The Catholic Church has basically three divisions in its spiritual army: the Church Triumphant in Heaven, the Church Suffering in Purgatory, and the Church Militant on earth. We think of all three in a special way during November.

On Thursday, November 1st, the Church celebrates the saints in heaven, those men and women, even boys and girls, who now see God face to face in the beatific vision. They have triumphed over sin and death and now are at peace eternally, thus they are called the Church Triumphant. Where they are we hope to be. Daily we should examine ourselves in the light of eternity. We must remember that the final decision belongs to God, thus we must do our very best to live a holy life, keeping the commandments, receiving the sacraments, being prayerful, doing works of charity. In the end we throw ourselves on God in His great mercy and love. In our secular, relativistic, age when even many Christians have been seduced by the world, we remain steadfast in Jesus Christ. Let us accept no
false gospels or false teachers as we embrace the tried and true way of the Saints. Our “communion with the saints” strengthens us on our own personal journeys. This year All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation. I have scheduled Masses at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31st and on Thursday, November 1st at 8:00 a.m., noon (school), and 7:00 p.m. 

November is also the month of the Church Suffering. We pray for the poor souls, the souls in purgatory. The doctrine on the existence of Purgatory is a solemnly defined teaching of the Church and cannot be changed. This teaching reflects the great mercy of God, who gives us another chance to get to heaven even in the next world. Purgatory comes from the word, which signifies a cleansing. In Purgatory we are cleansed, purified, from venial sins
committed in this world that were not forgiven. Purgatory is also needed to make up the temporal punishment that remains after venial and mortal sins have been forgiven. To enter heaven a soul must be perfect. Only a perfect soul can come into the presence of God. God is good in that he is willing to permit the process of perfection after we die, rather than forbid us to be with Him because of our imperfections. If we fervently pray for the  dead, certainly they will remember us when they reach heaven and find that we are in Purgatory, as they were. 

The Church grants indulgences to help us avoid Purgatory and to assist the souls in Purgatory. The Manual of Indulgences: Norms and Grants, 4th edition (2006) from the official Latin text Enchiridion Indulgentiarum: Normae et Concessiones (1999), published by the pope and by our bishops, is now the standard reference. Years ago it was called the Raccolta, which is now superseded (last edition 1950). A plenary indulgence is granted to those who visit a cemetery from November 1 to 8 and devoutly pray for the dead, or  devoutly visit a Church on November 2nd and pray for the dead using the Our Father and the Creed under the usual conditions. All those on our mailing list should have received a flyer from our bishops with the latest regulations for obtaining indulgences. Extra copies are available at the church entrances. Masses will be celebrated on Friday, November 2nd, All Souls Day, at 8:00 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m., which is followed by a reception in St. Michael’s Hall. I encourage you to follow the venerable practice of having Masses celebrated for the living and the dead. We have many days on the calendar when the Holy Mass is celebrated and there is no particular intention.

On Sunday, November 4th at the 11:30 a.m. Mass, Bishop Robert F. Christian, our auxiliary bishop, will be in our parish to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on our children. Please pray especially for our youth and their parents that they may remain faithful to the Lord all their days (fidelis ad mortem). Your special prayers are requested as I officially become your new pastor on the Solemnity of All Saints, Thursday, November 1st. I beg all the saints to intercede for me and our parish as we continue our pilgrimage to heaven. I promise to remember you in prayer at every Mass I celebrate.

Hebrews 13:8-9: “Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today; and the same forever. Be not led away with various and strange doctrines. For it is best that the heart be established with
grace . . .” 

God bless you! Mary love you!
Yours in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Fr. Mark G. Mazza, Pastor