A mother who lost one of her sons to suicide partnered with her priest to offer a way for people with similar circumstances to remember their loved one.
Denise Short and the Rev. William Novak came together to offer the first Mass of Remembrance at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in 2017, and the service has become an annual event. The ninth annual Mass of Remembrance is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 12 at the church, 1901 NW 18, where the church’s current pastor, the Rev. John Paul Lewis, will preside.
Short said the Mass is offered during Suicide Prevention Month, which is observed annually in September. In 2025, national and international events will take place to raise awareness, combat stigma and provide resources for those affected by suicide. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) has established “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” as the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10.
Short said St. Francis of Assisi’s’s Hope & Healing Suicide Loss Group will welcome people of all faiths who have experienced the loss of someone to suicide to the Mass, where they are invited to pray for and offer support to families and friends. She said attendees are encouraged to arrive between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m. to carry a candle to the altar before the service begins.
A reception will be held in the church’s parish hall after Mass.
Short said she began thinking about how to offer a Mass of Remembrance after her son Dean died by suicide in 2014. She said she was thankful that Novak embraced the idea and the first Mass was held in 2017 at St. Francis.
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She said the Hope & Healing Suicide Loss Group has asked Mass of Remembrance attendees to provide feedback about the service and one of the aspects of the Mass that is mentioned is the candles that participants may carry to the altar as a way to honor and remember their deceased loved one.
She said people have also said they like the music offered at the service and the homily from a caring individual.
“We were touched by that,” Short said.
Many of them have said they were “glad they had a place to remember and pray for their loved ones,” she said.
“It’s meant to be a positive event, not a sad event.”
Service of Remembrance
Where: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 1901 NW 18.
How to get help
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, dial 988 to reach the 988 Lifeline or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Francis of Assisi Church OKC special mass for those affected by suicide