Otherworldly Visitations from the Departed

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HashemEchad

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(I didn’t know where to put this, so forgive me if this is the wrong forum.)

Ever since my mother-in-law died, and also my father, I have been wondering about something.

My mother-in-law was a born-again Christian, and a day or so before she died (lung cancer), she was in hospice care at her home…her daughter was taking care of her (also a born-again, and a very huge skeptic also.)

My SIL told me that she was in the kitchen, and she heard her mother talking to someone. When she went in, her mother said, “I was just talking to Grandpa and Grandma Nelson.” My SIL said, “But they’ve been dead for years!” And her mother said, “But they were just here! They told me not to worry, that soon I’d be with them”.

She then died the next day.

In 1999 when my father was about to die, he had a similar experience. I went to the hospital to see him the day before he died, and he told me my grandparents had stopped by to visit him. I told him they had been dead since the 1960s and 1970s, but he said, “Nahh! They were right there, where you’re standing!”

I went out to ask the nurse if he was on any drugs that could be making him hallucinate, and she said no, he wasn’t.

Now, in my MIL’s case, she was on morphine due to the cancer, and I have heard that morphine CAN cause hallucinations like that. Yet my dad also had the same kind of vision, and he was not on anything.

Has anyone else ever had experiences like this?

I became very interested in researching this, and not long ago discovered a lengthy passage in the Zohar (a work of Jewish mysticism), and there is a discussion recorded in there between two rabbis.

One rabbi tells the other than when a person is righteous, God permits their parents to come to them to help prepare them for their passage to the next life. The more I read, detail-wise, the more it sounded like what happened to my MIL and my father.

Any thoughts?
 
I can see no reason why a loving God would not permit such visits. It doesn’t really contradict anything in the Faith. It’s not like the terminally ill person initiated the visit or tried to make contact through a medium or something. I think it’s possible, and actually comforting. Although, one problem might be that if the loved ones (in heaven) are coming to the live person and telling them they will be together soon, that is kind of like judging the person’s soul before God has the chance to. Anyway… I think God permits such visits as a special grace. When my mom’s dad died, she was terrible upset in her grief. One night she turned out the light and went to bed. The lights popped back on. She repeated the turning-off, and again they popped on. She was filled with a sense of peace, and asked her father if he was there. She somehow knew it was him. She sensed him say he was OK. After that, she was at peace with his death. I think that was a little grace from God. 😊
 
Yes!!

Back in October, I was almost 7 months pregnant with twin girls. I wound up having two days of emergency heart/aorta surgery during which one baby died & the other suffered global brain damage. (Frankly it’s a miracle two of us survived at all…) I carried the pregnancy to term & we had another miracle, Jessica survived delivery! (You can read her story here: Baby Jessica. She was a beautiful baby…

But she passed at age 3 months during a hospitalization for a viral infection, a cold that she’d been having a tough time with!, but the doctors weren’t anticipating her sudden downturn that last night. (Fortunately my husband & I were able to be with her in the NICU at all hours, and we slept in the hospital in a parents area.) So we were with her that last night & into the morning when she slipped away.

But the very night before that, I’d had the strangest dream…my own mother had passed suddenly in her sleep only last summer, completely unexpected. But in this dream, I was in my grandfather’s house (it was empty & the walls seemed like they’d been replaced by glowing gauze drapes suspended on posts & there was a really odd light…but I digress…), no one was around but me & Baby Jess in her bouncy seat, which was on the floor near me.

There was a knock on the door - which I thought bizarre since there were no walls but the old white door was there, so I opened it - and it was my mom, with this radiant smile! I tried to give her a huge hug, told her how much I’d missed her, how happy I was to see her…but she gently pulled out of my arms and silently walked past me to Jess, still with that amazing smile. She was bending over the bouncy seat, reaching for Jess…and then I woke up.

And when I woke up, I could still feel Mom’s presence…then it faded. I had no idea at the time what that was about. But the following night/morning explained it all.

