Did You Know?

In the United States when the Solemnity of All Saints falls on a Saturday, the obligation to attend Mass on that day is abrogated – suspended for that year. Next Saturday evening, the Vigil Mass is for All Souls’ Day and the Masses next Sunday are for All Souls’ Day. There is no Gloria and black vestments are worn.

Next Sunday evening, the Annual Memorial Mass for the Faithful Departed of the past year will be celebrated at 7:00 PM, with the beautiful candle lighting ceremony. All of those who have lost loved ones over the past year are invited to attend. All Saints Day and All Souls Day set the tone for the whole month of November as a special time of remembrance and prayer for the Faithful Departed. “All Souls” are our relatives, our neighbors and friends, our ancestors, that great “cloud of witnesses” who found and lived new life in Christ – a life which does not end with death but is transformed: “for those who believe, life is changed, not ended.” The feast of All Souls - and the entire month of November - is a source of consolation for each of us. The consoling doctrine of the Communion of Saints allows us to feel ever close to those who have died and gives us much hope in moments of grief and sadness. The holy souls in purgatory see ever more clearly what we can only imagine from afar. They are already within reach of eternal life, the loving embrace of God; but they are not yet completely within His embrace. The sting of death has been removed, but they are still sensing the pain of love which only complete union with JESUS can heal. The healing process is accomplished by the same love which makes any separation momentarily very painful. Our prayers for the faithful departed increase faith and love within us; they draw us to look upon the Son with ever greater longing, and they assist/accompany our loved ones on their journey home to the Heart of God! It is the custom among many of our parishioners, especially from Latin America, to set up and decorate a small home altar, with photos/pictures of our loved ones who have died, and to remember them especially in prayer – praying the family Rosary is a beautiful way to recall them and pray for them! Amid all of the secular and truly pagan celebrations of Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve) the Church calls us to celebrate the Communion of Saints – the unbreakable bonds of love for those in the Body of Christ – we who are living, the Faithful Departed in their final Purification, and the Saints, fully alive in Christ!

The 12th Annual “Festival of the Father of Lights” will be from 6:00-8:00PM – this Friday evening right here at St. Andrew’s! Please join us for the fun and help out our Knights, Vincentians, and Teens, and brothers and sisters from the other Christian churches, as they help to provide this safe, fun expression of Christian merry-making for the kids of our Carmichael Neighborhood! We are so grateful for the large amounts of candy that you all have donated for this event!