The following article is the next installment in a series that will appear in the Catholic Herald to offer catechesis and formation concerning end of life decisions, dying, death, funerals, and burial of the dead from the Catholic perspective.
Tag: souls
Bishop to celebrate Mass at cemetery
MADISON — Bishop […]
Remembering saints and all souls in November
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We begin November by celebrating the feast of All Saints.
All Saints Day
On All Saints Day, we remember and we honor both the canonized and non-canonized saints of the Catholic Church. Both invite and inspire us to imitate their Christ-like lives.
Mass for deceased bishops and priests of Diocese of Madison
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino will celebrate a special Requiem Mass for deceased priests and bishops of the Diocese of Madison. November is a month when Catholics pray in a special way for the repose of the dead and, by God’s will, for the rapid entrance into heaven of the poor souls.
On Monday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center, Bishop Morlino, with clerical and lay ministers, will celebrate a Pontifical Requiem Mass “at the Throne” in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
End of life: Deserves as much attention as the beginning
As we conclude the month of October — designated as Respect Life Month — it seems appropriate to reflect on end-of-life issues.
Doesn’t it seem that our society today pays much more attention to the beginning of life than the end of it? We get excited about the birth of a baby. We have baby showers, spend time getting the nursery decorated, and send out birth announcements when the baby is born. We buy cards and gifts for the new child.
Pontifical Requiem Mass for deceased bishops and priests on November 3
MADISON — In the “Church Year,” November is a significant month for considering the Communion of the Saints and the holy souls in Purgatory.
At the start of the month, the Church celebrates All Saints Day, giving thanks to God for all those we believe have achieved their heavenly goal, and then All Souls Day, during which we pray for the souls of all those who have departed but await their entry into heaven. They are moving days, which call to mind not only loved ones and friends who have died, but also the end of our own lives.
It’s a moral imperative: We must take care of both our souls and our bodies
As Catholics, we hear a lot about making sure we have a healthy spiritual life by attending Mass, praying regularly, and doing good works. Taking care of our souls should be a priority in our lives.
However, that does not mean that we should ignore our bodies. It is very important to take care of our bodies, too.
In religion class in Catholic grade school, I remember learning that our bodies are “temples of the Holy Spirit.” The complete quote from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Expressing gratitude for ordinary saints
November always brings several things to mind. It has traditionally been a time when we pray for those who have gone before us and give thanks for the ordinary saints, living and deceased, who have touched our lives. We also celebrate Thanksgiving, which is supposed to be the favorite holiday of most Americans.
Every time I go to a wake or funeral — and I have been to many lately — and hear the beautiful comments made about the persons who died, I cannot help but wonder how many of those things were said to that person when he or she was alive?