NOVEMBER 2 Monday-All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Psalm 64, Verse 10
Every person FEARS and proclaims God’s actions, they ponder his deeds.
Those who follow the commandments of God will be glad for their
trust is in Him who is. Whoever is filled with God’s spirit will have an
upright heart and is joyful. Generosity is their watchword.
The Virtue of Generosity
Generosity inspires gratitude, and gratitude inspires
generosity. God is generous to us and our generosity, as St. Paul tells us,
gives proof of our gratitude towards God (2 Cor. 9:11).
In gratitude we are human; in generosity we are divine:
"You received without pay, give without pay" (Mt. 10:8).
An admirer of the great German composer, Johannes Brahms, left
him 1,000 pounds in his will. Upon learning about the bequest, Brahms was
deeply moved. "It touches me most deeply and intimately," he wrote to
a friend. "All exterior honors are nothing in comparison." Then, in
the very next sentence, he informed his friend that since he did not need the
money, he was "enjoying it in the most agreeable manner, by taking
pleasure in its distribution."
Thus, the virtue that touched Brahms inspired replication of
itself in the generosity that Brahms himself demonstrated. And one hopes that
it stirred the same virtue among his beneficiaries. Generosity is the virtue
that can go on mirroring itself until the end of time.
The highest gift we can give to another is the gift of
ourselves. Giving ourselves in this way epitomizes the virtue of generosity.
The perfect example of generosity is God the Creator. By means of His
generosity, He generated man in His image. For Christians, God's gift of
Himself through Christ represents the ultimate form of generosity, and serves
as a model for all human generosity.
Because God creates -- or generates -- man in His image out of
His own generosity, a dynamic impulse toward generosity is implanted in the
depth of man's being. As a consequence, to live authentically means to give
generously. Personality and generosity, therefore, are virtually synonymous. To
live authentically is to give generously of oneself. The great Thomistic
philosopher, Jacques Maritain, underscored this unification of personality with
generosity when he wrote:
"Do not heroes and saints impress us as men who have
reached the heights of personality as well as generosity?"
What are the limits of generosity?
Since virtue is rooted in love,
this question is tantamount to asking,
"What are the limits of love?"
The highest gift we can give to
another is the gift of ourselves.
To the calculating mind, being generous seems to be costly. To
the generous heart, being greedy seems incomprehensible. It is greed that
impoverishes us, not generosity. True generosity, indeed, enriches us a
hundredfold. There is a superabundance within each of us. Not to release it is
to cost us who we are (cf. Jn. 12:24-25). Nothing, therefore, is more costly
than greed; nothing is more rewarding than generosity. The fact that greed is
as common as it is indicates that human beings can be estranged from themselves
while trying to live a life that is alien to them.
Literary characters such as King Midas, Silas Marner, Ebenezer
Scrooge, and The Grinch Who Almost Stole Christmas, are driven by greed in such
a way that the more greedy they become, the less human they appear. The
conversions of Midas, Scrooge, and the Grinch are, in effect, returns to
humanity, and are met by readers with great jubilation. Generous people are not
only more likable than their greedy counterparts, but they appear to be more
human, more real.
A poor man who is in touch with the fundamental generosity of
his existence can be productive, happy, and at peace with himself. It is more
blessed to give than to receive; but it is far more blessed to give than to
take. In the final analysis, we cannot take with us what we have, though many
people seem to live as though they could. But we can leave behind what we have
given. Greed is an affliction of the dispossessed. Generosity is the plenitude
of the self-possessed.
Copilot’s
Take
On All Souls
Day, the virtue of generosity reaches beyond money, possessions, and even
earthly relationships. The Catechism teaches that charity is "the
theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and
our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God" (CCC 1822). Because charity
is the form of all the virtues (CCC 1827), generosity becomes one of charity's
most visible expressions. This is why Catholics pray for the faithful departed,
offer Masses, and perform works of mercy in their memory. Love does not end at
death, and generosity becomes a participation in Christ's own self-giving
sacrifice. The highest generosity is not giving something we own, but giving
ourselves in love.
Generosity
also requires courage. Charity is not sentimental kindness that ignores
wrongdoing. The Catechism teaches that charity includes fraternal correction,
benevolence, and seeking the true good of another (CCC 1829). For this reason,
saints such as Catherine of Siena, Peter Damian, and Charles Borromeo
confronted corruption and sin within the Church while remaining faithful to her
mission. Jewish tradition offers a similar insight through Maimonides' famous
levels of charity, where the highest form of giving is helping another person
regain dignity and self-sufficiency. Catholic spirituality likewise sees
charity ascending from almsgiving and mercy to forgiveness, intercession,
sacrificial love, and ultimately the complete gift of self patterned after
Christ.
