Our Impact Testimonials

Families and clergy share how Red Bird Ministries has touched their lives and ministries. At the heart of our mission is equipping parishes with Catholic grief support programs that accompany families grieving the loss of a child. Through sacramental healing, pastoral care, and compassionate presence, we strengthen bereavement ministry and help families find hope.

Stories of Hope and Restoration

Every story shared here is sacred. Each testimony reflects a family or priest who has walked through the valley of child loss and encountered the compassionate presence of Christ through Red Bird Ministries. Their words illuminate the heart of our mission: to accompany grieving families with authentically Catholic, sacramentally grounded support so no parent suffers alone.

Shepherds Who Witness the Healing Power of Red Bird

Hear from Fr. Donald Bernard, Pastor of St. Edward Church in New Iberia, who has walked with grieving families and witnessed firsthand how Red Bird Ministries strengthens the Church’s ability to accompany parents through unimaginable loss with hope, compassion, and true pastoral care.

Families Who Found Hope in Their Deepest Grief

Kristine and Mark Dunbar open their hearts and share their journey through grief, offering an honest look at how loss shaped their faith, their marriage, and their healing. Their testimony is part of our ongoing video series used throughout Red Bird Ministries’ programs to support families walking through child loss.

Red Bird Ministries Parish Peer Leaders

Meet some of the RBM leaders behind the mission and hear, in their own words, why they felt called to walk with families carrying unimaginable loss—and how their service is strengthening the Church’s response to suffering.

A Retreat That Changed Everything

Nicole’s testimony reflects the heart of Revival: A Retreat for Grieving Mothers—a three‑day healing experience offered in dioceses across the country for moms grieving the loss of a child. Through prayer, peer support, and compassionate accompaniment, Revival creates a sacred environment where sorrow is honored and mothers are guided from survival to revival.

Clergy Testimonials

Portrait of a smiling male priest wearing a black clerical shirt with a white collar.

“As a priest it can be really overwhelming to walk with a family who loses a child. But Red Bird Ministries gives me a lot of hope because now I have a resource that I can give to a family so that together we can journey through the suffering.”
— Rev. Kyle White - Sacred Heart of Jesus - Broussard, LA

Portrait of a smiling male priest wearing a black clerical shirt with a white collar against a dark background.

“The Second Vatican Council encouraged the laity to embrace their identity and apostolate in the Church; Red Bird Ministries is precisely what the Council had in mind. It is a ministry for grieving parents by grieving parents; a ministry that I, as a priest, simply cannot and should not try to simulate. This ministry makes the Church more robust in her mission and care for souls.”
— Rev. Blake Dubroc - St. Bernard - Breaux Bridge, LA

Portrait of a man with light brown hair and beard, wearing a clerical collar, smiling outdoors in front of green plants and a brick wall.

“Red Bird Ministries is a unique and invaluable ministry for grieving parents who are looking for hope in the face of tragedy. It is a relief to know there is a caring, knowledgeable community who will help accompany my parishioners in their darkest hour.”
— Rev. Garrett McIntyre - St. Bernard - Breaux Bridge, LA - Founders Home Parish

Portrait of a man with dark curly hair, a beard, and a mustache, smiling against a dark teal background.

“It is a surprisingly common phenomenon to encounter in pastoral ministry that when someone loses a child they lose touch with their faith. I was happy to see how Red Bird helped a friend of mine actually become a parishioner of mine by helping them approach the mystery of grief and overcome their disconnect with their faith that was frustrating them. My friend went from removed and on the fringe to becoming someone united and actively serving the Mystical Body in our parish.”
— Fr. Nicholas DuPré - St. Joseph - Parks, LA

Young man in black clergy suit with white clerical collar smiling at camera

“Red Bird Ministries has brought about evangelization and healing through a community of grieving parents. Shining the light of Christ into the darkness that can accompany loss has built unbreakable communities in my parish that regularly give one another the consolation of Christ Crucified and Risen. It is a truly irreplaceable ministry that fulfills an important and unique need in the domestic church.”
— Rev. Stephen Pellessier - Our Lady of Wisdom - Lafayette, LA

A man dressed as a priest with a large, exaggerated head, wearing glasses and a black clerical shirt with a white clergy collar, smiling against a blue and green background.

“I highly recommend support of Red Bird Ministries and its support for parents who have lost children and suffer a unique type of grief. Having been a spiritual director at several of the seminars, I was able to see both the relief experienced by the directees as well as the renewed ability to know Jesus’ Love for them despite having been put to the test.”
— Fr. James Brady - St. Pius X - Lafayette, LA

Family Testimonials

A young man with short, light brown hair smiling, wearing a green t-shirt, against a blue background.

