For those of us who live in New England, November is a most beautiful time of the year. By the time most of the leaves have fallen from the trees they have lost the beauty of their gorgeous and vivid red, gold and orange colors. Probably most of us remember walking home from school or walking to the store shuffling through the fallen leaves, enjoying the sound the leaves made as we hurried to or from our destination. November is the month when nature dies or hibernates, if you will, and this is so wonderfully orchestrated by God. In the months of frost and the austere reality of winter eventually settling in.

In the month of November, Roman Catholics remember, in a very special way, their beloved dead who have gone on before us to their eternal reward. Once again, the Paschal Candle will be placed in the Church to be lit for every Mass during the month of November. In front of the candle will be the Book of Remembrance. You are encouraged to write the names of your loved ones in the book, who are deceased, so that we may remember them at Mass each day along with the names of the All Souls envelopes which remain on the altar throughout the month.

Some may ask, why pray for the dead? St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386) explains: I know a number of people who say: “What good does it do the souls who leave this world with or without sins that we make mention of them during the offering of the Eucharist?” Come now! If a king were to exile people who have offended him in some way, and their kinfolk were to come to the king and present him with a wreath, pleading for their condemned relative, would not that king grant them the reprieve they request? In the same way, we too, by presenting to God our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, were they sinners, although we may not weave a wreath to present, we do offer the immolated Christ for our sins, making propitiation for them and for us to the God who loves men.

Catholic traditions are so rich and deep. One of the finest Catholic traditions is the commemoration of the dead in the month of November. To that we say: “May the soul of the faithful departed rest in peace.”