November - the month of the Holy Souls

"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."  2 Maccabees 12

For Catholics, November is traditionally the month of special prayer for those who have died.  We remember our own family and friends who have died, and we pray for the Holy Souls in purgatory - those who are being made ready for heaven through God's love and mercy.

Here are the ways we can mark this special month in our parish:

1  November Dead Lists - lists and envelopes are available in all the churches now.  Please take them home and write down the names of your deceased family and friends who you wish to pray for.  Put your list in the envelope (along with an offering, if you like) and leave them back in the churches.  Throughout November the lists will be placed by the altar at every Mass.  Our priests make a personal commitment to pray for all the names and to offer their Masses for them.

2 Visit a cemetery - the Church grants a special indulgence on behalf of the Holy Souls for everyone who visits a cemetery between the 1st and the 8th of November.  The indulgence is granted under the usual conditions:

- that we receive Holy Communion and Confession within 20 days of the cemetery visit.

- that we pray for the intentions of our Holy Father, Pope Francis (and Our Father and Haily Mary would be great).

- that we make a commitment to reject sin in our lives.

3 All Souls' Day - Monday November 2nd is All Souls' Day this year.  It's not a holy day of obligation, but many people make a special effort to come to Mass that day and pray for the dead.  Mass times are:

St Mary's on the Hill - 7.30am and 9.15am

St Bernard's - 10am

St Macnissi's - 7pm

4 Annual Requiem Mass for Deceased Parishioners - each year we hold a special Mass to remember parishioners who have died.  We think especially of those who have died in the last year and their names will be read out and displayed on the walls of the St Bernard's.  This year the Mass is at St Bernard's on Tuesday November 3rd at 7pm.

5 Mass of the Angels for Children who have died -  we're also having a special Mass for children who have died - whether before or after birth.  Parents, family and friends who have lost children are especially welcome to come and pray together at St Mary's on the Hill on Wednesday November 11th at 7pm.

6 November pledge - we can offer up sacrifices for those who have died.  One traditional way is to take a pledge not to drink alcohol during the month of November.  If that's not appropriate, you might choose another penance during the month.

It's wonderful to think that we can do good for our loved ones even after their death - and our prayers, Masses, indulgences and penances are given a special power by God to help those who have died. 

Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine!

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

The Dedication of the Local Church

Today we celebrated an unusual feast - the Dedication of the Local Church.  It's a diocesan feast which means it's celebrated only in our diocese of Down & Connor.  

The feast of the dedication of a church normally takes place on the anniversary of when a church was formally opened and dedicated by the bishop.  In Down & Connor, however, every church celebrates the feast together on October 23rd each year.  And it's the highest rank of feast as well - a solemnity.  At St Mary's on the Hill we celebrated morning Mass with all the trimmings - every candle was lit, the vestments were gold, and the chants and hymns were sung with gusto!   It might seem a little over the top, especially as it isn't even a particularly special anniversary for us (our church is 118 years old).  But the reason is that when we celebrate our church we are thinking of much more than just bricks and mortar.

When Jesus walked into the temple in Jerusalem he was upset to see God's holy place being used as a market place where pilgrims were swindled out of their money.  He picked up a cord to use as a whip and in a display of righteous indignation that caught everyone by surprise, he cast the marketeers and their produce out of the temple courtyard.  The authorities were shocked by his behaviour and challenged him to justify himself.  His answer was to say "destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days".

We can learn three things from this.  Firstly, that holy places are very important to God.  When his friends saw the reaction of Jesus to the temple being used to make money they were reminded of a phrase from the scriptures - "zeal for your house will devour me".  Jesus had great zeal and passion for God's house.  And that's why our own churches are so important.  They are holy places, consecrated to God.  At their original dedication they were blessed with holy water and anointed with the oil of chrism, almost like a baby being baptised.  When the Blessed Sacrament is placed in the tabernacle and the sanctuary lamp is lit we know that God is really present among us in that space.

