We Remember Those Who Have Gone Before Us
Friends,
We have a double-hitter this weekend. On Saturday, we celebrate All Saints Day as we remember those thousands of men and women and children who have been declared official “Saints” by the Catholic Church. At the same time, we remember all those holy women and men who are not official Saints but who lived holy lives and are surely in heaven with Jesus.
This remembrance happens on Saturday at the 5 p.m. Mass. … .And then after Mass, we will gather in the Conference Room to celebrate an event in 1908 when Mary Buckley sold three-fourths of an acre of land to the Catholic Church for $10. This is the same land on which our present church was eventually built in 1925. I invite you to come after Mass and remember and celebrate our early roots on San Pablo Avenue.
Then on Sunday, Nov. 2, we remember All Souls and call to mind all of our relatives, friends and neighbors who have died and have preceded us into heaven. We will have a list of all those members who have died in this past year. I encourage you to look at the names and offer a prayer for their eternal rest with Jesus. This is a great tradition of Catholics to remember our deceased………Likewise, we will incorporate the “Dia de los Muertos” – the Mexican tradition of setting up an altar with photos of our dead friends. Please feel free to place a photo of a loved one on this altar. We are a people who remember both the living and the dead.
Peace,
Fr. John Maxwell
