Liberating Hope in the Context of Pediatric Care at the End of Life

Abstract The spiritual care of dying children and their families requires both sensitivity and competence. Parents – and adults, in general – not only recognize an intrinsic value in children, but also see them as important symbols of hope and as promise for the future. Hence, hope may be challenged when a child is facing death. From the field of spiritual and practical theology, this research attempts to correlate the experience of children and families, and Christian sources on hope. Particular attention is given to the importance of bodies and space, desires and fears, as well as to the role of narratives in order to deepen the meaning of hope in situations that seem bereft of it.