SAN ANTONIO — Sunday afternoon, the Baptist Medical Center held its first holiday memorial service for families coping with grief.
A handful of families and hospital staff gathered inside the Central Christian Church for the service. The service was led by a group of chaplains.
Chief Ministry Officer, Joe Perez, said every family who has lost a loved one this year at Baptist Medical Center was invited.
“Helping people remember and understand the health of remembering in community is a way to heal,” Perez said.
Perez said at Baptist Medical, in 2023, the group of chaplains helped 600 families. He said it was important to provide a safe space for those families, especially this time of year.
“The holidays can be very difficult, and we don’t know how to navigate the sadness that is normal to our lives,” Perez said.
He said it is important when you are grieving, not to isolate yourself. He added you should fine someone to confide in.
“Somebody to remember with, somebody that when you start to speak about your experience and if you’re overwhelmed and you cry, somebody’s not trying to stop you from that,” Perez said.
He said grief does not get easier with time, but people get stronger.
“We lose our loved one, but we didn’t lose the love of our loved one, it’s still alive and well in our hearts and minds,” Perez said.
At the end of the service, each family was invited to light a candle in honor of their loved one.