A Letter of Consolation

Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932–1996) was the author of The Return of the Prodigal Son and many other bestsellers. He taught at Harvard, Yale, and Notre Dame universities before becoming the pastor of L’Arche Daybreak near Toronto, Canada, a community where people with and without intellectual disabilities assist each other and create a home together.

“An essay in the form of a long letter to [Nouwen’s] father after the death of his mother. One might well pass it on to anyone who is going through a period of grief after loss.” - Christian Century

“Recognized for the depth and warmth of his spiritual communication, Father Nouwen grapples with death, a particular death--his mother’s...An intelligent, loving letter to a Christian facing a powerful enemy, death.” - Lutheran Libraries

“On the long road it’s good to have Nouwen and his diving rod. Deftly he bends toward the drop of spiritual wisdom caked in the most ordinary things.” - Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., author of Dead Man Walking