The perfect
model of generosity is Jesus in the Eucharist. He does not merely give
blessings or teachings; He gives His very Body and Blood for the life of the
world. Thus generosity becomes the opposite of greed: greed seeks to possess,
while charity seeks to give (CCC 2544-2547). On this feast of the faithful
departed, we remember that what we keep eventually passes away, but what we
give in love endures into eternity. The prayers we offer for the dead become an
act of charity that reaches beyond the grave and reflects the endless
generosity of God. (CCC 958, 1032)
All the
Faithful Departed-ALL SOULS DAY is the annual commemoration of all
those souls who departed this life in the grace and favor of God but who are
still detained in purgatory. Purgatory is that third place in the other world
in which the souls of the departed suffer the temporal punishment of those sins
for which in life they have not sufficiently atoned, and in which they are
purified until they are worthy to appear in the presence of God.
Is there a purgatory?
Yes, it
is a doctrine of our faith.
1. Even
under the Old Law the Jews held to this belief, and accordingly Judas Maccabeus
sent twelve thousand silver drachmas to Jerusalem to procure the offering of
sacrifices for the dead.
2. Under
the New Law Jesus Christ seems toS point to such a place (Matt. v. 26, xii.
32). The apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians: The fire shall try every man’s
work; of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide, which he hath built
thereupon [upon Christ], he shall receive a reward; if any man’s work burn, he
shall suffer loss [by the fire of purgatory], but he himself shall be saved,
yet so as by fire (i. Cor. iii. 13-15). A fire from which a man may be saved
cannot be the fire of hell; for from hell there is no redemption. The words of
St. Paul, therefore, can only be understood of purgatory.
What souls are they that go to purgatory?
The souls
of all those who, though dying in the grace of God, have yet something to atone
for. Those persons dying in the grace of God are still friends of God, and
certainly God does not cast those who are His friends into hell. It is,
therefore, as suitable to the idea of God’s mercy as it is consonant to reason
that such souls should be first purified in purgatory.
How can we assist the souls suffering in purgatory?
1.
By our prayers. The Holy Scripture says, it is a holy and a wholesome thought
to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins. The Catholic Church
has therefore always taught that the prayer of the faithful for the departed is
holy and wholesome.
2.
By the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the fruits of which are most beneficial to
the souls in purgatory. For this reason, holy Church has always, from the time
of the apostles, remembered the dead in the holy Mass.
3.
By gaining indulgences, and other good works, by which we supplicate God to
show mercy to the souls of the suffering, to accept what is performed by us in
satisfaction for the punishment to be endured by them, and to bring them into
the kingdom of everlasting peace and light.
When and
how was this yearly commemoration of the departed introduced?
The time
of the introduction of this commemoration cannot be determined; for as early as
the time of Tertullian he mentions that the Christians of his day held a yearly
commemoration of the dead. Towards the end of the tenth century St. Odo, abbot
of the Benedictines, at Cluny, directed this feast to be celebrated yearly, on
the 2d of November, in all the con vents of his Order, which usage was
afterwards enjoined upon the whole Christian world by Pope John XVI. The feast
of this day was probably established in order that, after having one day before
rejoiced over the glory of the saints in heaven, we should this day remember in
love those who are sighing in purgatory for deliverance.
Prayer.
O God,
the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy
servants departed the remission of all their sins, that, by our pious
supplications, they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired.
EPISTLE,
i. Cor. xv. 51-57.
Brethren:
Behold I tell you a mystery: we shall all indeed rise again, but we shall not
all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet:
for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and
we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption: and this
mortal must put on immortality. And when this mortal hath put on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in
victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? Now the
sting of death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to
God, Who hath given us the victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ.
GOSPEL. John v. 25-29.
At that time Jesus said to the multitude of the
Jews: Amen, amen, I say unto you, that the hour cometh, and now is, when the
dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For
as the Father hath life in Himself: so, He hath given to the Son also to have
life in Himself: and He hath given Him power to do judgment, because He is the
Son of man. Wonder not at this, for the hour cometh wherein all that are in the
graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that have done good
things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life: but they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.
An
excellent book on purgatory, by Rev. F.X. Schouppe, S.J., entitled, Purgatory is worth checking out; after
the death of my own father reading, it brought me much consolation.
