AMDG
Dear OSJ Family,
This coming week we Roman Catholics throughout the world celebrate THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED or ALL SOULS DAY. This beautiful memorial immediately follows our solemn celebration of All Saints Day and in our Catholic tradition is a day set aside for honoring and remembering our beloved dead.
According to our Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, that place reserved for the one who dies in a state of “perfect grace” and “communion with God.” The second is hell, where those who die in a state of “mortal sin” are naturally condemned by their choice. The third is purgatory, which is where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go before they rise to the ranks of the angels and saints in heaven.
The Church teaches that purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed (purged) and perfected before they enter into heaven. There is scriptural basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32—”Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out…Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin.” Biblical references are also found in Zechariah, Sirach, and the Gospel of Matthew. Consistent with these teachings and traditions, Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins so that they may enter into heaven. All Souls Day is celebrated in much of the western world on November 2, yet All Souls Day is not a holy day of obligation. It should not be confused with All Saints’ Day, which is a holy day of obligation, November 1.
Notably, many cultures throughout the Catholic world also mark the day differently. In North America, Americans may say extra prayers or light candles for the departed souls. Also the Church encourages us to devoutly visit any cemetery to pray for the faithful departed. In parts of Latin America, families visit the graves of their ancestors and sometimes leave food offerings for the departed. In Mexico, in particular, many families pass the whole day at the graves of their loved ones, singing, eating, and toasting their beloved dead. All of this is incredibly beautiful!
Here at OSJ, you may light candles for your loved ones at the shrine of Our Lady, to the left of the main altar, and you are also welcome to write the names of your deceased loved ones in the BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE which will be in the sanctuary for the entire month of November.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in Peace!
In the Lord,
Fr Phil Florio, SJ
