We Remember Those Before Us

Today the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. This feast takes us back to the first century reminding us once again of the rich expansiveness of our Catholic Tradition. 

What is striking about these saints is that there is little information about them. Saint Jude is often invoked for “hopeless causes.” He is quoted once in the Gospel of John but there is not much more info about Jude. Saint Simon is not quoted at all and there is not much recorded about his ministry. Nevertheless, we remember these holy apostles who share a bond by virtue of the fact that they are not only mentioned together but they share a feast day. 
Saint Simon and Jude, pray for us.

As a community of believers, we are a people who live on our tradition and remember and behold the lives of those who have gone before us in faith. The month of November really calls us to behold and remember in a solemn way. The remembering begins on November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints. In our prayer we call upon the men and women of every time and place and seek their intercession in our lives. At the same time, we behold how they became holy in their humanness.

The prayerful remembering continues on November 2, with the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, otherwise known as All Souls’ Day. It is customary for many people to visit the graves of their loved ones on this day and throughout November to pray for their beloved dead. I intend to walk through the Saint Alphonsus Cemetery to prayerfully remember the beloved dead buried there. When it comes to remembering the dead, there is no more compelling way than to enter into the greatest prayer of the Holy Mass.  

We will have two Masses on All Souls’ Day. Because we do not want to limit the number of attendees or have to turn anyone away, we will celebrate these Masses outdoors. Thus, on Monday, November 2, there will be an 8:00am Mass in the Saint Alexis Parking Lot as well as a 6:30pm Mass in the Saint Alphonsus Parking Lot.  

It is also the custom for us as Catholics to have a Mass of Remembrance for those who have been buried from the parish during the past year. Ordinarily, this Mass is usually part of the All Soul’s Remembrance. Candles are lit in memory of the deceased and their names are called out. Nevertheless, because of the pandemic, we have set up two separate Masses indoors that will accommodate the families of those who had loved ones buried from Saint Alphonsus Parish, Saint Alexis Parish and Saint Aidan Parish. Due to the capacity restrictions, these Masses are only open to the families of the deceased.  

All month long we have the opportunity to remember our deceased loved ones in the Annual Book of Remembrance. Normally we inscribe the names of our loved ones in a book near the sanctuary of the church. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we will be engaging in this act of remembering online. Visit our website at: saintaidanparish.org/book-of-remembrance to inscribe the name of your deceased loved one. We will be praying for all of our deceased loved ones at Holy Mass.

This is also the time of the year when we open our Mass Book. You are now able to go online and have a Mass offered for the dead or the living. For those who are not connected to the internet, there will be forms in the vestibule of the parish office. The suggested offering for a Mass is $10.00. The Holy Mass is where remembrance counts most. For more information contact our office manager, [email protected].  

In anticipation of Election Day, November 3, Bishop Zubik has asked all parishes to have Eucharistic Adoration available on Monday, November 2. To that end, we will have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in Saint Alexis Church from 12:00 noon until 6:00pm. 

Bishop Zubik has also relaxed the restrictions for distribution of Holy Communion to the Sick and Homebound contingent on the fact that all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are trained in the protocols and procedures necessary during this pandemic. If you have been involved in this ministry before and wish to continue, please contact MaryEllen Pendel at [email protected] for more information.

In just 39 days we will celebrate the Nativity of the Lord at Christmas. No doubt, our celebration will be different this year in many ways due to the pandemic. We want to make sure that the light triumphs over the darkness in this time especially at Christmas. We are planning to have luminaria at both sites. The luminaria will be electric and lit throughout the Christmas season. 

We want each light to represent a family from our parish. I think we have all learned more in this time that the family is the first church.

When our churches were dark and closed, we counted on the domestic church, the family to keep Christ at the center of our lives. We need the light of family to keep shining brightly especially during this pandemic.

We are inviting families to give a donation of $10 to help offset the cost of the luminaria. Your family name will be listed on our web site and in our bulletin as a contributor to this effort. If you do not want your family name published, you can just note that it is anonymous. Each light will represent a family. Together, let us light up Wexford and beyond. You can pay directly online by check or credit/debit card. There will be a form in the vestibule of the parish office for those without internet access.

With Christmas Masses being outdoors, we will need to make sure that our grounds are appropriately decorated. Even more so, we need to work hard to prepare the way of the Lord and strive to choose light over darkness.

Finally, I want to personally thank a group of strong men from our parish who brought the old altar from Saint Alexis Church to the pavilion and assisted with the set up. Thank you for your kindness. May God reward you!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!