Time is moving so quickly! It is hard to believe that Halloween is next weekend. I’m sure the Christmas music will be heard on the radio soon, and we are hearing on the news that we should be doing Christmas shopping now because of supply issues moving into the Christmas season. All of this can lead to anxiety and pressure. Take a deep breath, center yourself and remember what is important.
As we prepare to enter the month of November, as a church we dedicate November to the Saints and Souls who have gone before us. During November we remember all of the dead, but in a special way we remember those we have lost over that past year. Our All Souls’ Day celebration will take place on Tuesday, November 2 at 7pm in the church. This is a beautiful time for families to gather and pray for their deceased loved ones. At this mass we pray in a special way with the families who have lost a loved one in the past year. All are invited to this moving celebration of remembrance.
This year, as a parish, we will be having an area of remembrance for our faithful departed. Anyone is invited to bring a picture of a loved one who has passed and place it in our prayer area near St. Joseph and the candle stand in the front of church. We ask that the picture of the person be no larger than a 5 x 7, and that you put your name on the back of the picture so we know who it belongs to. We recognize that for many the loss of a loved one can include our past pets as well. Our remembrance table is focusing us on the humans we have loved and lost. Starting next weekend (Oct. 30/31) we invite you to place the picture of your loved one in our remembrance area as we pray in a special way for all of the faithful departed. The remembrance area will be in place thru the weekend of November 21.
As we prepare to remember our loved ones, let’s also remember Jesus is the one who can calm our fears, worries, anxieties and stresses. If we remember that each day, it will help us through whatever life throws our way, but like blind Bartimaeus, sometimes we have to yell to Jesus through the distractions of the world.
Keep Smiling Fr. Bryan
Keep Smiling
Fr. Bryan