Photo courtesy of the Schmiedicke Family
There was a tragedy over the weekend. Joshua Schmiedicke, son of author Regina Doman and her husband Andrew Schmiedicke, died from injuries sustained in an auto accident last Saturday evening. He was four years old. Obviously the parents are devastated, and his five brothers and sisters will be lost without him.
I had an uncle on my mom's side who had a farm. It was shortly before I was born that his little glrl was playing near the barn. My uncle was backing up the tractor and didn't see her. He was never the same after that happened. I thought about him, and the cousin I never knew, throughout the day yesterday, when I wasn't thinking about Joshua.
We ask ourselves why God allows these things, and the answer is... that there is no answer. Not in this life anyway. But when childless couples tell me they would never want to bring a child into this world the way it is today, I remind them that the world has always been this way. I also argue that the way of the world is precisely the reason that the Almighty gives us one more chance, with every child that is born. But as he is laid to rest in the Blue Ridge tomorrow, Heaven will greet a new angel, and a family will have its own patron saint. Maybe that's explanation enough in this life, but hey, that's just me.
Services will be held at St John the Baptist in Front Royal, Virginia. The wake is tonight at 7, the funeral tomorrow morning at 11.
Elsewhere at St Blog's, one "Father Fergus" shared with readers a quotation from the husband of the English Catholic writer, Alice Thomas Ellis, when their own son Joshua passed away: "Joshua, for whom the sun did not stand still, but as you fell headlong, so set for you; as suns return, you too, most sweet beloved, will return and in the name of Jesus, whose name is yours, rise again."
6 comments:
The Schmiedeckes may take comfort in the knowledge that they are (certifiably) parents of a Saint.
We share that with them. There IS more sweetness than sorrow in that knowledge...
What an awful tragedy. I knew Regina at university and would like her to know that her and her family are in our prayers.
We are living in England. Isn't the universal church wonderful?
Adriana Zea-Smith
Although I've got children, I can see childless couples' points of view. I don't agree with David, I think the world is MUCH worst now than it was before. You probably don't see that so much, living in the US, where God is AT LEAST given lip service.
Here in Europe, there is no room for God, it's all greed, greed, greed. I'm actually looking to move to the States so my children will at least have a CHANCE at being close to God because I really don't see how I'll bring up christians in this place. The entire culture and fabric of society is against God. While I stay in Europe, my childrens' souls are at risk.
Even the Christians are anti-Christian... I went to mass where a priest was telling the congregation that mass evangelisation was wrong and the only place you should be trying to pass on your faith is at home and not straight out by praying and reading the bible, but in a more suble way.
What a horrible loss. A personal little sunshine, gone forever from this life. I can't imagine the pain. I'll pray for the boy's family.
To Anonymous #2: The greatest saints so far have not come from America. Take heart, hang in there. We sometimes must bloom where we are planted.
I can think, and PRAY, of nothing else than Joshua and his family since I learned of the accident this morning. All the love in my heart goes to you, Regina and Andrew, and your family. Lean heavily on Christ, He is holding you now.
Visit Joshua-michael.org for Regina's beautiful eulogy and pictures.
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