Visiting the Dead[3]
Families
travel, often at great distance and in their best apparel, to visit the graves
of friends and relatives, lighting candles, bringing flowers, and kneeling
there in prayer. Processions can be conducted where the priest leads the
congregation in litanies for the dead and blesses the graves with holy water.
Often times these graves are decorated and groomed the week before, so that
when the day of commemoration comes, everything is suitably prepared.
The
"Octave" of the Dead
The
Church has never instituted an octave for All Souls' Day (though prior to 1955
it had one for All Saints' Day). Nevertheless, popular piety has extended all
of the afore-mentioned customs over an eight-day period. The Church has
encouraged this in at least one way: it grants a plenary indulgence, under the
usual conditions, to anyone who visits cemeteries from November 1 to 8.
The
Day of the Dead is also a traditional time for penance and charity. Giving
food to the poor, for example, is a popular corporal work of mercy
on All Souls' Day.
Things to
Do
Do pious practices
to help the Poor Souls: attend three Masses for the Poor Souls on this day;
remember your family and friends who are deceased and make an extra sacrifice
for them; pray the rosary for the most forgotten soul in purgatory.
The faithful who
visit a cemetery to pray for the faithful departed, saying the Lord's Prayer
and the Creed (even if only mentally), may gain a plenary indulgence once only
under the usual conditions: sacramental confession (eight days before or after
the act), Eucharistic Communion on that day, and prayer for the Pope's
intentions (usually one Our Father and Hail Mary as minimum). Each day between
November 1 and November 8, this gains a plenary indulgence that can only be
applied to the poor souls in purgatory. Any other time of year this gains a
partial indulgence. See Praying
for the Dead and Gaining Indulgences During November for more information
about indulgences for the Poor Souls.
There is also solemn
commemoration to be used on All Souls. See Visiting
a Cemetery on All Souls Day, Memorial Day, or on the Anniversary of Death or
Burial.
Make a nice poster
listing all the family and friends departed. Put this on display where the
members of the family can be reminded to pray for the loved ones throughout
November. Remind family members to offer extra prayers and sacrifices for the
poor souls in purgatory. Of course, this shouldn't be the only motivation, but
do include the fact that after these souls reach heaven, they will intercede on
your behalf.
Read the Directory
on Popular Piety and the Liturgy and the section entitled "The
Memorial of the Dead in Popular Piety." Of particular note:
The Christian, who must be conscious of and familiar
with the idea of death, cannot interiorly accept the phenomenon of the
"intolerance of the dead," which deprives the dead of all acceptance
in the city of the living. Neither can he refuse to acknowledge the signs of
death, especially when intolerance and rejection encourage a flight from
reality, or a materialist cosmology, devoid of hope and alien to belief in the
death and resurrection of Christ.
Some
suggested devotions from the Directory (in accordance with time, place
and tradition, popular devotions to the dead take on a multitude of forms):
The novena for the
dead in preparation for 2 November, and the octave prolonging it, should be
celebrated in accordance with liturgical norms.
visits to the
cemetery; in some places this is done in a community manner on 2 November, at
the end of the parochial mission, when the parish priest takes possession of
the parish; visiting the cemetery can also be done privately, when the faithful
go to the graves of their own families to maintain them or decorate them with
flowers and lamps. Such visits should be seen as deriving from the bonds
existing between the living and the dead and not from any form of obligation,
non-fulfilment of which involves a superstitious fear.
membership in a
confraternity or other pious association whose objects include "burial of
the dead" in the light of the Christian vision of death, praying for the
dead, and providing support for the relatives of the dead.
suffrage for the
dead through alms deeds, works of mercy, fasting, applying indulgences, and
especially prayers, such as the De profundis, and the formula Requiem aeternam [Eternal Rest],
which often accompanies the recitation of the Angelus, the rosary, and at
prayers before and after meals.
Have family
discussions about death, preparing for death, funerals, and the Sacrament of
the Sick. Visit the cemetery with children. Visits to the cemetery should be
uplifting, calm and peaceful, not a scary event.
From the Catholic
Culture library:
Purgatory
And Catechesis,
Holy
Souls in Purgatory,
Mystery
of God's Justice and Mercy
The
Doctrine of Purgatory.
For many more documents
search the library for "purgatory."
In many places this
day centers around the family departed and the cemetery. Families go to
gravesites, clean them, decorate them, add candles. This can be an all-day
affair, with picnics and celebration. Of particular note is the Dia de los
Muertos or the Day of the Dead, celebration in Mexico on November 2. One
could say this is the "Mexican Halloween." For more information on
this Catholic holiday, see Mexico Connect
for a variety of links for information. Please note that as with many holidays,
there is much commercialism and secularism.
