To Every Priest: Father, Are You Okay
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I’ve seen too many young lives lost lately—not to accidents or illness, but to something darker and silent. Pressure. Rejection. Loneliness. Shame. A single failure. A breakup. A parent's harsh word. A friend's betrayal. Society’s cruel gaze.
And I understand it too well—because I’ve stood there.
When my momma passed away, I was wrecked. Not just broken—abandoned. The silence of an empty house echoed louder than any scream. I’d sit by her photo, whispering prayers I didn’t know how to end. I didn’t want to live. I truly believed there was nothing left for me to look forward to.
But something—or Someone—held me. A stranger who turned into an angel. A prayer whispered that became a lifeline. And slowly, I stood again.
I still remember what it felt like to believe I didn’t matter. That no one would miss me. That maybe my absence would make life easier for others.
But I was wrong.
So, if you’re reading this and your chest feels heavy, if you’ve ever whispered, “I’m tired of pretending I’m okay”, this is for you:
You matter when you fail.
You matter when you cry.
You matter when you're misunderstood.
You matter even when you don’t fit in.
You matter when your parents don’t get you.
You matter when the world forgets you.
Because even when the world gives up on you, Heaven doesn’t.
God never writes people off. He doesn’t give up on the wounded, the weird, the anxious, or the ones who take longer to bloom. In fact, those are the ones He holds closest.
Here’s a truth no one may have told you:
“The ones who cry in secret are the same ones God crowns in silence.”
I don’t have a perfect life. I still ache, still miss my momma, still fight through days of emptiness. But I’m here. I’m alive. And I’m writing—because someone, somewhere, needs this reminder.
And maybe that someone is you.
A small note from me for the ones holding on:
You are not a burden, not a phase,
A soul on fire in life’s hard maze.
God kept you here for something more—
Don’t leave before you see the shore.
If you’ve ever felt invisible, I see you. If you’ve ever wanted to give up, please don’t.
Talk to someone. A friend. A counselor. A teacher. A priest. Talk to Jesus. Shout, cry, whisper—but talk.
Because you matter.
No fine print. No conditions. No asterisk.
God didn’t make you to be invisible. He made you to shine—flaws, scars, and all. You matter. No asterisk.
A poet, author, and faith writer who believes words can heal what silence hides. My poetry collections — Inked Emotions, Scattered Feelings Stitched in Ink, and Love Beyond Loss — were born out of seasons of grief, solitude, and deep reflection.
Here on Catholic365, I’ve been humbled to share reflections that have reached hundreds of readers. I write not from a place of perfection, but from a longing to make sense of love, loss, and the quiet ways God speaks into our lives.
Whether it’s a poem, a story, or a small reflection, my hope is that you feel seen, encouraged, and gently reminded that faith isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s found in the waiting, the falling, the starting again.
You can find more of my work at https://about.me/anniedcosta