I have no doubts that both my girls are in His arms…if they can’t be with us, at least I know Mom’s keeping an eye on them for me, too. And it’s a great comfort to the family, that Mom’s in a good place. It was definitely a gift from a very generous Father.

Shrug. YMMV.
 
(I didn’t know where to put this, so forgive me if this is the wrong forum.)

Ever since my mother-in-law died, and also my father, I have been wondering about something.

My mother-in-law was a born-again Christian, and a day or so before she died (lung cancer), she was in hospice care at her home…her daughter was taking care of her (also a born-again, and a very huge skeptic also.)

My SIL told me that she was in the kitchen, and she heard her mother talking to someone. When she went in, her mother said, “I was just talking to Grandpa and Grandma Nelson.” My SIL said, “But they’ve been dead for years!” And her mother said, “But they were just here! They told me not to worry, that soon I’d be with them”.

She then died the next day.

In 1999 when my father was about to die, he had a similar experience. I went to the hospital to see him the day before he died, and he told me my grandparents had stopped by to visit him. I told him they had been dead since the 1960s and 1970s, but he said, “Nahh! They were right there, where you’re standing!”

I went out to ask the nurse if he was on any drugs that could be making him hallucinate, and she said no, he wasn’t.

Now, in my MIL’s case, she was on morphine due to the cancer, and I have heard that morphine CAN cause hallucinations like that. Yet my dad also had the same kind of vision, and he was not on anything.

Has anyone else ever had experiences like this?

I became very interested in researching this, and not long ago discovered a lengthy passage in the Zohar (a work of Jewish mysticism), and there is a discussion recorded in there between two rabbis.

One rabbi tells the other than when a person is righteous, God permits their parents to come to them to help prepare them for their passage to the next life. The more I read, detail-wise, the more it sounded like what happened to my MIL and my father.

Any thoughts?
Dear Hashem,

I think you are not alone. I have the same experience with my grandma (from my father side). Several days before she passed away, she told us that my grandpa visited her. My grandpa had died several years before. It is interesting that you come from across the ocean, and from diferent culture and belief has the same experience. My grandma was more a Confucianism rather than a Buddhist.
 
When she went in, her mother said, “I was just talking to Grandpa and Grandma Nelson.” My SIL said, “But they’ve been dead for years!” And her mother said, “But they were just here! They told me not to worry, that soon I’d be with them”.

This is a not uncommon phenomenon. Various explanations have been given. I don’t presume to know why God allows it.
 
(I didn’t know where to put this, so forgive me if this is the wrong forum.)

Ever since my mother-in-law died, and also my father, I have been wondering about something.

My mother-in-law was a born-again Christian, and a day or so before she died (lung cancer), she was in hospice care at her home…her daughter was taking care of her (also a born-again, and a very huge skeptic also.)

My SIL told me that she was in the kitchen, and she heard her mother talking to someone. When she went in, her mother said, “I was just talking to Grandpa and Grandma Nelson.” My SIL said, “But they’ve been dead for years!” And her mother said, “But they were just here! They told me not to worry, that soon I’d be with them”.

She then died the next day.

In 1999 when my father was about to die, he had a similar experience. I went to the hospital to see him the day before he died, and he told me my grandparents had stopped by to visit him. I told him they had been dead since the 1960s and 1970s, but he said, “Nahh! They were right there, where you’re standing!”

I went out to ask the nurse if he was on any drugs that could be making him hallucinate, and she said no, he wasn’t.

Now, in my MIL’s case, she was on morphine due to the cancer, and I have heard that morphine CAN cause hallucinations like that. Yet my dad also had the same kind of vision, and he was not on anything.

Has anyone else ever had experiences like this?

I became very interested in researching this, and not long ago discovered a lengthy passage in the Zohar (a work of Jewish mysticism), and there is a discussion recorded in there between two rabbis.

