.
Today, November 2 we celebrate the Feast of All Souls and this month of November is named as the month of the Holy Souls.
In this month we make time to remember those who have died. We pray for those whom we have loved in life on earth. We pray for those who have loved us. We also remember those who have no one to remember them.
I am thinking of a couple of people in particular as I mark this feast both are now in God’s kind keeping until the day of resurrection, and I miss them.
It is traditional to take time in November to visit the graves of our loved ones. The image above is of my parents’ grave, and the green cross rested on my father’s coffin during his Funeral Mass.
Pope Benedict reflected beautifully on the practice of visiting cemeteries in the month of November a few years ago. You might recognise this quotation since I’ve used it here before – but I share it again because I have never heard it said better:
“…the Church invites us to commemorate all the faithful departed, to turn our eyes to the many faces who have gone before us and who have ended their earthly journey…during these days we go to the cemetery to pray for the loved ones who have left us, as it were paying a visit to show them, once more, our love, to feel them still close, remembering also, and article of the creed: in the communion of saints there is a close bond between us who are still walking here upon the earth and those many brothers and sisters who have already entered eternity.
“Human beings have always cared for their dead and sought to give them a sort of second life through attention, care and affection, In a way, we want to preserve their experience of life; and paradoxically by looking at their graves, before which countless memories return, we remember how they lived, what they loved, what they feared, what they hoped for and what they hated, They are almost a mirror of their world.” Pope Benedict XVI. All Souls Day 2011
This is also a good opportunity to teach children about our Christian confidence in death as the transition to the fulness of life. Children learn most easily with experience. To take children to the graves of friends and family is a sure and certain way to overcome their secular Halloween fears about a cemetery as a spooky place by teaching them about the cemetery as a place of Christian hope.
You might teach your children this simple and traditional prayer:
Eternal Rest grant to them/him/her O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon them/him/her
May they/he/she rest in peace.
Amen
During this November month of the Holy Souls you might like to add the name and perhaps a short sentence about a person you would like us to pray for. Visit the FFF PRAYER REQUESTS page at this link to add a name or any other prayer request.
And FFF’s latest book FIFTH GOSPEL LIVING, a collection of 90 people sharing an experience of God, was published this week. Email me john@fff.org.nz to order a few copies or click the image below to order directly from the printer.
I’ve never thought about the cemetery as a place of Christian hope. It always seems to be a place for remembering and often tinged with sadness so thanks for that insight.
Nor have I Catherine. Thanks for mentioning “Christian Hope”
The green Cross looks beautiful!
Thank you for the message, Father John!
So easy to forget about them in the rigours of every day life.
I think ill take chair to the cemetery and sit with them a while as I pray.
Well said! And great idea too.
Beautiful reflection Fr. John. Thanks
Eternal rest grant to all whose genes I carry, those who have been part of my life, my growing up through childhood, my growing in Faith and to all who have challenged me and made me think again. May you rest in the peace of the Lord .
Please pray for the souls of ILH, PSH, NMH and PJH. Thank you!
Please pray for NS and DS, MS
Please pray for my sister Lucia and for Bill Overbeek, rest in peace.
thank you Fr Johnexcellent reflection
pray for MAC M&A &m&P&K&Lall D family .
Please prayfor the souls of my father Alan,son Gareth, Mum Pearl, Minakshi, Narlini , Ba,Surin .
LD
Please pray for LJM who died in October this year
Please pray for the soul of my beloved sister who dies in February this year KdT
Please keep these souls in your intentions JC , JC, NG, JG, NP, CP
Thank you
Please pray for the souls of GALS,WJLS and EJMS
Thank you
Please pray for OJH JBC MCM
I am remembering the soul of my kidney donor from January this year.
Please pray for the souls of my parents LB and HB
Please pray for MM OM PL FB SB VS family and friends
Please pray for JJC MSS GS MCM PRS AFS LDP
Please pray for JR ,,JF
My beloved departed parents. APJ and LF.
Parents in law JW and JE. RIP.
May the souls of AJB, DMO’C, GBO’C, MJ, WO’C, VO’C, BO’C, and all my other family and friends rest in everlasting peace. God bless.
Rest in the Peace of Christ
May his DMCK soul rest in peace
Eternal rest grant unto the souls of VG MG MP MG CG may they and as lol deceased members of my family
May they rest in peace
Eternal rest grant unto the souls of VG MG MP MG CG may they test in peace
I give thanks for the lives of KW. WP, PM, SH, EH and many other family and friends. May you all be resting in peace in the presence of our God
Please pray for CP AD MD JH KH MD
JH MJ FD
Praying for all holy souls especially family and friends of A and A.
Ken, Edna, Jessie, Rebecca and Bob, William, Kevin and all our extended family who have died.
may they rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.
Anne
For my oldest sister, who died in Feb this year and for my youngest sister who died in June this year.
For my deceased parents, uncles and aunties and for my family ancestors. May they be at peace in heaven.
Please remember all the departed Sisters of St Joseph.
For my father RC, my brother RCJr. grandparents, PC, BC, LA, NA, DD, LD, FD and all my friends, relatives and souls in the purgatory.
Thank you,
For the deceased members of the Sheridan, Tosh, Tierney, Rawson, McDonald, Thompson and McCreadie families.
Please pray for my husband MC
May the souls of T and M my brothers, and F and J my parents, along with M my aunt all rest in God’s presence
Please pray for VJS and our parents
Please pray for K E T my mum and dad J and R
Please pray for MB PB JB and JB
Please pray for the souls
GFS & YS – my parents
DS – my brother
EVR & AVR my in laws &
ST, DA, NC, PS, LM, FD – friends
For my brothers sisters and my brothers and sisters in law. And all our friends and community of St joseph’s Parish UH. My Mum Dad in-laws and grandparents.
Please pray for KC a loved daughter JC a beloved husband BJ PJ loved brothers.RIP.
Please pray for the souls of our parents grandparents and friends who have gone before us.
For my parents and grandparents husband and all my family.
Please pray for MV, DV, SV, GV, VV, EV, FJC, IC, NFC, DW. May they all rest in Eternal peace. Thank you.
For all the Priests in out Diocese especially Mons Bill Fr Anton Fr Benito Fr Jim Fr Mark Mosebergen Bishops Barry Bishop Cuneen Bishop Basil and all those who served us so faithfully. May they already be still praying for us until our time comes to join them.
Especially Fr Graeme Blackburn
Especially Fr Graeme Blackburn who served us for such a short time before he went to His heavenly Faher
Please pray for my son WM.
For friends , family and colleagues who have graduated to the next life stage, may they rest in eternal peace.
Today our parish had a service at both the old cemetery and the new cemetery and Fr Fredy blessed the graves of our Catholic community who had gone before us and family members were able to lay flowers on their loved ones graves. It was a special way to begin the month of November.
Please pray for GH, MD, AT, HT ,AD, JD, DD, GH
Please pray for the souls of Lorainne, Jeanine, Jack, John, Nionne, and Rachel Smith