Feast of All Souls

 

 November 2nd is the Feast of All Souls, a most interesting and consoling Feastday for the church.

 

I attended Mass in my local church of St Marys, Killenummery, County Leitrim.

A good turn out, and a lovely Mass offered by Fr Vincent Connaughton the Parish Priest for our departed brothers and sisters who have gone where we will all eventually (hopefully) follow.

 

I went specifically to pray for my mother Zillah Crellin, my brother Tony Crellin, my Auntie Laura, various friends and all those whose death I have been present at over the years in my work as an Intensive Care Unit nurse (and that is by now probably many hundreds of people afterr 30 plus years nursing)

 

I have been present at many deaths and have seen many souls depart this world. Some deaths were traumatic and some beautiful. The Feast of All Souls reminds us that its not all about us!

The departed souls, all those who were linked to us in this life need our prayers and it is our privileged ability as Christians STILL in THIS world, to pray to God for their wellbeing in the next.

 

All Souls Day in India

 

 

I also like to pray on All Souls day for those souls in Purgatory who have no one here on earth to pray for them.

 

Now theres a word to cause many a controversy and debate-PURGATORY.

Its such a shocking and descriptive word but ive never understood why the Protestant churches have such a problem with the concept.

I am fully aware of the abuses in the medievil period where Indulgences and Pardons for time spent in Purgatory were sold and where the teaching of the Catholic Church about Purgatory was deliberately twisted for selfish and monetary gain.

However, the concept of Purgatory I think is eminently sensible and blatantly obvious.

 

How can a sinful and self centred person like most of us humans are seriously expect to be immediately assumed into Heaven into the presence of the Person who created us and the Universe instantly following death? (like being beamed up like Star Trek!)

It smacks of Pride and a seriously over inflated Ego on our part.

 

No, Dying is a PROCESS and im sure that following death a process of adjustment, cleansing and healing takes place to PREPARE us for the presence of the Most High.

(A bit like a Spiritual Hospital where we are nursed back to full health)

For Purgatory read HOSPITAL.

 

Dominicans Praying for the Faithful Departed

 



 Prayer for the Departed is an ancient practice and has always been recommended by Holy Church from the first century A.D.

Prayer for the dead is recommended in Sacred Scripture (Book of Maccabees)

Im convinced that the prayers of the Church here now on earth can assist the church penitent in Purgatory.

 

 

The Church also teaches that the departed souls can assist us here on earth.

It makes sense. Why would people we love and who are linked to us forget us after they die?

No, they are still part of the Church and we are all linked through the "Communion of Saints" we are "One Body in Christ"
The Church consists of 3 PARTS:
on Earth -Church Expectant,
In Purgatory- Church Penitent
In Heaven -Church Triumphant
So all three parts are in Communion, all of us are able to assist each other with prayer.
 

 

So dont be afraid to pray for the Departed Souls and to ask for their prayers as well, after all they are one step closer to Him who created us all in our Mothers wombs and who will call us back when our pilgrim journey and the job we have been given to do here on earth is completed.
 



Holy Mass for all Souls



 

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them O Lord And May Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them, May They Rest In Peace.

A.MEN