Loss is one of the most disorienting and overwhelming aspects of human life. Each of us have people in our life that we can’t bear to live without. And yet, we will at some point be forced to cope with the loss of many of those very people.
All of us pray to live a long life, but the longer our life is, the more people we will lose along the way. It’s an excruciating part of this human journey we’re on.
This past year many beloved members of our parish communities have died, which drains the hearts of those who remain, grieving. It’s our tradition to gather each November for a special Mass that honors the lives of every member of our parishes who have died in the past year and comforts those who love and miss them. This year, that celebration (which we call our All Souls’ Mass) will be on Wednesday, November 14 at 7PM at St. Patrick’s in Ravena. All families of those whose funerals have been celebrated in our parish churches, or elsewhere by our clergy, will be personally invited to join us for that liturgy.
All are welcome to come. Even if your loss was not in the past year, there is healing to be found by gathering with others whose hearts have been broken by sorrow. And coming to support families who are surviving a loss is a holy thing to do. Your presence tells them that their grief matters and that you are willing to pray for their healing.
All of us take our turn in the house of mourning and sorrow. That’s part of this human journey. Let’s fill St. Patrick’s on November 14 and allow our sorrow and pain to co-mingle with our solidarity and our faith.
With love & sorrow,
