All Saint's Day

Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend we celebrate All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov. 2). All Saints is preceded by All Hallows Eve (commonly called Hallowe’en). This celebration, which has degenerated into a commercialized and very secular event, has a Christian tradition.

In the early Church all major feasts like All Saints were celebrated with a vigil the evening before. All of us are familiar with Christmas Eve which precedes Christmas. We also have the vigil of Sunday celebrated on Saturday evening with Masses and Evening Prayer I of Sunday. All Hallows Eve was not always about witches, ghosts, and wild parties. The original meaning, the true meaning of Hallowe’en lies in its connection with the feast of All Saints. Early Christians used to go in procession from one church to another dressed like the Christians who had died for their faith in Christ. These processions would conclude with a prayer vigil that often lasted well into the night. That’s why we have celebrations like Christmas midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil.

It was only later that the pagans, who had a feast at the same time of year, began to incorporate their customs with the Christian celebration. Here at St. John the Baptist School we encourage our children to dress up like their favorite saints on Oct. 31. Prizes are awarded to the best saint costumes. This is an opportunity for all who have children to restore the “holy” to Hallowe’en. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, we all have the opportunity to remember our faithful departed on All Souls Day (Nov. 2). This commemoration reminds us of our mortality and of our connection with friends and relatives who have died. While we may hope that some are in heaven already, we also believe that our prayers, works of charity, and other sacrifices can be offered for their benefit. All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification. (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1030-1031).

Let us remember all of our loved ones next Sunday at Mass so that they will soon join their brothers and sisters in the Communion of Saints in heaven.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand