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Shortly after he ascended the papal chair, Pope Benedict XVI declared that one of his goals was to re-Christianize a secular Europe. If anyone has had the know-how for the project, it is surely he. But it looks like it’s going to be a long haul. After chastising the American bishops for their irresponsible handling of sexual abuse cases among the clergy in 2008, he has to tackle the scandal here.

Margie Lewis should know how it feels to be the parent of a prodigal. She is one of them. Co-written with her son Greg Lewis, The Hurting Parent gives hope and encouragement to the parents of prodigals. In this updated edition the Lewises tell the rest of the story of Margie’s son Mark, her prodigal.

In chapter one Lewis recounts the hurt and shame as well as the questions that bombarded their hearts when they realized that they had a prodigal son who had left them. Mark was in college and nearing the end of the semester when he left with almost no trace. When he was found, he wanted nothing to do with his family. So many questions go through one’s mind at times such as this. But Lewis writes, “It is not the purpose of this book to try to answer the ‘What did I do wrong?’ or ‘Why did this happen to us?’ questions…. [Parents] need to know ‘Where do I go from here? What can be done?’” (p. 29).

Chapter two deals with something that even those who are not parents of prodigals should consider: the feelings of isolation that parents of prodigals experience. It is natural to feel left out when others speak glowingly of all that their children are doing and doing well. It is natural to feel completely alone. Sometimes people pull away from these hurting parents, too, not knowing how to deal with them. Hurting parents need help and support. “Many hurting parents have talked to me about the isolation of their shame.” The Lewises add,

Shamed parents use similar words and expressions to describe the feeling: embarrassment, humiliation, inferiority, incompetence, disgrace, loss of face. Often they express fear of rejection, disrespect, disapproval, contempt, and even pity from the people around them who witness their struggles. (p. 33)