Our parish has hosted three Present in the Pain retreats for mothers who have experienced loss of their children.  These retreats have provided tremendous graces to the women who attended and allowed healing of wounds which, in many cases, have never been addressed. Women who attended our parish’s Present in the Pain retreat told me they found answers, consolation and healing from the compassionate work of Eileen.  I would recommend Eileen Tully’s apostolate and retreat to any pastors who are looking to offer an incredible gift of compassion and healing to the countless unknown women in their parish who are silently suffering from loss of a child.

[In the spring of 2024], Lily of the Valley hosted a women’s retreat focused on finding beauty amidst sorrow as it relates to our mission of prayerfully supporting women and their families who are walking through difficult early life circumstances. As a ministry, we provide prayer support and resources for those journeying through infertility, prenatal diagnosis, pregnancy and infant loss, as well as those with medically fragile infants. We were grateful to be able to host Eileen for our retreat weekend. She beautifully complimented our mission and helped support the women with learning more about the different temperaments of grief, how to maintain a Catholic mindset when walking through sorrow, and how to find beauty in trials of suffering. Eileen shared her own stories of loss and her reconversion to the Catholic faith, through her relationship with Mary, our Mother of Sorrows, in such a beautiful way that really touched the hearts of the women at the retreat. We highly recommend her as a speaker and often provide resources to families for her online community and retreat experiences.”

Our parish recently had the privilege of hosting Eileen Tully’s “Present in the Pain” retreat, a compassionate and healing experience designed specifically for mothers who have lost children at any stage of life. The day was nothing short of transformative for all who attended. While there were many tears shed, the retreat also provided invaluable tools and resources to support the healing journey of grieving mothers.

Eileen’s gentle and empathetic guidance created a safe space for these women to openly express their grief while also finding hope and comfort. The retreat not only acknowledged the profound pain of losing a child, but also offered practical strategies to help in the grieving process, ensuring that attendees felt seen, supported, and equipped for the road ahead.

We wholeheartedly recommend hosting this retreat at your home parish. It is an experience that can bring comfort, connection, and healing to those navigating one of life’s greatest heartaches.

"Eileen led a Present in the Pain retreat in our diocese for mothers who experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage, in infancy, or at any age.  Eileen’s presentations were well received and brought healing to the small group of women who attended.  Eileen was flexible through the planning process and encouraging as we worked through the inevitable unexpected glitches of planning the event.  Because of her years of experience in leading retreats, she was able to reassure me that she could work with whatever the situation was, and that was of much comfort to me!  I would highly recommend Eileen and her ministry for those who have experienced child loss."