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'MONTH OF THE DEAD' IS TIME TO REMEMBER RELATIVES AS WELL AS PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS
By Susan Tassone
The great month of the dead
is upon us!
This is a very powerful and potent time of year where we have the power and privilege to release our departed loved ones from purgatory (those who died in the state of grace but are not yet cleansed from sin to enter Heaven.)
Who are the holy souls? Those who shared our joys and sorrows.
Our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles. Those who took a special interest in us -- our Godparents, teachers, neighbors, benefactors, religious and clergy.
They all lament and beg, "Forget us not -- to be forgotten is so hard. Remember us but not with empty reminiscences. Give us the joy of a holy Mass. Become our deliverers and we will become your powerful intercessors!"
In the early church, names were recorded on tablets called Diptychs and posted in church so the community would remember them in prayer. In the sixth century, the Benedictine monasteries remembered their dead at Whitsuntide, in the days following Pentecost. In Germany in the early 900’s Abbot of Corvey (d. 980) had a special ceremony for the faithful departed on October 1.
In 998, St. Odilo, Abbot of Cluny, established in all monasteries of his Order the Feast of the Faithful Departed and ordered that the Office be recited for them all.
He popularized this devotion because of a pilgrim who came to him and said a pious hermit saw the souls in purgatory speedily released because of his monks prayers and the evil spirits complaining about these prayers for the dead.
The Benedictines and Carthusians adopted this same devotion and soon November 2 was designated as The Feast of All Souls for the universal Church.
During the month of November with great devotion we remember our deceased loved ones but do we remember our clergy? Father Faber tells us that we tend to "canonize" our clergy immediately after their death.
In a message of July 21, 1982, Our Lady of Medjugorje reputedly said: "There are also persons who have been consecrated to God--some priests, some religious. Pray for their intentions, at least the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be seven times each, and the Creed. I recommend it to you. There is a large number of souls who have been in purgatory for a long time because no one prays for them."
Saints attest to the fact that many priests and religious are in the lower regions of purgatory because, "Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required" (Luke 12:48). A proverb has it that the habit does not make the monk.
Let us remember during the "Year of the Priest" those who baptized us, confirmed us, witnessed a wedding, and buried our dead. Remember those religious and clergy who inspired us to answer the call to priesthood or religious life. Give them the joy of a Holy Mass either living or deceased. Let us open Heaven to them!
[see also. Plenary indulgences for the dead, All-souls indulgences, and Gaining indulgences during November]
[resources: Susan Tassone's most recent book is Praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls]
[For Masses and Gregorian Masses visit here]
[The Afterlife: retreat, Phoenix]
