A lot going on this weekend.
We have a unique situation that rarely happens. This weekend All Saints Day is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but it is a solemnity and still celebrated. Also this weekend, the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time is trumped by All Souls Day.
All Saints Day, November 1, is usually a Holy Day of Obligation except for situations like this when it falls on a Saturday. All Saints Day is the day we commemorate all those in heaven, recognized or unrecognized by the Church. This means the saints we know and the Church has formally approved, as well as all those in heaven who haven’t been formally recognized. This could include loved ones, family and friends, or all those from our parish who are in heaven. We don’t know for sure who, so on this day we commemorate all of those in heaven.
All Souls Day, November 2, is the day we commemorate all those who have died and are in purgatory. On this day we pray for all those who need our prayers in purgatory, that they may receive the graces they need to be purified by God’s grace through our interceding for them, so that they may be in heaven with God.
On this day it is fitting to not only pray for all our deceased loved ones and parishioners, but also to visit their graves. We have the opportunity for adoration hosted by the youth group for the entire parish at St. Boniface Cemetery at 7 p.m. Sunday, November 2, to pray for our beloved dead. There is a plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory granted when we devoutly visit a cemetery and pray for the departed between November 1 and November 8.
Remember, besides praying at the cemetery, you need to meet the usual conditions for an indulgence, which are: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father (usually an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be), and the absence of attachment to sin. I would also encourage you to have Masses said for your deceased loved ones by setting them up with the parish office.
A fitting prayer to offer for our deceased loved ones and for all those in purgatory every day is the prayer of St. Gemma Galgani:
“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home, and within my family. Amen.”
St. Gemma had spiritual insights and visions throughout her life in which she was promised that this prayer was effective.
God desires to pour His grace upon those poor souls in purgatory; He needs us to intercede for them. We hear from the Book of Revelation about heaven on All Saints Day to remind us of what the heavenly realities will be: a multitude that no one can count, gathered around the throne of God and before the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, singing God’s praise. Calling to mind all the baptized washed in the blood of the Lamb, wearing white garments like on our baptismal day.
There are a multitude of readings for All Souls Day taken from the funeral ritual readings. We chose Wisdom, Romans, and John’s Gospel story about the death of Lazarus. May we be reminded of what Jesus proclaims: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and he who lives and believes in me will never die.” May we not only believe in Christ, but live in Him so that we may be with Jesus in paradise.
This Sunday at 5:30, we have Roger Shaner coming to speak to us about prayers of healing. Come learn more about this rich tradition in the Church, and then come pray with us in adoration in St. Boniface Cemetery at 7 p.m. Join us for both or either one.
Lastly, I want everyone to be aware of the new Sunday Mass offered at QU Chapel at 8 p.m. on Sundays, as well as the 6 p.m. still offered there. If you work 12-hour shifts on weekends, you now have a Mass you can attend.
Father Arisman