Deacon dies, wife comits suicide

[Mag_Uidhir]

I am more upset that those closest to her did nothing to stop her than I am at her actions. To me it is so sad that it ended this way, but totally preventable.

If some people are determined to kill themselves they will, you can’t keep an eye on someone 24/7

I’ve had some loved ones kill themselves, I just pray for their souls and leave the judging up to God.

Yes yes we get angry, we beat ourselves up, but in the end all the whys, ifs and buts in the world won’t bring them back, just let them RIP, and pray for mercy for their souls.

 

[YinYangMom]

To me it is so sad that it ended this way, but totally preventable.

Suicide is not totally preventable at all.
It is quite difficult to circumvent.
Please don’t be angry with anyone in the situation.
Irritated by the woman who called to gossip, easy enough, but pray that this brings her back to church. Maybe she’ll come for the gossip and the looky-loo rush and get a strong dose of grace while she’s at it and experience a reversion.

As for the woman saying she’d kill herself for two years.
Saying it is one thing. Carrying out the act is another.
Many long married couples speak of the sadness and
desire to not outlive the other, but only those suffering
from depression can actually go through with it. And
when it comes to depression…

Obviously this woman has been dealing with that for some time, possibly all her life. He may have been her lifeline all these years - the only thing keeping her from having committed suicide earlier. Add to her depression the fact that her life-line was in ICU all this time. For any of us, that is such a stressful, near-exhausting experience.

The woman was distraught and in pain. Do pray for her soul and
don’t be so quick to be angry with her. You do not know or understand anything she endured.

 

[YinYangMom]

Why are we so wishy-washy in dealing with the sin of suicide?

Is it not a mortal sin?

“But people who commit suicide are not in their right mind and therefore do not have full consent of the will,” is the reasoning I so often hear.

Can’t the same be said for most homicides?

People say that about suicide because of the Catechism(emphasis, mine):

2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

As for intentional and unintentional homicide, the catechism is most clear, however, much weighs upon that key word: intent.

Both are sins, most certainly, but only God knows the heart of a murderer and/or a suicide victim. We must trust in His judgement, and in the meantime pray for all involved in either situation.

 

[jmj603]

Ask a priest if he is a certified counselor…I can definitely bet that 95% will admit that they are not.

All priests who have faculties to preach and hear confessions are certified to give counsel. They have been certified by their bishop or superior.

If a large number of people are overcome by emotion and faint at the funeral, then perhaps the Church can employ doctors or nurses to assist. But the fundamental mission of getting the parish to come to terms with this horrible event, the apparent suicide of a diaconessa, is a spiritual one.

In my parish, we have a professional psychologist handling sophisticated cases.

Catholic psychology is in its earliest stages and is still controversial. Unless your psychologist is one of the few with a degree from IPS, I would be very wary. The profession is rife with occult influence. Lay vocations to serve as Catholic psychologists are needed.

In any event, as you say, these are for “sophisticated cases”. This doesn’t seem like a sophisticated case.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Thank you for helping me find the perspective I was looking for. I am more upset that those closest to her did nothing to stop her than I am at her actions. To me it is so sad that it ended this way, but totally preventable.

Well, I am not so sure the family is that culpable in this. When I was in my 40’s I experienced a depression so severe that it led to my hospitalization for a week. I was unaware that depression was the problem, and I am a nurse. My family did not recognize it either, until I had a breakdown, more or less out of the blue. Most people are uneducated when it comes to the symptoms of depression, and don’t take threats of suicide seriously, because they don’t how serious a suicide threat really is. As for me, I was rationalizing my symptoms, which were largely physical. I was telling myself that I was tired because I was working too hard, or I couldn’t sleep at night because I had too many things on my mind, or my 17 pound weight loss was due to stress from the new job I had started and really did not like. A clinical depression really did not occur to me, and it did not occur to me to go to the doctor about my weight loss, insomnia, and tiredness. I must have been in denial, I don’t know. So I think it is highly likely that, out of lack of education, that the family just did not realize the seriousness of the problem, and I have found out that most people don’t. I think they are probably feeling a lot of guilt right now, and need lots of prayers and support.