This past week I was able to talk with a couple of our groups of middle school students in Faith Formation and at our school about the Catholic practice of praying for the dead. As I told them, November is dedicated by the Church as a time to remember the holy souls in Purgatory.  All of the souls who end up in Purgatory are on their way to Heaven, so in that way it’s a good place to be. It is, however, also a place of suffering as God mercifully cleanses them in preparation for Heaven. Our prayers can aid them as they undergo purification.

As I explained why we pray for the souls in Purgatory, I mentioned that we have a book by the baptismal font in church where we can write the names of deceased loved ones. Both groups of students I talked to were very eager to write names in the book. As they wrote name after name, I was blown away by their enthusiasm. Sometimes it can be easy to forget the great beauty of the Church’sseasons.

As we enter the last week of the Year of Mercy, ending next Sunday on the Feast of Christ the King, it is the perfecttime to perform one of the Spiritual Acts of Mercy: to pray for the living and the dead. Please say a special prayer for all of those remembered in our book at church and for all deceased members of Our Lady of the Lake.

Theresa Rider,
Youth Minister