Grieving grandpa approached the altar mid-Eucharist—priest's unexpected grace stopped the room

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of suicide that some readers might find distressing. 

Faith calls us to love and share kindness; it calls us to be humans before categorizing ourselves as religious. A priest, Fr. Carlos Henrique Fernandes, in Tubarão, Brazil, exemplified this perfectly when he was approached by a weeping elderly gentleman, Marcos, as reported by the National Catholic Reporter. A clip shared by Eastern Christians on Instagram on January 26 captured the grieving grandpa walking towards the altar during the Eucharist prayer, sobbing bitterly. Fr. Carlos was in the middle of raising the Eucharist when he spotted the man; he immediately stopped to comfort him, and it’s the kind of humanity we’re called to mimic. 

Marcos has been an extraordinary minister assisting at the parish for a long time. He was attending mass when he received a devastating call. He stepped out to answer it and learned that his 20-year-old grandson had passed away from suicide. He came back into the church to continue the service, but was unable to regain his composure. In that moment of heartbreaking pain, he impulsively approached the altar where Fr. Carlos was raising the Eucharist. Though it was a crucial moment during the mass, the priest stopped without hesitation and immediately comforted Marcos with an embrace. 

"I was concluding the Eucharistic prayer when I saw him coming. I didn't know what was happening, but he was visibly shaken," the priest said to OSV News. Fr. Carlos had no idea what was wrong, but he knew the man was in pain and held him for a few moments, even kissing his hand and holding him gently. After a few moments, a few others from the congregation came over to help him sit and calm down. According to a local outlet, Rede98, the priest only later learned that the man was sobbing due to the loss of his grandson.

The priest mentioned how, in moments of despair, we look towards a source of comfort. For Marcos, it was likely his faith that brought him to the altar. "Not knowing whom to turn to, he remembered Jesus Christ. And, of course, he saw me there as well. We've known each other for 20 years, we're friends," the priest said. “Faith manifests itself in our actions,” he added. That simple act of giving him a hug in his distress did more than one can ever imagine. Hugs are known to release feel-good chemicals in the body. A study was done on participants to understand the same. Anxiety was induced, and the participants were given a breathing huggable cushion to cope. Out of all other materials, the breathing cushion was most effective in reducing anxiety and balancing emotions.

In a survey conducted by AmeriSpeak and Web MD in 2019, out of 1,084 U.S. respondents, 780 said they were grieving a loss. 32% said they were mourning the death of a loved one. Donna Schuurman, a family therapist, pointed out an eye-opening reality. “Life is a process of accumulating losses.” Whether it’s death, loss of a relationship, job, or anything else, how people respond to it does have an impact on the person in pain. “It shapes how we look at the world, who we become, how we’re able to show up for other people,” Schuurman added. 

Since the video surfaced, it has gone viral, mainly for the love the priest displayed without even knowing what happened. It couldn’t better emphasize that we’re called to love. @jennielenaghan wrote, “The compassion this priest showed to the man was the most beautiful gesture.” @sal_bty72 added, “If someone in the congregation is crying, and broken, and you can't give them a hug, something is wrong with your church.” 

If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

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