If you have been admitted to any of the following hospitals in Calgary and would like the Sacrament of Anointing of the ick, you may contact your parish priest or call the Diocese of Calgary Call Centre
Sevwing the following hospitals:
All Saints' Day, celebrated on November 1st, and All Souls' Day on November 2nd, are special holidays with deep roots in Catholic tradition and the cultures of many countries. These two days are a special time for remembering the deceased, reflecting on life, and reminding us of the spiritual communion with those who have passed away.
All Saints' Day is a feast in honour of all known and unknown saints. It is a day when the Catholic Church venerates those who have already achieved eternal happiness in heaven. This feast was already celebrated in the 4th century but was officially established on November 1st by Pope Gregory III in the 8th century.
This day has a joyful aspect because it highlights the triumph of life over death and the saints as role models for the faithful. They remind us of the pursuit of holiness and living in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel. Churches hold solemn masses, and in many places, the faithful pay homage to the relics of saints.
All Souls' Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is observed the day after All Saints' Day. It is a time for prayer for the souls of the deceased who, it is believed, are in purgatory, awaiting full union with God.
The tradition of All Souls' Day was initiated by the Benedictines and was spread in the 11th century by St. Odilo, the abbot of Cluny. The Church encourages prayer, offering Masses, and performing acts of charity for the deceased on this day.
Today, these holidays are still very important, the tradition of visiting cemeteries, lighting candles, and decorating graves has become deeply ingrained in the culture. It is a period when families gather to collectively pay respects to their departed loved ones. In many countries, cemeteries during these days look impressive, illuminated by thousands of candles, symbolizing remembrance of the dead and the hope of eternal life.
The significance of these days in contemporary culture also relates to care for identity and heritage. They provide an opportunity for reflection on the value of life, as well as for renewing family and social relationships. They remind us of the transience and fragility of human life, encouraging us to cultivate bonds with the past and make use of the wisdom passed down by previous generations.
Although they are religious holidays, they are also observed by non-believers as a show of respect for family history and the memory of ancestors. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day have become a time of universal reflection on the inevitability of death and its place in our lives, as well as a reminder of the need to care for relationships while alive.
In summary, these days are not only a part of religious tradition but, above all, an opportunity to pause in our daily lives, reflect, and express respect for those who have left us. Like any rite of passage, they play an important role in the processes of acceptance and mourning, uniting people in shared memory and reflection.
Fr. Marius
Please save the dates for the Diocesan Advent Renewal Mission in your parish.
Renewed in Hope: Diocesan Advent Renewal Mission
Parish in-person gathering - led by presenters via Zoom
Dec 3, 4 & 5 (Tue, Wed, and Thu) from 7 pm to 8:30 pm
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Rooted in the story of Jesus healing Jairus’ daughter, the CCCB’s new pastoral letter on Called to Witness and Proclaim: A Pastoral Letter on Evangelization and Catechesis in the Family calls families to be witnesses of Christ’s love and transform homes into schools of love and faith.
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Today's Sunday in the Catholic Church is known as World Mission Day, which reminders us to reflect deeply on missions and how we understand our responsibility towards them. Usually, when we think of missions, we imagine distant countries, exotic cultures and people who do not know the Gospel. However, today's day reminds us that missions are not only about "others" - people from the so-called third world. Missions are something that each of us should practice here and now, in our daily lives, in our environment, in our home.
Missions begin in the heart of each of us. Jesus said: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15), but this “world” does not have to be geographically far away. Our world is our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools – these are people we meet every day.
Isn't it the case that often closer to us, in our own parish, among our relatives, friends and colleagues, there are people who distance themselves from God? Don't we see people around us who need a testimony of love, support, understanding? They are our first "addresses" of the mission.
Today, the mission of the Church is more than a trip to the other side of the world. It is a mission of witnessing love, openness, reconciliation - and above all where we live every day. Maybe there are people in our homes who need our presence, our forgiveness, our example of living by faith? Maybe in the workplace we can share a good word, support, sometimes a simple smile with someone who feels lost? Maybe our parish needs our commitment, our help in building a community?
Today's world is often plunged into chaos, fear, division. All the more he needs the Gospel – the Good News about God's love, which brings peace and hope. We, as Catholics, are sent to be missionaries in this world. It doesn't always require great gestures. Sometimes it is enough to be a presence, a witness of life, faithfulness to the Gospel in everyday, small things.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, may today be our World Mission Day an opportunity to rediscover our vocation to be a missionary. Let's start with ourselves, with our home, our work, our parish. The mission begins where we are. Let us ask the Lord to give us the strength and courage to carry His love wherever He sends us.
May our everyday life become a space of mission, where we will bear witness to Christ, bringing peace, love and hope to those who need it most.
Fr. Marius
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If you would like to include the name of a loved one in the "Book of the Names of the Dead," please sign the book at the back of the church or contact Nancy in the church office at 403-652-2203 or email her at www.francisdesales.shaw.ca.
The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2024.