“๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐’๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐. ๐จ๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ด๐๐.”
๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ด๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ด๐๐, ๐ฑ๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐
I still look up to my Dad today as much as I did back in May of 1967 when a photo of us was taken at my Confirmation in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Ridgewood, NJ. A decorated Marine, Dad was from that special era of heroes that Tom Brokaw coined “The Greatest Generation”. A quiet man, selfless to the core who lost his Mom at the age of 2, his own Dad at 10, and then suffered the unexpected loss of his first-born son at the age of 19 when Dad was just 46 years old. With no manual on how to become the great Dad that he was to each of us, he and our Mom gave us everything they never had and in that fully lived experience, Dad became the best version of himself that God always wanted him to be.
Although God called Dad home 13 years ago, I take great comfort in knowing that my strong faith offers the promise of a happy reunion much like the captivating scene described in St. Markโs Parable of the Prodigal Son where the Father canโt wait to welcome back his son after a long hiatus. What a blessing indeed when that moment comes for our reunion and to have my Dad in my life for 56 years and to witness his own son’s blessing of becoming a father to three children of his own.
Whether you are in the first year of grieving the loss of your Dad or are like me, several years removed from his passing, Fatherโs Day can be one of the more difficult days to navigate in our personal calendar of grief. Please know that there are tremendous resources available to you for grief coaching and bereavement support so please feel free to reach out to me at any time if you need a safe harbor to share what you are going through. #griefandloss #griefsupport #griefrecovery #spiritualcoaching #bereavementministry
There are many great songs that honor our Fathers but my favorite one is a beautiful song called “The Old Man” (especially the John McDermott version below) that I first heard about 10 years ago at one of our Menโs Prayer Group breakfasts that we used to hold at Kellyโs Tavern in Neptune. Itโs an old Irish tune written by Phil Coulter and one that truly honors all fathers — past, present, and yet to be โ and a timely reminder of just how precious the gift of fatherhood really is.
Wishing my fellow parishioners, friends, clients, and coaches a very Happy Fatherโs Day, Dr. K ๐๐ผโค๏ธ๐
