![\"BarbaraLaPorte031b\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/files\/2015\/12\/BarbaraLaPorte031b.jpg\")
<\/a>he next day, with Matthew still on her mind, she decided to call and check in, but his roommate told her she\u2019d just missed him; he had already left for French class at Norris Hall.<\/p>\nThat morning, 32 people were shot and killed at Virginia Tech by a disturbed student. Matthew was among the dead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have any anger,\u201d La Porte says of that day. \u201cI had a lot of pain. It hurt. But somehow, having Divine Mercy Sunday preceding the death of my son, I was able to forgive, and that helped me heal. It didn\u2019t happen overnight. But that\u2019s OK, because the story isn\u2019t ended. My life is still going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
The path to healing led La Porte to Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. She began her studies in the Seminary\u2019s Theological Education for Parish Services certificate program, then earned her master\u2019s in theology. She describes her experience at Seton Hall as part of an ongoing faith journey, guided by the Holy Spirit and accompanied by her son. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize at the time that I went to school for healing,\u201d she says. \u201cBut Matthew was with God, and I wanted to know more about God, about Heaven, about the place where Matt is.\u201d At graduation, she wore her son\u2019s photo pinned to her gown.<\/p>\n
In the face of heartbreak and tragedy, Barbara La Porte, M.A. \u201913 relied on a steadfast faith in God. Her journey toward healing offers a remarkable lesson in the power of forgiveness.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
While at Seton Hall, supported by mentors and peers, La Porte began to develop skills as a public speaker, discovering a calling to spread the news of The Divine Mercy to help others who are suffering.<\/p>\n
Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology Dianne Traflet was among those who encouraged La Porte to share her story. \u201cBarbara is an extraordinary human being, and from our earliest meetings, I felt her message had to get out,\u201d Traflet said. \u201cShe came to me to talk a little bit about her faith, and she spoke about how God is with her in her great pain. I remember her saying, in essence, \u2018How could I possibly not forgive, if I believe that my son is with God, who is love? In a sense, if I\u2019m being unloving, then I am not with God, and therefore I am not with my son.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
In April, La Porte traveled back to the cemetery where Matthew is buried to see him honored with the Airman\u2019s Medal, the Air Force\u2019s highest honor for heroism outside of combat. The medal was awarded after discovering that Matthew charged the gunman in an attempt to prevent his entry into the classroom. In accepting the medal, La Porte asked those there to follow her son\u2019s example: \u201cTo be more than a witness, you need to be involved and reach out to others.\u201d She added, \u201cMatthew challenged me to be that person. He challenges you now.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Catholics worldwide prepare to celebrate 2016 as a Holy Year of Mercy, La Porte hopes to spread her message of forgiveness to wider audiences. She continues to accept offers to speak, and she has written essays for Magnificat and other publications. She is also working on a memoir, gathering her own writings and some of Matthew\u2019s poetry. But for now, she says, she is allowing the Holy Spirit to guide her. Her faith journey is still being written.<\/p>\n
And as each opportunity arises, she shares her story: of living through a tragedy and, through the transformational power of forgiveness, finding strength, hope and the courage to support others in their own times of trial.<\/p>\n
Tricia Brick is a New York-area writer.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the face of heartbreak and tragedy, Barbara La Porte, M.A. \u201913 relied on a steadfast faith in God. Her journey toward healing offers a remarkable lesson in the power of forgiveness.<\/em><\/p>\n
When Barbara La Porte tells her story, she raises some of the hardest questions most of us will ever face: How do we make sense of tragedy? When another\u2019s actions cause us suffering, how do we respond? When the unimaginable happens, where do we turn?<\/p>\n