Deeply
rooted cultural elements connoting particular anthropological concepts are to
be found among the customs and usages connected with the "cult of the
dead" among some peoples. These often spring from a desire to prolong
family and social links with the departed. Great caution must be used in
examining and evaluating these customs. Care should be taken to ensure that
they are not contrary to the Gospel. Likewise, care should be taken to ensure
that they cannot be interpreted as pagan residues.
More All
Souls’ Day Top Events and Things to Do
Visit the cemetery
where your loved ones are buried and light a candle. This is exactly what the
holiday is meant to celebrate, and it is also very common for people to do on
All Souls’ Day.
Watch a movie about
All Souls’ Day or Christianity. Some of our favorites are: All Soul’s Day
(2005), Passion of the Christ (2004), and Raising the Undead
(2006).
Spread awareness on
social media by using the hashtag #AllSoulsDay, #HonourTheDead and
#HeavenAwaits.
Create an alter in
memory of a loved one. This can be done within your home and typically uses
pictures of the person, candles, flowers and any other sentimental pieces.
Prepare a meal in
memory of a deceased family member. In many countries, it is customary to
prepare this meal and it is believed that the dead return to consume the food.
All Souls' Day (November 2nd) Bread & Pastry
Baking
special breads in honor of the souls in Purgatory is an ancient custom. All
Souls' Bread or Pastry varies in name, content, and shape depending on
country and ethnicity. The All-Souls’ pastry in northern Spain, for example, is
called "bones of the holy" (Huesos de Santo), while the one in
Catalonia is referred to as "little breads" (Panellets). In
central Europe the All-Souls’ cakes that are shaped like hares are distributed
to little boys while the ones that are shaped like hens are given to little
girls. A similar custom in western Europe involves the preparing of Soul
Food, cooked beans or peas or lentils, which are then served with some sort
of meat dish. Though many of these culinary practices have a pagan origin
(cults of the dead, fertility rites, etc.), they have been converted to good
Christian use. Instead of bribing malevolent spirits or "feeding"
departed love ones, these comestibles quietly remind us of those who no longer
grace our dinner tables but with whom we one day hope to be united again at the
eternal banquet. Further, there is a laudable custom in which the food that
would have gone to feeding one's dearly departed is instead distributed to the
poor. Hungarian Catholics once even invited orphan children into their homes on
All Saints' and All Souls' Day and gave them new clothes and toys along with
generous meals.
Poor
souls in Purgatory
The
Dogma of Purgatory is too much forgotten by the majority of the faithful; the
Church Suffering, where they have so many brethren to succor, whither they
foresee that they themselves must one
day go, seems a strange land to them. This truly deplorable forgetfulness was a
great sorrow to St. Francis de Sales. “Alas!” said this pious doctor of the
Church, “we do not sufficiently remember our dear departed; their memory seems
to perish with the sound of the funeral bells.” The principal causes of this
are ignorance and lack of faith; our notions on the subject of Purgatory are
too vague, our faith is too feeble. In order, then, that our ideas may become
more distinct, and our faith enlivened, we must
take a closer view of this life beyond the tomb, this intermediate state of the
just souls, not yet worthy to enter the Heavenly Jerusalem.
🌴 Bucket List Trip: Around the World
“Perfect Weather”
7-day Los
Angeles Stay & Reflection Itinerary, anchored at the charming and
affordable Orange Drive Hostel in
Hollywood (~$90–$110/night). Each day blends civic radiance, Eucharistic
rhythm, and symbolic hospitality.
