2025 All Souls Novena
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
November is quickly approaching, the time for Catholics to remember our relatives and loved ones who have left this world. People of faith and hope cannot forget those who have died. We remember them in a special way as they were part of our life.
Many cultures have the custom of visiting the graves of the deceased at different times to pray and to decorate the grave with flowers. In our Catholic tradition we visit graves and offer personal prayers and Masses for the repose of the souls of our deceased. There are important dates on which we think of them: the anniversary of death, or on birthdays, and in November, especially on the day of All Souls. On this special day in our Little Flower Basilica, like in many Catholic churches around the world, we pray for all who have died - not only on November 2nd, but during the whole month of November. I believe that when we pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, we pray with the hope that they will join God’s Kingdom. But also, we pray with the hope that one day someone will pray for the repose of our own souls.
Our Heavenly Father loves us so much and is so very generous in his care for us, that He never leaves us without His loving care. Our God is present through our Lord Jesus Christ and through our church, in our daily life, and at the end of it. For this reason, remember that when the hour of death seems to be approaching, our Merciful Lord, through the sacraments of our Catholic church, can help us and our loved ones to prepare ourselves to face that difficult moment. With special rites the church prepares us to be ready for our encounter with the Lord. For example, if a person suffers a serious illness, it is appropriate to call your priest to receive the Anointing of the Sick, through which the Church prays to the Lord for the health of body and soul. Often, this rite is preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in which Christ offers forgiveness of sins.
While facing illness, the Church assures the person of Christ's presence, offering opportunities to receive Holy Communion, so that suffering may take on meaning through the power of Christ's Cross. When the moment of death approaches, Communion is received as Viaticum (food for the journey) so that Christ, present in the Holy Eucharist, may grant spiritual strength in the journey toward new life. Finally, at the hour of death, a priest or deacon may accompany the dying person and their family, praying to God to grant His grace to the person about to enter eternity.
After receiving the help of our Lord through the church we only need to trust in the merciful love of God. Remembering that:
“…we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.”
(Romans 6, 3-9)
As every year before the month of November arrives, we invite you to send the names of your loved ones who have died so that we may pray for their eternal rest. As you keep their wonderful memory as a great treasure in your hearts and honor them in the way you live your faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, please join us in praying for them, that the Lord may grant them eternal rest and make them a sharer of His glory.
May our good Lord bless you for all your prayers and support!
Very. Rev. Luis Joaquin Castañeda, OCD
Provincial