In the Fall of 2009 we unfortunately found out at 18 weeks that one of our twins did not survive. I had a case of H1N1 a few weeks prior, and it affected one of the babies. Thankfully our remaining child was growing well and was not at any increased risk. We named the son that died Nicholas, and the daughter that lived, Mercy.
I have had 12 babies in 10 pregnancies, but only 6 survived to birth. It can be pretty demoralizing to consider that 50% of the children given to me actually lived long enough to make it into my arms. I have as many children in Heaven as I do on Earth. Is this what being open to life gets you? Sometimes it feels more like a cruel joke.
Read more here: http://catholiclane.com/the-50200-paradox-loving-children-who-die-before-birth/
My comment:
My wife had two still-born children at different times of our marriage of 51 years. I held both of these children in my hand and baptized them myself. I gave them names too, Stephan for the first child and Baby Giglio for the second. Both were given proper burials too, Stephan is buried in a military cemetery on Long Island, and Baby Giglio is buried in a private plot in Florida. I pray to them asking their assistance each day and I look forward to the moment when, I hope, I get to heaven to be with them in God's Kingdom. Yes, I love my two children in heaven just as much as I love my four here on earth! Oh, I love my eight grandchildren (one is on the way) too!
Deacon John