🌇 Los Angeles Stay & Reflection Itinerary
November 2–9 • Civic Radiance, Eucharistic Rhythm
Lodging: Orange Drive Hostel –
Hollywood
Also available via Booking.com
or Hostelworld
Day 1:
Arrival & All Souls Day Fiesta (Nov 2)
• Morning Mass: Cathedral of Our Lady of the
Angels – 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, or 12:30 PM (Spanish)
• Afternoon Event: All Souls Feast Day
Festival – 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM at All Souls Catholic Church, Alhambra
Live music, food, ministry tables,
and raffle celebration
• Symbolic act: Offer a prayer for the departed beneath the stars or near a
memorial plaque
• Evening Meal: Musso &
Frank Grill – classic Hollywood legacy
Day 2:
Eucharistic Anchoring & Artistic Listening (Nov 3)
• Morning Mass:
Cathedral or local parish
• Art Visit: The Broad Museum – civic
beauty and modern reverence
• Symbolic act: Light a candle and reflect on urban communion
Day 3:
Marian Echo & Cultural Reverence (Nov 4)
• Church Visit: St. Vincent de Paul Church –
12:00 PM English or 2:00 PM Spanish
• Art Exploration: Getty Center
– free admission, timed entry
• Symbolic act: Sketch a Marian symbol or civic motif
Day 4:
Pilgrimage Walk & Creation Prayer (Nov 5)
• Walk: Griffith
Park trails or Echo Park Lake
• Midday Pause: Psalm 19 reflection near the Observatory
• Symbolic act: Collect a leaf or stone as a token of clarity
Day 5:
Civic Hospitality & Cultural Listening (Nov 6)
• Morning Market:
Original Farmers Market
• Museum Visit: California
African American Museum – open 10am–5pm, always free
• Symbolic act: Leave a blessing near a mural or garden
Day 6:
Eucharistic Table & Star-Lit Communion (Nov 7)
• Day Trip: Santa
Monica Pier or Venice Beach
• Symbolic act: Pour a libation into the ocean in honor of the saints
• Evening Concert: Zubin
Mehta conducts Bruckner’s 8th at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Day 7:
Benediction & Sending Forth (Nov 8)
• Final Walk:
Runyon Canyon or Griffith Park
• Midday Reflection: Write a closing prayer of sending
• Benediction:
“May this city remember my reverence. May my steps echo joy and light.”
Los Angeles Pilgrimage Meal Guide
Theme: Civic Radiance & Eucharistic Rhythm
Dates: November 2–9
Lodging: Orange
Drive Hostel – Hollywood
Reflection Arc: Each day pairs a symbolic act with a culinary echo, culminating
in a 7-course meal that honors the week’s spiritual and civic journey.
Course 1 – All Souls Welcome Bite (Nov 2: Arrival &
Fiesta)
Dish: Mini
Tacos al Pastor – festive, communal, and street-honoring
Symbolism: Sunset hues and prayers for the departed
Reflection: Offer a prayer beneath the stars or near a memorial plaque
Course 2 – Eucharistic Bread & Urban Butter (Nov 3:
Artistic Listening)
Dish: Burrata
Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes
Symbolism: Eucharistic anchoring meets civic beauty
Reflection: Light a candle and reflect on urban communion
Course 3 – Marian Garden Soup (Nov 4: Marian Echo)
Dish: Golden
Beet & Citrus Soup with Fennel
Symbolism: Marian radiance, golden hues, and garden reverence
Reflection: Sketch a Marian symbol or civic motif
Course 4 – Pilgrim’s Path Salad (Nov 5: Creation Prayer)
Dish: California
Avocado Salad – greens, citrus, and toasted seeds
Symbolism: Earthy clarity and Psalm 19’s glory
Reflection: Collect a leaf or stone as a token of clarity
Course 5 – Civic Hospitality Entrée (Nov 6: Cultural
Listening)
Dish: Braised
Short Ribs with Collard Greens & Cornbread
Symbolism: Honoring African American heritage and soulful hospitality
Reflection: Leave a blessing near a mural or garden
Course 6 – Star-Lit Communion Dessert (Nov 7: Ocean
Libation & Concert)
Dish: Limoncello
Olive Oil Cake with Sea Salt Whip
Symbolism: Libation, light, and Eucharistic sweetness
Reflection: Pour a symbolic libation into the ocean in honor of the saints
Course 7 – Benediction Finale (Nov 8: Sending Forth)
Dish: Coconut
Date Energy Bites – nourishing, portable, and joyful
Symbolism: Benediction, memory, and joyful echo
Reflection: Write a closing prayer of sending
Around the Corner
Spirit Hour: Old
Fashion to honor the folks that have gone before you
Foodie: Ever
thought about tossing together deviled eggs in shapes of circles?
Lastly, why not end the day with a traditional Finnish
Kekri meal, trying out some new recipes to expand your culinary horizons?
1889 North and
South Dakota Statehood
How to celebrate Nov 2nd
How about spending the day with buffalo at a local farm or
wildlife sanctuary?
At some point, take a moment to remember lost loved ones.
Daily Devotions
Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the
Porters of St. Joseph by joining
them in fasting: Today's Fast: The Pope
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
Offering to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Drops of
Christ’s Blood
Universal
Man Plan
Rosary
