29th Sunday of the Year
16 October 2005
Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever!
Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are some calendar items to be aware of:
- The last week of October, all the priests of the diocese will be on retreat with our bishop at Kanuga Conference Center outside of Hendersonville, NC. Please pray that these days of prayer will lead all of us more deeply into the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.
- Because of the retreat, there will be no Mass at noon from Tuesday through Thursday of the last week of October. Also, we will not have our usual Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesday 26 October. We will, however, have Mass at noon on Monday 24 October and Friday 28 October.
- Tuesday 1 November is the Solemnity of All Saints, a holy day of obligation, and there will be three Masses that Tuesday for All Saints: 8:30 am, 12 noon, and 7:00 pm. The Mass at 8:30 am is primarily for our school, and we ask all parishioners to come either at noon or 7:00 pm.
- Wednesday 2 November is the Commemoration of All Souls, and there will be three Masses that Wednesday for All Souls: 8:30 am, 12 noon, and 7:00 pm. If you would like to have your beloved dead remembered at the altar during the month of November, please write their names on the back of the collection envelope for All Souls. You may also write their names in the book that will be placed on the stand by the Lady Chapel at the sacristy door.
Please remember that the secular observance of Halloween is absolutely meaningless (and, in fact, quickly degenerates into pagan nonsense) without the celebration of the twin feasts of All Saints and All Souls. From Christian antiquity the Church has observed these days of prayer to remind us that death is not the end of personal existence, that all of us will face our judgment at death, that all who are in Christ remain united even after death, and that the Church in Heaven, the Church on earth, and the Church in purgatory are but one Church. If your children will be taking part in the festivities of Halloween (All Hallows, or All Saints, Eve), it is absolutely essential that they also share in the great feasts of All Saints and All Souls, most especially by coming to Mass with you.
Father Newman