CHURCH SOCIAL TIPS
In our Catholic tradition we don’t celebrate Halloween, we celebrate All Hallows Eve!
Our “Catechism of the Catholic Church” teaches us that we should pray for the dead.
“This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin. From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.” CCC 1032
At every Mass we pray for the dead in our community as part of the prayers of the faithful and Eucharistic Prayer. November is the month dedicated to prayer for the Holy Souls of Purgatory.
In some parishes, All Saints and All Souls Masses include the option of adding the names of passed loved ones to a list to be prayed for. This year Bishop Larry Silva will celebrate an All Souls Mass on Maui at Sacred Hearts Church. It would be beautiful for you to add those who died in the Lahaina fires to the list of those you pray for at your parish.
Various cultures celebrate their beloved dead in other ways too. The movie “CoCo” shined a light on the Mexican culture’s practice of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. As a child of a parent who grew up in New Orleans where there is a great emphasis on remembering our dead every year, going to the cemetery was just part of my regular practice of celebrating this liturgical feast and requesting the names of the deceased be added to the novena.
One of our Catholic tradition’s Corporal Works of Mercy is to bury the dead. You can honor that good deed in related ways by serving in your parish as a bereavement minister, adult altar server or simply by attending funerals. It is so sad to see a mere 20 people show up for the funeral of someone who lived a full life. You can send flowers to the gravesite of a loved one.
Say their name! People seem to struggle with talking about people who have died. But it is a way to remember the dead. Some think that it makes those who mourn sad. But those who mourn are sad because people seem to forget about their loved ones over time. I love to hear my husband’s name as a Mass intention. It reminds the entire congregation to pray for him and for me on my grief journey.
There are many litanies available online for people to pray for the intercession of the saints to pray for their loved ones. A few months ago, I started a widows’ ministry to provide a monthly meeting of women mourning the loss of their spouses and we share stories and support one another as they travel the road of grief.
This year maybe create a new tradition. Just as you make plans for your costumes and candy on Halloween, make a plan to remember your loved ones in a special way. How about placing pictures of those who have died on a table with candles. You could also share a memory of the loved one with kids, dress up or wear an item from your loved one who died in remembrance.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
Sherry Hayes-Peirce is a Catholic social media consultant based in California.
