James: I'm so sorry you're going through this experience of watching your mom slowly slipping away from her memories. I've been through this and it's just so crushing.

My family isn't Roman Catholic, but we were raised with the same idea of a punitive god. It makes an already heart-wrenching experience of losing a parent even more difficult to bear.

The last time I set foot in the church of my childhood was when I left the building after my father's funeral. I felt every word of this essay.

Sending you all the hugs in the world.