Ministry offers help for those whose parents are divorced
Resilient. Independent. Unaffected. In the aftermath of divorce, these words are used to describe children; however, they overlook the emotional pain that children of divorce experience. Suddenly torn between two households, children of separated families are often expected to disguise astonished and broken hearts.
Resilient. Independent. Unaffected. In the aftermath of divorce, these words are used to describe children; however, they overlook the emotional pain that children of divorce experience. Suddenly torn between two households, children of separated families are often expected to disguise astonished and broken hearts.
The need to minister to these broken hearts led Dan Meola to start Life-Giving Wounds, a ministry for the adult children of divorced parents as they work to overcome the pain caused by fractured childhood homes.
“There were many ministries and groups for divorcees, but none for the adult children of divorce or separation. This disparity made me and my wife want to start something to fill in the pastoral gap. We were deeply convicted as a couple that if we wanted as a church to do something dramatic and game-changing about the divorce crisis in our country, then we needed to be laser focused on healing the wounds of adult children of divorce or separation,” Meola said.
The need for Life-Giving Wounds’ ministry is greater than ever before. One million children a year experience the divorce of their parents, which often leads to a crisis of faith, he said.
The ministry also seeks to serve struggling adults who have felt alienated from the Catholic Church. Life-Giving Wounds walks people through their pain to the eventual peace and comfort found in Jesus Christ, Meola said.
“We have had conversions to the faith, and major breakthroughs in healing, too — whether that is overcoming an addiction, overcoming suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, depression, reconciliation or a renewed relationship with an estranged parent, overcoming extreme anger and becoming a more peace-filled person, helping marriages struggling and in crisis to thrive again, establishing healthy boundaries in families that allow a person to flourish in their faith, friendships and careers,” he said.
Meola and his ministry team will offer a Life-Giving Wounds retreat July 25-27 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Temple. Brian Egan, director of Cedarbrake, invites adults whose parents divorced when they were children to take advantage of this summer retreat.
“If you or a loved one have been personally affected by the tragedy of divorce, please consider the opportunity for healing that will be offered during this retreat at Cedarbrake,” he said.
For more information or to register for the retreat, visit austindiocese.org/cedarbrake or call (254) 780-2436.
For more information on Life-Giving Wounds, visit lifegivingwounds.org.
Margaret Ellen Jackson is currently a high school student in Austin. She is a parishioner of St. John Neumann Parish in Austin.
