opened the door to extend that healing and knowledge of God’s love for us to everyone who opened their hearts to join you in it. I am certain that He is well pleased with your gift.

It was such a beautiful service [2016 Future Full of Hope Prayer Service: According to Thy Word]!!!! I could feel Jesus’ presence there filling the room with such peace and hope!! I could see a mist in the air as the priest anointed the couples with holy oil. I believe this to be the Holy Spirit. I’ve seen it a few times. I’ve only felt ‘Jesus’ a handful of times in Mass, and last night I could feel him there. 🙂 Thank you for your ministry and listening to your calling in creating the Rabboni Institute for healing!!! May God continue to bless you and your service to others.

We would encourage anyone who is going through infertility issues or any family members or friend of anyone who is going thru this to attend the prayer service. We attended last year to pray for my daughter and son-in-law, and our grandbaby is due Divine Mercy Sunday this year! Although we don’t know God’s plan, praying always helps.

I loved the theme “A Future Full of Hope” because I felt more hope and comfort in the great plans that God has for me and my husband through the prayer service. Jeremiah 29:11 truly gives me that hope for God’s plans. I cried tears of gratitude as I was prayed over by Fr. Bud and Bishop Joe, and I asked God to help me to continue trusting Him and to remain faithful to Him, wherever my journey may go. Thank you for the opportunity to pray with and to unite my prayers with brothers and sisters who are struggling with infertility.

The Infertility Prayer Service we attended was a real turning point for us as we suffered a miscarriage a month prior after struggling to conceive for over five years. We are happy to announce that we are currently expecting a little boy in March 2018. We feel very blessed to have such a wonderful ministry in our own diocese.

We came to the [2018 Adoption Celebration] Mass wondering if we were supposed to adopt. Upon hearing the homily on becoming co-comforters with God, we felt such peace about moving forward with the process.

This needs to be in every Parish in every city. It was so special to feel celebrated by the community.

The 2018 Adoption Healing Mass gave us hope about healing for the birth family, us, and our adopted child.

It was wonderful to meet a number of wonderful people at the Adoption Celebration Mass whom I had no idea have been involved in adoption.

The Adoption Celebration Mass was very nice. My friend I brought was 95 years old and was adopted the day he was born — he loved the Mass.