30th Sunday of the Year

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are several important dates in November:

1. Saturday 1 November is the Solemnity of All Saints, the annual celebration of the Church Triumphant, the great cloud of witnesses who with the angels already stand at the Throne of Grace and worship the Lamb once slain. This feast originated in the 4th century as the Feast of All Martyrs and took its present date and form in the 9th century. Mass for All Saints will be at 10 am on Saturday 1 November.

2. Sunday 2 November is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, also called All Souls’ Day, on which we pray for the Church Expectant, the souls of the righteous who have been redeemed by Christ but who are being prepared to see the Face of God. This feast originated in France in the 9th century and became universal in the 13th century. All Souls will be celebrated at all Masses in our normal Sunday schedule.

3. In your stewardship packet, you’ll find separate envelopes for All Saints, All Souls, and Sunday 2 November. Please use all three of these, especially the normal Sunday envelope, according to your own pattern of stewardship, and remember to return the All Souls envelope next Sunday (if you haven’t already) so that we’ll have the names of your beloved dead for all Masses in November.

4. November is a time of special remembrance for all who have died, and during the entire month it is especially fitting to visit the graves or niches of those we love and commend them to the mercy of the Lord. Throughout November at the entrance to the Lady Chapel, a Book of Remembrance will be available in which you are invited to write the names of your beloved dead and to read and pray for the names written by others.

5. The Solemnity of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the old liturgical year, will be on 23 November, and on that day the sacred music at the 9 and 11 am Masses will be especially glorious, as we rejoice in the sovereignty over all creation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. Advent and the new Year of Grace will begin on Sunday 30 November, and on each Sunday of Advent we will sing Vespers at 5 pm. Please plan now on joining us for Mass and Vespers on the four Sundays of Advent to make the best possible preparation for Christmas.

Father Newman