All Saints Day and Halloween

On November 1st, the Holy Catholic Church celebrates All Saints Day! It is a Holy Day of Obligation. There is no exact date of origin, but after the legalization of Christianity in A.D. 313, there have been commemoration of the saints, especially martyrs, throughout the Church in the West and the East.

Traditionally, the commemoration of all saints was commonly celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The primary reason for establishing this commemoration was to honor the vast number of martyrs, especially during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian because under his rule were the worst persecutions. There were not enough days in the calendar to honor each martyr and many martyrs died in groups, so it seemed appropriate to have one day to commemorate all saints. Over time, November 1st became the feast of All Saints’ Day, especially when Pope Gregory VII mandated November 1st to be the day of celebration of All Saints’ Day.

Although the world celebrates Halloween embracing the pagan culture, within the Catholic Church, Halloween can be translated into All Hallows’ Eve. The word “hallow” means “to make holy or sacred, to sanctify or consecrate, to venerate.” We say this word every day in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be Thy Name”. Just as how we have Christmas Eve, we also have All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve. This day was to prepare for the feast day of All Saints’ Day. 

So how can we celebrate both of these days?

• Go to Holy Mass both days to join the celebration of the Great Sacrifice with all of the saints in Heaven. Pray the Litany of Saints
• Dress up as saints to show the world that we are all called to be saints.
• Organize a Holyween party with family and friends. Check out this video!

From this feast day of All Saints’ Day to next year’s feast of All Saints’ Day, choose a saint to be your patron for a year. Ask intercession from this saint each day, learn about this saint, and allow this saint to guide you to holiness for a year.

By Tina Makkanal

St. Alphonsus Ligouri

On August 1st, it is the feast day of St. Alphonsus Ligouri! He is the patron saint of moral theologians, arthritis, and vocations. 

He was born into a devout noble catholic family in Naples, Italy. From a young age, he devoted himself to God. At age of 18, he joined the Confraternity of our Lady of Mercy, volunteering his time to works of mercy and compassion, caring for the sick at the hospital for “incurables”. Obeying his father’s wishes, he studied to become a lawyer. Although he was a successful lawyer, he was not satisfied. He left the profession and entered into priesthood. 

As a priest, he dedicated himself completely to the service of the poor and the abandoned. With this mission in mind, he sought other brothers who were called as he was and formed a religious order called Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists. He was later appointed a bishop.

God had him defend moral theology and strongly fight against Jansenism, which was a popular heresy in his time. St. Alphonsus Ligouri had a great devotion to the life of Jesus, especially of His Passion, and the Blessed Mother Mary. From this devotion, he was inspired to write more than 100 spiritual books.

He was sickly for most of his life, but especially as he got older, he suffered from arthritis with great pain that confined him to a wheelchair. Yet through these difficulties, he persevered in prayer and intercession of our Blessed Mother. Because of his deep prayer life and intimacy with the Lord and the Blessed Mother, he was titled “Doctor of prayer” in the Catholic Church, when the Church declared him as a doctor of the Church after his death. 

Fun facts: 

• St. Alphonsus loved to paint! Here are some of his paintings that show his devotion to Jesus and the Blessed Mother.
  
  

  
  
  
• St. Alphonsus Ligouri wrote many prayers inspired by the Holy Spirit. We actually have been praying a prayer written by Him especially as many of us have not been able to attend Holy Mass: Act of Spiritual Communion. 
• Another saint who was inspired by St. Alphonsus, and later professed his vows as a Redemptorist in front of him was St. Gerard Majella. 
• St. Alphonsa professed her final vows as a Franciscan Clarist nun on St. Alphonsus’ feast day, and in honor of him, she took him as her patron and took his name.

By Tina Makkanal

The Divine Mercy Novena

A novena is typically nine days of prayer in preparation of a celebration of a feast day. The Divine Mercy Novena begins on Good Friday and ends on the first Sunday after Easter (also called Sunday of Divine Mercy). 

My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. Diary of St.Faustina, 367

The beautiful image of Divine Mercy that was revealed to St Faustina, has these words written under it. Jesus I trust in you.

There is only thing that Jesus wants from us, Trust. What is trust? It is simply believing. No matter how little you are, no matter how old, no matter how weak you are, no matter how strong, no matter how rich you are, no matter how poor, no matter how big a sinner you are, no matter how pious and religious you are, no matter anything. Believe that Jesus is God and He can do anything, change anything.

When we were made, He made us in His image. Sin changes us, yet trust and His love which is His Divine Mercy, will change us back to Himself. God is the best of Fathers. He only asks to Trust!

Nine Day Novena

• For each of the nine days, our Lord gave Saint Faustina a different intention:  

• Read the daily reflection. Click here for: Daily reflections
• Pray the Litany to Divine Mercy. Click here for: Litany to the Divine Mercy
• Conclude with the Divine Mercy Chaplet

How to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

Wash and Pray!

Been washing those hands enough? If you are thinking that you are only sitting in your house, only doing the work you regularly do, not going out, not meeting people from outside, then you don’t have to wash your hands much, right? Well, no! We have been advised to wash our hands often to prevent the spread of germs and viruses. These little rascals get everywhere and the best way to stifle their spread is to wash with soap and water. 

Now what has that to do with our Faith? Everything! 

Let us learn and put to practice 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “ pray without ceasing”.  

We say so often that it’s hard to pray or what do I pray or I never find the time. Did you know that St Theresa of Child Jesus is the patron saint of Evangelization. This little saint, little only in age, never picked up a microphone to preach, did not go to different places to tell about Jesus. She stayed in her convent, praying. That was enough! God our Father gives us time and reason! 

St. Therese of the Child Jesus

Now lets say you wash your hands 5 times in a day. Each time you do so, try saying in your mind, “Lord I pray for …… (any thing that you’d like to pray for. E.g. your friends whom you miss from school, that they and their families may be safe, for your teachers, for your Parish Priest, for all the medical personnel working tirelessly, for maybe a person somewhere who is feeling alone, for your grandparents. ) and then offer the Our Father prayer for them as you lather your hands for 20 seconds. Wash and pray! 

How many causes and people have you prayed for today? Don’t forget to pray for yourself!