All Saints, All Souls

Dear Epiphany Family,

This weekend I would especially like to welcome those of you who have perhaps returned from other places or parishes to remember your loved one(s) who died over the past year. We continue to pray for the eternal rest of your loved one(s) and do so today through the most powerful prayer Jesus gave us, His sacrifice in the Eucharist. We also pray that God will bring healing, peace, and consolation to your hearts as you continue to grieve. Jesus remains with us in our grief and we see a picture of HIs own grief in the gospels as he wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. Yet Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us hope that we will also share in His resurrection and be united with Him and our loved ones for eternity. Jesus invites us to cling to Him in friendship, in total dependence to Him in and through all things. We are so blessed that you have come back to join us for Mass this weekend.

We always celebrate this special Mass of remembrance near All Souls Day (November 2nd), when the Church reminds us to pray for those who have died and may be in need of further purification to attain the necessary holiness to enter the joy of heaven. We pray that they will be counted among the saints, those who have been admitted to the heavenly banquet. The beautiful feast and Holy Day of All Saints (November 1st) honors and remembers all of the “anonymous” saints, those not canonized by the Church, but all those who see God face to face in heaven. The Church always invites us to pray for the dead but especially invites us to do so during the month of November.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

We again are invited to remember the gift of faith that has been passed down to us through the original parishes of the East Side through the Legacy of Faith. Your extra support of our parish is a blessing and also a way to honor those who have gone before us and left this legacy. Thank you for all you are and do for our Epiphany Parish Family.

In Christ,
Father Eric