On the road to Emmaus, Christ journeyed with two disciples who felt lost, confused, defeated, and burdened by grief.

They were processing the tragic loss of a leader, a teacher, and a friend.

It is no wonder that they needed the comfort offered by Our Lord after such a painful, life-changing experience.  

Parents who have lost a child, like the disciples walking to Emmaus, are changed and trying to make sense of a world now bereft of someone precious.

There are few things a human can experience that are quite as tragic as the loss of a child.

But Scripture tells us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and Christ wants to accompany those journeying through grief.  

Attending an Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents Retreat is an excellent way to encounter Christ, even in the midst of grief.  

Finding healing

The Emmaus Ministry was founded in Boston in 2009 by Charles and Diane Monaghan after they lost their son, Paul, to suicide in 2002.

Since its founding, the Emmaus Ministry has spread to 26 states as well as to Canada and Ireland.

There have previously been three Emmaus Retreats held in the Diocese of Madison.  

I first attended an Emmaus Retreat hosted at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Madison in March of 2023.

Since losing my unborn son four years earlier in 2019, I had sadly noticed the lack of opportunities to process grief in a supportive setting.

Our culture expects us to quickly move on and not dwell on a loss, but the grief does not disperse despite those expectations.  

At the Emmaus Retreat, I didn’t find any expectations of how I should be reacting.

There were no steps to follow to “get over” my grief.

There was welcome, understanding, and acceptance.

It was touching to be able to interact with other parents who understood what I was going through in a safe and calm setting.  

I was honored to be able to share my story of loss at a second Emmaus Retreat hosted at St. Thomas Aquinas Church last year.

This was a wonderfully rewarding experience.  

A spiritual event

An Emmaus Retreat is a single-day spiritual event that delves into the Catholic Church’s teachings on death, loss, and God’s presence in difficult situations.

The retreat is open to mothers and fathers of all religious traditions who have lost children of any age due to any circumstances.  

Compassionately ministering to the spiritual needs of grieving parents is the focus of Emmaus Ministry.

An Emmaus Retreat is not a workshop, a seminar, or a support group.

It is a time to find peace and contemplate the reality that lost children are eternal souls in the care of Our Lord.  

The retreat will includes music, prayer, group discussions, personal witnesses from parents who have lost children, and time for reflection.

Participation in each session of the retreat is optional for all those attending.

Both lunch and dinner are provided.

There are opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to attend Mass.  

The spring 2026 Emmaus Ministry retreat will be held on Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Augustine Church, 280 Haberdale Dr., Footville.