A mother’s pain knows no bounds when she loses a child, and in a deeply moving exchange, Pope Francis offered a heartfelt response to one such mother’s sorrowful letter. Each month, the magazine "Piazza San Pietr" publishes letters addressed to Pope Francis and his replies. This month’s edition featured a letter from Cinzia, a grieving mother who lost her 21-year-old son in a car accident in 2019.
In her letter, Cinzia shared the immense pain and sorrow that she and her husband experienced after their son’s sudden passing. She spoke of the crisis of faith that followed and how, despite struggling with profound grief, she eventually found her way back to her faith on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception that same year. However, her husband remained distant from his faith, still unable to reconcile with their loss.
To honor their son’s memory, the couple started a foundation in his name and devoted their time to volunteering with the Red Cross. Yet, despite these efforts, questions weighed heavily on Cinzia’s heart. She sought answers from Pope Francis, asking why God had not saved her son, whether he was in Heaven, and if he could be their family’s Guardian Angel.
In his response, Pope Francis acknowledged the depth of Cinzia’s pain, writing that there are no words—“not even comforting ones, despite the best intentions”—that can truly console a parent who has lost a child. He noted how the world has terms for a wife who loses her husband, a husband who loses his wife, and a child who loses their parents, yet there is no word to describe a parent’s loss of a child.
Before addressing her questions, Pope encouraged her to always seek the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God. He reflected on a prayer that invokes Mary’s comfort for mothers grieving children who “left home one day and never returned.”
Pope Francis admitted that there are no complete answers to the mystery of innocent suffering, but he reassured Cinzia that Mary walks alongside every broken heart. Drawing from the words of St. John Paul II, he offered a message of hope, reminding her that “there is no evil from which God cannot bring about a greater good.”
Pope’s letter serves as a reminder of the power of faith, even in the face of profound suffering. While grief may never fully fade, his words encourage trust in God’s greater plan and the comfort of Mary’s presence. For those who have experienced loss, his response offers not just sympathy but a path toward healing and hope.