Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In certain circles, the Fall is sometimes referred to as Spooky Season. Now, that largely has to do with Halloween and all the cultural context of witches, goblins, and ghouls that are now associated with the holiday. But, there’s also the changing of the heat of summer for the cool, damp mornings and evenings that Autumn offers, along with the shortening of daylight as the months roll along. Even in the life of the Church, November is dedicated towards praying for the souls of the faithful departed, which may lead to the willys for some people. But the Church’s insistence to pray for the dead isn’t meant to spook anyone, but an old, venerable tradition to help us all be more attentive to the joys of heaven.
As the circumstances of this November unfold, there’s been several things that have me considering the faithful departed. Of course, the Church Universal celebrates All Soul’s Day on November 2 nd , but there’s been more local things happening at the parish. Over the last week and half, we’ve had funerals for some very long-standing and well-established parishioners. In some cases, their involvement with St. Charles went all the way back to the founding of the parish. In other cases, the individuals were very active and involved, in all kinds of ministry and in the regular worship with the community at Mass. Some I hardly knew. But others? Some of them I knew quite well and was saddened by their passing. As much as I take seriously the responsibility of burying the dead and providing consolation and comfort to the families of the deceased through the funeral liturgy, there’s still the personal experience of it on my end as well. And sometimes, it can be hard to say goodbye.
We also just had our annual Memorial Mass for the faithful departed this past Wednesday. Every year, we invite back the families of those who have passed within the last twelve months for a Mass to recall and pray for them. It’s a beautiful liturgy, using many of the same readings, songs, and prayers that are used at funerals, to pray in hope that they are at rest. We call each person’s name and there’s a candle that’s lit in remembrance, and we ask the families to bring a photo of their loved one to the Mass, all as a way to recall who they were and what they meant to us. It can be a bit draining, but it’s also cathartic, allowing us all to grieve, but also hope in the promise of eternal life.
And so, my dear brothers and sisters, in writing this letter, I don’t mean to spook you in any way. But I hope it might serve as a reminder that in our faith, yes, death is a reality and at times we must confront it, but it’s not the end of the story. Our story is that of the Resurrection, for all the faithful departed!
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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