Communication with Visitors Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us! November 1 (P.S. Nov. 20) Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, The Christian year begins the month of November with two feasts; All Saints on the 1st and All souls on the 2nd day. The first feast has a much longer tradition than the second. In the east it is traced back on St. Ephrem Syrus and John Chrysostom, while in the west it became firmly established with the consecration of the Pantheon in Rome to Christian usage under Boniface IV in 609/610. The date of its celebration varied until Gregory III [d.741] set November 1st for its observance. The feast of All Souls became universal through the efforts of Odilo of Cluny. He ordered its annual celebration [998] in the Benedictine houses of his Congregation. Priests of the Latin rite have the privilege of celebrating three Mass on this feast day, one for the intention of the celebrant, one for the dead in general, and one for the intention of the Pope. The Church, our mother, while glorying in the saints is not unmindful of her departed sons and daughters. Let us with her enter fully into these celebrations. Yours sincerely in Christ, Fr. Michael Lapierre, S.J. P.S. (Nov. 20) As the natural year has its seasons so has the liturgical year. In the natural cycle of the year spring follows winter, summer follows spring and autumn follows summer. In the liturgical cycle the Advent season precedes the Christmas season, the Lenten season precedes the Easter season and the ordinary season follows the Easter one. While in the natural cycle we are approaching the end of autumn, in the liturgical cycle we are approaching the end of ordinary time and looking toward to the coming of Advent. As spring is the season of awakening to new life, summer the greening of the earth, autumn the ripening of its fruits and winter its period of sleep, of recuperation so in the liturgical cycle is Advent is a preparation for the new life, Christmas is the flowering of this new life, Lent is the preparation of heart and mind for the receiving of this new life, Easter is rejoicing in this new life and ordinary time is for the development and fruition of this new life within us and within the community of the Church whose members we have become. It is well for us to be mindful of the meaning of each season as the Church's teaching and practices inform us that we may thereby share more fully as these seasons come and go the inexhaustible riches of the Church's treasures and grow to that full stature in the Body of Christ which He means us to reach. These are a few thoughts which I felt inclined to share with you as we are about to begin the new cycle of the Liturgical year. I hope you find them congenial, Michael Lapierre
November 1 (P.S. Nov. 20)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The Christian year begins the month of November with two feasts; All Saints on the 1st and All souls on the 2nd day. The first feast has a much longer tradition than the second. In the east it is traced back on St. Ephrem Syrus and John Chrysostom, while in the west it became firmly established with the consecration of the Pantheon in Rome to Christian usage under Boniface IV in 609/610. The date of its celebration varied until Gregory III [d.741] set November 1st for its observance. The feast of All Souls became universal through the efforts of Odilo of Cluny. He ordered its annual celebration [998] in the Benedictine houses of his Congregation. Priests of the Latin rite have the privilege of celebrating three Mass on this feast day, one for the intention of the celebrant, one for the dead in general, and one for the intention of the Pope. The Church, our mother, while glorying in the saints is not unmindful of her departed sons and daughters. Let us with her enter fully into these celebrations.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Michael Lapierre, S.J.
P.S. (Nov. 20) As the natural year has its seasons so has the liturgical year. In the natural cycle of the year spring follows winter, summer follows spring and autumn follows summer. In the liturgical cycle the Advent season precedes the Christmas season, the Lenten season precedes the Easter season and the ordinary season follows the Easter one. While in the natural cycle we are approaching the end of autumn, in the liturgical cycle we are approaching the end of ordinary time and looking toward to the coming of Advent. As spring is the season of awakening to new life, summer the greening of the earth, autumn the ripening of its fruits and winter its period of sleep, of recuperation so in the liturgical cycle is Advent is a preparation for the new life, Christmas is the flowering of this new life, Lent is the preparation of heart and mind for the receiving of this new life, Easter is rejoicing in this new life and ordinary time is for the development and fruition of this new life within us and within the community of the Church whose members we have become.
It is well for us to be mindful of the meaning of each season as the Church's teaching and practices inform us that we may thereby share more fully as these seasons come and go the inexhaustible riches of the Church's treasures and grow to that full stature in the Body of Christ which He means us to reach.
These are a few thoughts which I felt inclined to share with you as we are about to begin the new cycle of the Liturgical year.
I hope you find them congenial,
Michael Lapierre