Expert: Padraig Caughey - 12/3/2008

Question
I a 42 yr old married female. When i was in my teens my grandfather passed away due to cancer of the pancreas. A few months after his death i had a vision at his house. I remember something or someone waking me up and there he was in the doorway.I remember feeling very frightened but at the same time peaceful.I could not hear him talk to me but had this feeling of peace like everything was going to be ok and that he loved me.It lasted for a very short time.The next morning my grandmother said she had also seen him.Do you believe in visions?It made me a very spiritual person as a result.Although i am not a practicing catholic i do believe in god.When i do go to church all i do is cry. I can't stop.What is that all about.

Answer
Hi Sally,

Surveys show that a very high proportion of people experience visions of loved ones after death than is generally realized. However people are very reluctant to talk about this for fear of being made fun of, especially over such a sensitive issue. Its notable that the highest percentage of such visions occur in the immediate period surrounding the loved one's death.

I used to help out in a hospice and I remember asking one of the sisters if she had ever noticed supernatural happenings surrounding peoples passing. She said these events are so common they do not even comment on them.

If we believe in God and believe in a life after death such events should certainly not surprise us.

As to crying in Church, there is a thing called the gift of tears. I think it arises because we are communicating with god at some deeper level than verbal. Its a bit like hugging God, if you like and being hugged back.