Now of course, we Christians know that God is everywhere and that we can pray to him anywhere.  But it's to the church building that we are called together to celebrate the Eucharist and the sacraments.  And its the church that stands in our towns and cities, like a 'sermon in stone', announcing the word of God to others.  Here in Glengormley, St Mary's on the Hill can be seen from the Hightown bridge, along the Antrim line and from Tesco's car park.  It calls out to anyone who sees it that God is here if they are looking for him - and so often people who don't know God do come looking, and they find the church open, warm and welcoming.  

But there's something else.  When Jesus speaks about the zeal that will devour him he's not just thinking about the temple.  He means his zeal for souls.  He wants to draw people to himself so that they may enter the kingdom of heaven.  That's the second meaning of church - it is the people of God.  When we celebrate the church we celebrate our community, united with the other parishes in our diocese with our spiritual father Bishop Noel, and united with the church across the world under our holy father Pope Francis.  A church building doesn't do much good if it's not a place for God's people to praise and adore God, to seek his forgiveness and to pray for his people.

St Paul regularly makes this point.  He wrote to the Christians in Corinth:

"Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple."

To the Ephesians he wrote:

"You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit."

And there's a third meaning of church we celebrate today - Jesus himself.  Remember how in the temple Jesus said "destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up" ?  He was talking about himself.  Jesus was destroyed on the cross but he rose again on the third day.  Neither the church building or the people will mean anything without Jesus.  It is Jesus who gives his Body in the Eucharist which we adore in our church buildings.  It is Jesus who draws his people together so that we become the mystical Body of Christ.  It's Jesus who makes the Church.  How wonderful Jesus is to us!

So when we celebrate the Dedication of the Church, we're not just remembering an anniversary.  We are celebrating what it means to be the Church - the building where God is really present and can always be found, the people he draws to himself, and Jesus who is its head.  Light the candles, and get the gold vestments out!  Let the people sing out with joy!  May God be praised in his Church forever.

Mission Sunday: being a missionary here in Glengormley

Today is Mission Sunday, the day when the Church focuses on missionary work across the world.  Ireland has a long tradition of sending missionary priests, sisters and lay workers to different parts of the world to share the Good News of Jesus Christ - it's not by accident that one of the patron saints of Nigeria is St Patrick!

But today is also a day for us to consider how we can be missionaries here at home.  Jesus wants his disciples to go out, proclaim the Gospel and make disciples.  That means we have to look for ways to share our faith with the people we meet.  It might seem like a big challenge, but here's a few suggestions of small things we can do to help get the message of Jesus Christ out:

1 Don't be shy about talking about your faith.  If someone asks you tomorrow how your weekend went, tell them - and that includes saying that you went to Mass.  You don't have to ask if they went to church, but don't be shy about letting people know that you're someone who practices your faith.

2 Tell your friends that you pray for them.  Don't just sympathise with people who are having a tough time.  Let them know that you are praying for them and that you know God will help them.  Your faith can have a big effect on others.

3 Let people see the difference being a Christian makes to your life and your work.  Fr Damian talked at Mass about a builder who was known for being honest and trustworthy because he was a faithful Christian.  Let's make sure people say that sort of thing about us too!

4 Invite people who don't come to Mass to join you for a special occasion - the Mass for deceased parishioners in November, the monthly healing Mass, or a Christmas Mass.  Some people would love to come back to Mass but feel too nervous - let's reach out and make sure they feel welcome.

5 Send religious Christmas cards.  Holly and robins are lovely, but if we are Christians let's send cards that show whose birthday it really is!  Bonus points if you get religious stamps too (you can always ask for them at the Post Office each Christmas).

6 Pass on your faith to your children and grandchildren.  Our Catholic schools do so much for our children but parents and families are always best at passing on the faith.  Children won't be bored by religion if it's a natural part of family life.  And we have so many traditions in the Catholic church that can capture young people's imaginations.  How about bringing kids to the church to light a candle during the week, or getting them rosary beads or a statue to keep in their bedroom?

7 Pray and do penance!  Sometimes it can take years to win over someone who has rejected the faith (just ask St Monica how long she prayed and cried over her son St Augustine!).  But God hears our prayers and none of them are wasted or forgotten.  And in the Gospel Jesus tells us that sometimes we need to fast as well as pray.  Prayer and penance can change the world and win souls for Jesus!

Have you any more suggestions about how to share the Gospel with others?  Leave a comment!