Chaplain’s death at Valpo ruled a suicide

My heart goes out to the students and community at Valparaiso University right now. Here’s the opening paragraph from the above article:

Pastor Darlene Grega, a chaplain at Valparaiso University, apparently died from suicide this week, according to a spokeswoman for the coroner’s office in Porter County, Ind.

I have written and posted about pastors and suicide any number of times around here. I myself had a pretty harrowing Good Friday four years ago when I moved from the if to the when stage. Suicide is the unspoken companion for anyone who suffers from depression, especially chronic depression. It is the silent partner, the knock at the door, and the shadow that seems to darken everything.

I doubt we’ll ever know the demons that Darlene fought as she tried to serve the people of Valpo. I never met her, so I have no personal take on that. But suffice it to say that God does not abandon His children in their darkest hour.

Here is a sermon I preached at a suicide about five years ago.

God’s peace be with all those who grieve at Darlene’s death. May yours tears come to an end and the hope of the resurrection draw you into Him.

+God be with you+
DMR

[Full disclaimer: I am opposed to women’s ordination. That does not mitigate the tragedy of this event, and now is NOT the time to have that discussion.]