Remembering is a bit of a two-edge sword, one that can bring peace, as well as unsettled feelings to rise up. This week we have a very focused chance to remember in the ways of Jesus’ offering. Even though our culture seems to say the most important day of this month is the spooky fun of a commercialized and diabolical Halloween, as Catholic Christians we say All Hallows’ Eve isn’t about dressing up to become part of the darkness and evil. It is about conquering it through our call of living the lives of the saints in the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, which we celebrate on All Saints Day (our Holy Day of Obligation Masses: October 31,
6:30 p.m.-November 1, 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 6:30 p.m.). Teach your children well the real Christian origins of Halloween. Before you send them off trick-or-treating, help them remember that Jesus conquers all evil...and
pray together the prayer of Saint Michael the Archangel. Tie the Halloween Vigil explicitly to the Feast of All Saints and the day that intimately follows, All Souls Day. Let’s reclaim Halloween for Christians, by returning to its roots in the Catholic Church! Also, on November 2 at the 6:30 p.m. Mass, we will have a reading of the names of those who have died from our parish over the past year. If you have recently lost someone and would like their intentions prayed or to receive a vigil candle, please call the rectory by Wednesday. Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them O Lord.

St. Augustine wrote, “It is our duty to adore the Blessed Sacrament. No one receives the Blessed Sacrament unless he adores it… and not only do we not sin by adoring, we do sin by not adoring.” The gift of remembering happens in a unique and particular way for our parish through the Eucharistic  Sacrifice. This week we celebrate our annual Eucharistic Devotions (traditionally known as 40 Hours... but for our 70th Anniversary we have doubled it, 80!) from the opening Mass Thursday at our 9:00 a.m. All Saints Day Mass with our school children, to the closing 6:30 p.m. Vespers on Sunday, November 4th. Our parish has set aside these days of prayer and Adoration as an all parish retreat centering ourselves on Jesus Christ through Adoration and responding to the call He asks of us to know Him more intimately. So do whatever you can to schedule some time to come in 24/7 to know how much Jesus loves you.

Come Let Us Adore Him! Fr Bline