One rabbi tells the other than when a person is righteous, God permits their parents to come to them to help prepare them for their passage to the next life. The more I read, detail-wise, the more it sounded like what happened to my MIL and my father.

Any thoughts?
My thought is that you want to convince us that in spite of rejecting Jesus (Jews), you still can be righteous in the eyes of God.
My answer is - no.
 
Simple Answer: Communion of Saints

Those is heaven are aware of us on earth. Why could God not allow them to visit under certain, limited circumstances?

Both of my great uncles were visited by my decesed grandfather before they died. Could it be ramblings of an over-active Italian memory? YEs, but it could have been God’s doing as well.
 
This reminds me of something that happened to me a few months ago. I always shut off all the lights before going to bed (duh), but I woke up in the middle of the night and my living room lamp was on and visible from my bedroom. I was fairly freaked out 😉 I was telling it to my BIL, he says whenever things that that happen to my sister she says it’s my mom saying hello (died 2002) 🙂
 
Fascinating subject! I know of several folks who have had simular experiences as these. And I’ve had a few myself with 2 of my grandparents. It’s very comforting. If anyone has ever read “90 Minutes In Heaven”, it’s written by Baptist minister(I think he’s Baptist), anyway, whether you agree with Baptists or not, it’s a very interesting book, and I think it touches on a simular subject. Anyway, thanks for sharing these experiences, I love reading them.
 
Yes!!

Back in October, I was almost 7 months pregnant with twin girls. I wound up having two days of emergency heart/aorta surgery during which one baby died & the other suffered global brain damage. (Frankly it’s a miracle two of us survived at all…) I carried the pregnancy to term & we had another miracle, Jessica survived delivery! (You can read her story here: Baby Jessica. She was a beautiful baby…

But she passed at age 3 months during a hospitalization for a viral infection, a cold that she’d been having a tough time with!, but the doctors weren’t anticipating her sudden downturn that last night. (Fortunately my husband & I were able to be with her in the NICU at all hours, and we slept in the hospital in a parents area.) So we were with her that last night & into the morning when she slipped away.

But the very night before that, I’d had the strangest dream…my own mother had passed suddenly in her sleep only last summer, completely unexpected. But in this dream, I was in my grandfather’s house (it was empty & the walls seemed like they’d been replaced by glowing gauze drapes suspended on posts & there was a really odd light…but I digress…), no one was around but me & Baby Jess in her bouncy seat, which was on the floor near me.

There was a knock on the door - which I thought bizarre since there were no walls but the old white door was there, so I opened it - and it was my mom, with this radiant smile! I tried to give her a huge hug, told her how much I’d missed her, how happy I was to see her…but she gently pulled out of my arms and silently walked past me to Jess, still with that amazing smile. She was bending over the bouncy seat, reaching for Jess…and then I woke up.

And when I woke up, I could still feel Mom’s presence…then it faded. I had no idea at the time what that was about. But the following night/morning explained it all.

I have no doubts that both my girls are in His arms…if they can’t be with us, at least I know Mom’s keeping an eye on them for me, too. And it’s a great comfort to the family, that Mom’s in a good place. It was definitely a gift from a very generous Father.

Shrug. YMMV.
You have been through so much! You must be a very strong woman. I have said a prayer for you and your family. I am glad that you have been able to find peace in this situation. I do think God allowed you this grace. I see that you are a new member- welcome! I hope you find good fellowship on these boards! Judie
 
My thought is that you want to convince us that in spite of rejecting Jesus (Jews), you still can be righteous in the eyes of God.
My answer is - no.
OUCH! This seems to be a very uncharitable thing to say. This is the “Non-Catholic” board, after all. Our Church does say something about God’s special relationship and covenent with the Jews.
 
I have no doubt that your MIL experienced what she said. As Raphinal suggested in the Christian tradition we call this the Communion of Saints. The Righteous are still with us and part of us and they see and can be involved in our lives. It seems to me logical that they would comfort the dying, or those left behind. While we of Faith have strong belief in the afterlife death can still be a mystery to us.

