Today, August 27, 2016, Ken was welcomed home into the loving arms of God.
Below is part of a poem by John O'Donohue which might be of some comfort.
Below is part of a poem by John O'Donohue which might be of some comfort.
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When you lose someone you love,
Your life becomes strange, The ground beneath you becomes fragile, Your thoughts make your eyes unsure; And some dead echo drags your voice down Where words have no confidence Your heart has grown heavy with loss; And though this loss has wounded others too, No one knows what has been taken from you When the silence of absence deepens. |
Gradually, you will learn acquaintance
With the invisible form of your departed; And when the work of grief is done, The wound of loss will heal And you will have learned To wean your eyes From that gap in the air And be able to enter the hearth In your soul where your loved one Has awaited your return All the time. |
"Walking Ken Home"
The NOVA Community was saddened when we received Ken's message that he would be entering hospice care. In his email he said:
"I ask for your prayers and continued friendship. I am at home and hope to remain there. Visitors are welcome most any time. We can talk about everything or nothing. Come if you have something to say or nothing to say. Come if you want to read to me out loud or even sing a new song. Come if you have an empty hand... I may need one to hold." We were all deeply moved by his message. We are praying, visiting, singing and "walking home with him" At liturgy the community sent a blessing and sang to him delivered to him by video! - videos below.
Scroll down for NOVAtones and Ken's Holy Thursday planning group visit.
Keep Ken and his family in your prayers...
"I ask for your prayers and continued friendship. I am at home and hope to remain there. Visitors are welcome most any time. We can talk about everything or nothing. Come if you have something to say or nothing to say. Come if you want to read to me out loud or even sing a new song. Come if you have an empty hand... I may need one to hold." We were all deeply moved by his message. We are praying, visiting, singing and "walking home with him" At liturgy the community sent a blessing and sang to him delivered to him by video! - videos below.
Scroll down for NOVAtones and Ken's Holy Thursday planning group visit.
Keep Ken and his family in your prayers...
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The NOVAtones went to Ken's home where his daughter, Katie, son in law Steffin, and granddaughter Mary Cate are caring for him, comforting him and walking this walk with him too. They sang Amazing Grace.
The Holy Thursday NOVA planning group, (Ken has been a part of this group for many years), gathered at his home with Fr. Quinn for prayers, blessing and eucharist. Cathy Showalter (with photos from Dianne Carroll) created a blessing blanket for Ken to surround him with warmth, love and comfort. Ken was so emotionally moved by this gift - tears flowed from all gathered. NOVA visitors who came next said he told the story of the visit and the blessing blanket with more tears - they described this as: "a mixture of the joy of being known and loved that deeply and a new belief that he is worthy of such love and attention - his heart and being opened up in a truly astonishing way".
The HT group shared this litany of prayer with him before the eucharist:
As you are held in the loving embrace of family and friends…I am with you.
And when you feel utterly alone…I am with you.
As the clarity of light befriends you…I am with you.
And when fear and confusion arrive unbidden…I am with you.
As you welcome the solace of rest and sleep…I am with you.
And when sleep becomes impossible…I am with you.
As moments feel alive with my presence…I am with you.
And when I am nowhere to be found…I am with you.
As the melody comes easily and the song feels effortless…I am with you.
And when you can’t find the note…I am with you.
As the earth beneath you holds firm and steady…I am with you.
And when the ground gives way to awful tremors…I am with you.
The HT group shared this litany of prayer with him before the eucharist:
As you are held in the loving embrace of family and friends…I am with you.
And when you feel utterly alone…I am with you.
As the clarity of light befriends you…I am with you.
And when fear and confusion arrive unbidden…I am with you.
As you welcome the solace of rest and sleep…I am with you.
And when sleep becomes impossible…I am with you.
As moments feel alive with my presence…I am with you.
And when I am nowhere to be found…I am with you.
As the melody comes easily and the song feels effortless…I am with you.
And when you can’t find the note…I am with you.
As the earth beneath you holds firm and steady…I am with you.
And when the ground gives way to awful tremors…I am with you.
Another blessing that has been shared by several NOVA folks with Ken - When Rosemarie visited she wrote: He wanted to read aloud an absolutely lovely piece he keeps close at hand by John Donahue that Phyllis had brought him from a book called Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom.
“Beannacht / Blessing
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.
“Beannacht / Blessing
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.
