Remember in November
Remember in November
In November we remember all those who have died and gone before us. The Feast of All Saints, named and unnamed, on the 1st of November, and the Feast of All Souls on the 2nd Nov, for all the departed, begins a month long commemoration of those who have died. It doesn’t matter whether it is a long time or more recently that a loved one has died – we remember them all our lives and are conscious of the ordinary and extraordinary gifts they have given us on our journey of life.
This year, as a result of the current Covid-19 restrictions, it will not be possible to gather together for the usual commemorative events. Conscious of this, the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference has asked us to find ways of being present to and supporting the bereaved: ‘We will still reach out in November, a month we traditionally pray for our dead, to offer spiritual support to the bereaved.’
‘Remember in November’ resources have been made available on the Bishops’ website for use in parishes, schools and in families, at www.catholicbishops.ie
These include:
- A Prayer Service for Families to use throughout the month of November
- A resource for use in primary and post-primary schools
- Reflections from hospital chaplains
- Prayers, poetry and reflections on the theme of remembrance
‘They are in us, those long-departed ones. They are in our inclinations, our moral burdens, our pulsing blood, and in the gestures that arise from the depths of time.’
Rainer Maria Rilke
‘At the end, we will find ourselves face to face with the infinite beauty of God.’
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 243.