You’ve been through a lot lately stay strong and our prayers are with you and your family.
 
My thought is that you want to convince us that in spite of rejecting Jesus (Jews), you still can be righteous in the eyes of God.
My answer is - no.
It is for God not us to judge the worthiness and fate of souls.
 
Several of my Knights of Columbus friends had a similar experience.

One of our PGK (past grand knights), Dale, had passed away a year before. His best firend, Don, was in the hospital talking with another PGK, Joe, when he said, " I spoke with Dale this morning". And Joe says, you know Dale died last year. Very calmly, Don says, “yes I know. Dale says everything is just as they say it is” . Don passed away that evening.

I think God wants to make our transition as easy as possible. If sending a loved one or dear friend can ease the fear, I think He allows that. There are often stories of folks seeing their departed loved ones at the bedside or just before dying. Some doctors would say its just a delusion, but it just happens too often and it fits with an an all merciful and loving God that He would allow such things.
 
I don’t recollect any conversations with dead people, but I do remember that at a commemoration Mass for my younger sister who had passed away 9 days before in a bus accident in Ivory Coast during the elevation of the chalice, I had my eyes closed and I saw somebody in the first row, she was white, with a veil and a “crown of flowers” on her head, all white. It reminded me of what Francine wore on her head at First Communion… so I was quite sure it was her!
(Francine converted to the Baha’i Faith a year before her marriage in 1981 and died in 1988. She was buried in a cemetery in Bouake, Ivory Coast. She remained a Baha’i, from what I understand, to the end, and even though I spent some time in psychiatry at the time of her conversion, I always felt I was in part instrumental and was sorry. Maybe even without any (name removed by moderator)ut of mine she might have converted anyway, but I don’t have a way of knowing it! I asked her once why she converted, because then I was more sure of my Catholic faith and I had come to know I would remain a Catholic… I soon told her reproaches. And she answered me back after a while where she remained silent. And she also gave me reproaches. Then I realized what i was doing and was sorry. And then she realized what she was doing and was sorry. And we reconciled. And we wrote many more letters to each other. No matter what, we would remain brother and sister.)
Is it because there was a remaining question about her that I happened to have seen her during that mass for her? Maybe.
God bless you all!
 
My thought is that you want to convince us that in spite of rejecting Jesus (Jews), you still can be righteous in the eyes of God.
My answer is - no.
I find this to be rather uncharitable and cold.

Not to mention incorrect.

Let us try to remain charitable on this and all other threads. Especially when someone is talking about the death of a loved one.
 
OUCH! This seems to be a very uncharitable thing to say. This is the “Non-Catholic” board, after all. Our Church does say something about God’s special relationship and covenent with the Jews.
The poster you replied to has often posted antisemitic comments like that in other threads. Best thing is to probably just ignore them. Sad that people need to be like that.

They seem perturbed that non-Catholics can also have a personal relationship with God.
 
A woman who used to work for me was widowed when she & her husband were both 40. He had cancer, and had been in a deep coma for 2 days prior to his death. He was in a bed in the living room, with someone with him 24/7 just in case he began to die and his wife was napping or whatnot.

After being completely unresponsive for 2 day; no response to pain or sound, he sat bolt upright in bed. He was surrounded by his family, but he didn’t seem to see them. He was looking “beyond” them, his wife would say. She said his face just glowed with joy, a huge smile came over his face, and then he died.

She said whatever he saw must have been extremely beautiful, based on his expression.
 
The poster you replied to has often posted antisemitic comments like that in other threads. Best thing is to probably just ignore them. Sad that people need to be like that.

They seem perturbed that non-Catholics can also have a personal relationship with God.
I just hate to leave those statements hanging out there, uncontested. It makes it seem that all Catholics agree or support those views. It’s the mom in me that wants everyone to be nice to one another!
 
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