Originally published at The Crux
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CHICAGO — Father Charles Rubey recalls the moment when he realized Catholic priests needed to do a better job supporting families of those who died by suicide.
Two women told Rubey they had asked their parish priest to pray for family members who had killed themselves. At that time, the Catholic Church banned funeral rites and burial on consecrated grounds for those who died by suicide. Rubey says the women told him: “the first thing out of the priest’s mouth was: ‘Well, you know, your loved one is in hell.’”
But Rubey disagreed with the damning judgment. Seeking to ease the pain, he reassured them: “They’re with God!”
It was a turning point for Rubey. He began blessing bridges, railroad tracks and basements where people had taken their lives, and in 1979 founded the LOSS Program (“Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide”), a counseling and support service run by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. At 86, this ministry remains an important part of his life.
The Chicago archdiocese recognized Rubey’s work this year by dedicating in his honor a memorial to the lives lost to suicide and their surviving families. The archdiocese says the “At Peace” memorial
