article_snippet: Local pastors and priests provided ongoing support to the families who had lost family members, and this continued for several months.
article_snippet: Some struggled so deeply that professional counseling was suggested.
article_snippet: This helped for some, but families that experienced direct loss still had a long and painful journey ahead of families that experienced direct loss.  
article_snippet: When a parent, or someone serving as a parent, loses a child, an empty spot occurs in the heart that never heals.
article_snippet: When a parent, or someone serving as a parent may find comfort in the thought that a child is in the arms of a loving God, but that assurance does not mend the broken heart.
article_snippet: In the years since the crash, many of the pastors and priests who served the families have moved away or retired from pastoral service.
article_snippet: Those of us who counseled from the beginning have at times needed the support of one another to restore our strength and spirits to then be able to serve our own parishioners.
article_snippet: This is the beginning of a very long journey for all those willing to serve those in such great pain at this time.
article_snippet: If any of our experiences can assist your community of Haltern am See in getting through this horrible event, then know that it is in pain
highlights_snippet: Jerry Upling: Communities can find healing by reaching out to others, but the journey is a long one .