The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
-Lamentations 3:22-23
New Every Morning is a three-day virtual retreat for couples grieving the loss of a child. It’s the first time Patrick and Eileen Tully will be offering a retreat together.
Join us as we look at Lamentations 3, a chapter in the Bible that begins with despair and ends with hope.
The author of Lamentations freely pours out his pain and expresses that it feels as if God is causing his suffering on purpose.
Verses 17 and 18 say,
“My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, ‘Gone is my glory, and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.'”
Can you relate to that, dear friends? We certainly have been there.
The burden of child loss is a heavy one to bear. It can feel like surely God must be punishing us, that He has turned away from us. The grief and pain of it can crush us under their weight. The burden is one that affects every aspect of our lives – spiritual, emotional, and physical. Relationships change, prayer feels hard, and we might not even recognize ourselves as we try to navigate life after loss.
The writer goes on to say in verse 21, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
But how did he get there? And how do we?
Let’s talk together about the pain of miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of a child of any age. We will discuss the ways husbands and wives grieve differently, and the strain it can put on a marriage. We’ll present practical tools for healing that can help us to bear this burden; and an eternal perspective on suffering to remind us that this world is not our home.
Together and in separate breakout sessions, we’ll take a closer look at Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, apply their examples to our own experience of child loss, and ask them for the grace to endure our suffering, deepening our faith, hope, and love of God along the way.
As grieving parents ourselves, we want to accompany you on this path.
How will it work?
Live Presentations
On the first and third day of the retreat, Patrick and Eileen will give a live presentation together via Zoom with lessons from the Scriptures, from the Saints, and from their own experience as grieving parents. On day two, the men and women will meet separately to look at the examples of Saint Joseph and Our Blessed Mother.
Please note that the dates for this retreat have recently changed. It is now June 6-8, 2022.
Monday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET – I have forgotten what happiness is: Real talk about the complexities of grief and the reality of trauma, with practical tools for healing.
Tuesday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET – The Holy Family: Breakout session – the men will meet with Patrick to look to the example of St. Joseph while Eileen meets with the ladies to point to the example of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Wednesday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET – The Lord is good to those who wait for him: Lessons from the Church, from the Saints and from the Scriptures about suffering with an eternal perspective and holding on to hope.
The presentations will be recorded and available for viewing for 30 days after the retreat.
Group Discussion
After each presentation, we will have 30 minutes for group discussion. Participation is optional, but these discussions can be some of the most fruitful times of the retreat.
Sharing our stories with people who understand and learning that we are not alone in our feelings and experiences can bring healing to our hearts in unexpected ways.
The group discussions will not be recorded.
Additional Resources
The materials for the retreat include PDF printables with information for each session, Scripture verses, quotes, helpful resources, and space to take notes.
Each couple will receive a PDF copy of Eileen’s prayer book, Praying with Our Lady of Sorrows: Meditations for grieving mothers, which guides the reader through praying the rosary of the Seven Sorrows.
Additionally, couples will be given access to a Spotify playlist of worshipful, healing songs, while mothers will receive ongoing community support and encouragement in the form of a private online forum, and bi-weekly video calls hosted by Eileen.
All of this is included for a single payment of $79 per couple
A confirmation email will be sent upon registration. Participants will receive an email containing the retreat resources and the Zoom meeting links prior to the retreat’s start date of June 6, 2022.
If you would like to give this retreat to someone else as a gift, or if you have any questions at all, please contact Eileen.
Reviews from past retreat participants:
“I learned so much more how to grieve with an eternal perspective thanks to this wonderful retreat.“
“I finally felt like I was in the presence of someone who wasn’t judging me or trying to fix me. You simply understood because you are living it, and you didn’t ask that we do anything other than be present. THANK YOU.”
“I am blown away by the impact this retreat has had on me.“
“I LOVE the [Praying With] Our Lady of Sorrows booklet!“
“Your openness in sharing your story was very moving and helpful for considering my journey. Loved the art/creative time as well as opportunities to share with the other women.“
“I love the handouts, especially the graphic for grief and how it can manifest in so many different emotions and be all over the place. It’s helpful to understand what trauma is.“
Meet your hosts, Patrick and Eileen Tully
Let’s walk this path together.
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