Spiritual Reflection and Discussion Guide

Having just celebrated the feast of All Saints and All Souls, we are reminded that we belong to the "Communion of Saints “ by our faith and baptism, connecting us to fellow Christians throughout time as members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Just as we pray for one another here on earth, we pray for the salvation of our loved ones who have gone before us and ask the saints in heaven to pray for us, too . St. Paul reminds us that we are all called to be saints. Not super-humans who never sin, but people who strive to grow in faith and seek God’s mercy in Christ.

In the month of November, our readings often focus on the final days of this life and the world—a reminder that we believe that this life is not the end of the story. In keeping with the church’s tradition of praying for all our beloved deceased in November, we set the parish’s “Book of Names” in the baptistry of each church next to the Paschal Candle until the beginning of Advent. The candle symbolizes Christ’s resurrection, in which we all hope to share, along with those who have gone before us, when Christ returns in glory. Please inscribe any new names of your beloved deceased in the book. We will remember them in prayer, especially now through Advent.