"I cannot say enough about Red Bird Ministries and what it has done for me! It is such a unique ministry because one is able to draw upon the Sacraments (Confession, Holy Mass & Adoration, etc) from our Catholic faith, which greatly brings on healing at a deep spiritual level.
Red Bird Ministries provides resources & is there to help aid us in grieving for our beloved children while the waves of grief continue to surface layers of pain & sorrow. We are truly blessed to be a part of this authentic group of apostles of mercy. "

Three women standing close together outdoors, smiling, on a patio with plants, a staircase, and outdoor furniture in the background.

"My grief journey has led me down so many paths, many of which I could not have navigated without the support of Red Bird. In the past four years since we lost our son, Griffin, I've found myself searching for answers, for truth. I've always been able to find it in the prayers, the heart-felt talks, the tears, and the laughter I've found with my Red Bird family. Yes, laughter. What I've learned in support groups and retreats is that I CAN laugh again. I can find joy in knowing that Griffin is filled with nothing but joy and peace, and I will forever be grateful for Red Bird helping me to see that."

A smiling older woman with short gray hair, glasses, and a necklace, standing in a kitchen with wooden cabinets and a stainless steel range hood behind her.

"It’s a safe place to really share our loss with people who understand. And sharing is healing."

A family of five sitting outdoors in front of a green bush, smiling. The family includes two young girls, a boy, a woman, and a man.

“I’ve lost 10 precious souls through miscarriage. Bennett is just one of my 10 miscarriages. Red Bird ministries has helped in my grief and healing by connecting me with other women who have also experienced loss in some way.
Because they have experienced loss and suffering - they get you! You can talk about your loss and sufferings and not feel like you have to hold back.”

A family of four standing on a beach with the ocean in the background, smiling for the photo.

For 18 years, I never felt like I was going to be okay with the idea that Adam had to suffer, and suffering. But when we left the Red Bird workshop, I turned to Grant and told him, “we are going to be okay.”

Family of five including two children and two adults standing near a religious statue of Mary with baby Jesus, in front of a brick wall and surrounded by flower bushes.

“In 2019, we lost more than I thought that I could handle. On February 25, 2019, we lost our son Matthew through a miscarriage. We realized that bad things could happen to good people, but were we good people? What did I do to deserve this pain?
We were drowning and trying to stay above water. God sent us a life vest through Red Bird Ministries. They helped us find our resurrection story. Through workshops, retreats, blogs, and other support opportunities. We were able to find that we were not alone.”

A family of four, including two young girls and two adults, sitting on a bench with a large dog beside them, all dressed for Halloween with three carved pumpkins in front.

“Madilyn Claire was born on July 11, 2017. Shortly after we were told about her terminal diagnosis. When we heard about Red Bird, we decided to attend the support group. She passed away peacefully at home on June 5, I will forever be grateful for the 22 months we had with her. From the first meeting I instantly lost that feeling of being alone in a room full of people. It’s an indescribable peace that comes along with opening up and listening to others who have been dealt this cross to bear. The friendships I have gained are priceless and I look forward to continuing on this journey with them.”

Family of four standing in a field of flowers, with two young girls holding an ultrasound picture. The adults, a man and woman, are smiling. The image is in black and white.

“I received this beauty at work today from one of my friends. Although I’m not ready to submit myself to Jesus, I know my time with Him is coming, and I am so grateful that you walked into my life and showed me a better, more sufficient life than the depression I was living in. It’s all a work in progress, but I’m slowly getting there. I just want you to know Red Bird has impacted my life, and I can’t wait to get there.”

A woman with grey hair wearing a pink top, standing outside in front of a brick wall.

“God is always in control of my life and the fuel for my soul. However, Red Bird Ministries has brought me fuel from God through the people who serve. We all share in the support of that common loss. There is not a day that I do not thank RBM for the love and support it has given the community and me I have found. I only wish that every parent that has experienced the loss of a child would be given the same opportunity. While I am happy, my child is in heaven. I wish that his earthly life would have been longer.”

Fr. Nicholas DuPré

In this interview, Fr. Nicholas DuPré shares a moving reflection on the impact Red Bird Ministries has had on his priestly ministry. He speaks to the heart of our mission—to serve grieving families with Christ‑centered care, practical support, and a community that understands the weight of child loss.

Through his pastoral lens, Fr. DuPré highlights how Red Bird equips the Church to accompany parents with greater compassion, confidence, and spiritual depth.

Fr. Kevin McQuone

Fr. Kevin McQuone from St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Panama City, FL incorporated our What Is Normal? reflection into a homily on child loss, offering his parish a deeper understanding of grief through a pastoral lens.

His use of this resource highlights Red Bird Ministries’ mission to support clergy and strengthen the Church’s ability to walk with families after the loss of a child. Access the reflection below.

Download the resource