Saints and Souls - November 1, 2020

We celebrate All Saints’ Day this Sunday, November 1. In this, we celebrate all the saints in heaven, especially those not officially canonized, including any of our loved ones who have died and are among the blessed in heaven. The following day, Monday, November 2, is All Souls’ Day, and we remember all those who have died and especially all the souls in purgatory. The whole month of November really reminds us of the importance of remembering the dead and praying for the souls in purgatory.

Another element besides how good it is to remember those who have died, to honor the saints, and pray for the dead, is that we need their prayers too. The saints intercede for us, but so too the souls in purgatory can intercede for us. Ultimately, one of the big jobs of the Church is to pray for each other, and we believe in the Church Triumphant (Heaven), the Church Suffering/Penitent (Purgatory), and the Church Militant (us on earth still in the spiritual battle for our souls). The closer we are to each other and to God, the more effective our prayers are. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#958) states about the souls in purgatory: “Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.”

The greatest way to pray for the dead is to have a Mass intention for them. This can be done by contacting the Parish Office. Of course we can always pray on our own and in particular seek indulgences. Did you know you can obtain a plenary (full) indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, if you devoutly visit a cemetery and pray for the departed? This can be done on any day from November 1st to the 8th (and can be repeated each day for another indulgence). A partial indulgence is granted similarly for all the days of the rest of the year, or if we simply pray for the dead with this little prayer all Catholics should memorize:

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.”