Today was the day all prayed to avoid. Jon Scharfenberger entered his rest slightly before noon. The pro-life community lost a warrior and future general.
Students for Life of America lost a beloved colleague.
Dr. and Mrs. Scharfenberger lost a son, something I cannot fathom as a father.
We’ll finish day nine of our novena tomorrow, keeping in mind the Scharfenberger family. There is a website for donations to assist the family with Jon’s burial expenses:
https://jon.sagefundraisingonline.com/3
In the ten days since that terrible accident, there were over 25,000 hits on the updates and novena here at Coming Home. That says something about this incredibly inspirational young man, and the family who formed him.
Beyond that, I’m beyond words. More tomorrow.
UPDATE: FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE…Click HERE.
Coming Home 
My Prayers will be with you as well, Doctor!
I actually got to meet this young man this summer at the NRLC convention that I attended in Florida. He was maning their main booth. He impressed me so much. Polite, knowlegable, sincere, a rare and wise young man has passed to his Creator’s arms today!
I hope his memory will inspire his peers!
Very sad.
Such a terrible loss to his family, Students for Life, the pro-life and Catholic communities, and to the world in general. I pray that many will follow in his footsteps, but no one can fill his shoes.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may perpetual light shine on him. May he and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.
Jon, pray for us that we are worthy of your noble memory.
Thank you, Dr. Nadal. Brought me to such tears. Jon–a good & faithful servant.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
My prayers for all.
Thank you so much for keeping us all updated as this story unfolded. Jon was a wonderful young man and my heart is so grieved for his loss as well as Kourtney’s and Sophy’s. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and to the SFLA family.
The Lord responded to our prayers in a way which may take us some time to comprehend. Such be His design.
I was very sorry to hear of Jon’s death.
May God console his parents and may he rest in the arms of the Lord.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord.
Yesterday, after I learned the news of his death, I searched the internet to learn more of his work. I found a video of him at a typical Univ campus posing as a young parenting father looking for help on campus.
It was hard to tell what Univ it was, but a few telltale signs revealed to me that it was a Univ local to me..the very same place where my young parenting son hopes to finish the education that was derailed by depression and parenthood.
Jon didnt just blaze an given trail, he literally walked the very concrete sidewalk footsteps that my son will walk. That someone, anyone would do that for us is so far beyond my hope or expectation that Im awestruck.
…and it made me all the sadder that his life and ministry were so much shorter than we would have hoped. But even just for me, his short ministry has made a big difference and I am so grateful.
May God give to those who love Jon extra unexpected portions of Grace and peace throughout this journey of grief.
I will continue to pray for you all.
Know that even though you have lost earthly presence of these members of your community, you have gained powerful allies in the heavenly realm. It doesn’t lesson your mourning but hopefully brings with it the hope we all have in Christ.