(Liturgical Year A – 31st Sunday)

On 31st October, many people will have celebrated Halloween (Hallow e’en - from ‘Hallow’ - to make Holy). This somewhat secular occasion, nowadays with somewhat of an emphasis upon magic, was, long ago, a Christian event, namely the Eve of the Feast of All Saints. The Church has, through events such as the Night of Light, tried to restore this celebration to its Catholic roots; children have been encouraged to come to church dressed, perhaps, as the Saints after which they were named (Name-Saints)  having, hopefully, with the help of their parents, done a little research on these illustrious forbears in the Faith. In the Light of Faith, they have looked towards the Light of Heaven.
 
On the first day of this month, we celebrated the Saints: those who have ‘…fought the good fight… finished the race… and… kept the faith’ (2 Tim.4:7). On the following day, we commemorated the Holy Souls in Purgatory, to whom the month of November is dedicated. We are all, living and dead, members of the Communion of Saints. Those in Heaven (the Church Triumphant) now intercede for us, (the Church Militant) and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory (the Church Suffering) who we can also help through our Masses, Prayers and Sacrifices. There is a very beautiful prayer, particularly appropriate for this month, which we can say for our Brothers and Sisters in Purgatory: the ‘De Profundis’ (‘Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord…’). This prayer may be found in the Prayer section of our Parish Website.


Perhaps November, with its emphasis upon those who have, ‘…gone before us…’ (i.e. the Holy Souls and the Saints), might provide a good starting point for research by parents and children into their Name-Saints. Our names do more than simply distinguish us one from another within our families. First names are traditionally called ‘Christian Names’ for a very good reason, in that they are primary evidence of our Christian heritage. This is a practice which has sadly lost its importance as secularisation has increased its grip on society. Indeed, when parents present their children for Baptism, they are reminded of the importance of giving them at least one such name. Which of our Christian forbears are we named after? When did they live, and where? What kind of lives did they lead? Can we identify with any of their faults and failings? How did they die? etc.

A picture of St. Maximilian Kolbe dating from 1939

Saints are, by no means, just figures from long ago. The Church has, in the last few years, canonised (i.e. recognised as being in Heaven and worthy of our imitation) a number of our Brothers and Sisters from more recent decades in history. Sister Josephine Bakhita from Sudan; St Pius of Pietrelcina, known as Padre Pio, who received the Stigmata (the Crucifixion wounds as borne by Christ); Maximilian Mary Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan Priest who gave his life in exchange for that of a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz; Carmelite Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), a German convert from Judaism who, owing to her Jewish ‘roots’ also died in a concentration camp; Gianna Molla, from Italy, was a paediatrician who, rather than risk the life of her unborn daughter, put off cancer treatment and died shortly after her Birth; Pope John 23rd, who called the Second Vatican Council. More recently we have witnessed the Canonisations of Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta) and the two youngest Seers of Fátima, Francisco and Jacinta Marto.

This list barely ‘scratches the surface’ of a treasure trove of Christian Witnesses from all over the world. Here, expectant parents, those preparing to become Catholics, and Confirmation candidates will discover truly wholesome and inspiring role models, to be looked up to, imitated and prayed to as we strive to join them in Heaven. In an age when highly unsuitable role models may often be presented to children through the Media, there is an urgent need for them to, in some cases, rediscover their Catholic identity and purpose in life. They can best do this with the loving help of their first teachers, their parents!