SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Losing someone to suicide brings silence and pain for many families. A local mass held on Sunday is giving people a place to grieve and to heal.
At the Cathedral of Saint Peter, the mass for suicide healing and remembrance brought people together for the third year in a row.
The service offers prayer, comfort, and community for those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
"It's really vital for the church to speak to the reality of where our people are, and many of them are burdened with suicide by family members and loved ones," Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph Bambera told 28/22 News.
Part of this mass includes placing flowers in memory of those lost.
For many, that simple act helps them open up, year after year, and remember they are not alone.
Among them is Alicia Batistasoba of Albrightsville, who lost her husband to suicide two years ago.
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"People may be suffering in silence, and it takes people by surprise, but as people talk more about it, I guess it would be less," Batistasoba explained.
For others, this service is about finding peace and reassurance after devastating loss.
"When I lost my daughter, one of the first things I did was to visit a priest. And he said to me, 'Your daughter is in heaven. Please have no worries,'" Moscow resident Betsy Lewis said.
Church leaders say the message is clear: Grief is real, healing is possible, and no one has to walk alone.
"When we lose a loved one, Jesus teaches us that we are not alone with our grief, and that there is comfort and hope beyond the sorrow of death," Divine Mercy Parish Deacon Martin Castaldi
For families, a day of tears, remembrance, and hope. Organizers say the mass will continue each year as a place of healing.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
