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Celebrating All Saints and All Souls

As Catholics, we say we celebrate All Saints and All Souls Day. In the early days of November, we recall to mind our beloved dead with beautiful Masses and customs worldwide in their honor. St. John, the beloved disciple, reminds us:

“You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” [John 16:20]

St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars, tells us, “My friends, let us pray much and let us obtain many prayers from others for the poor dead. The good God will return to us a hundredfold the good we do them…The good God regards all we do for them as if it were done for Himself.” 

ALL SAINTS

Our commemoration of All Saints comes from ancient times. The Church at Antioch began a commemoration of all holy martyrs which spread throughout the church by the seventh century. Pope Gregory IV transferred the feast to November 1 because after the harvest it was easier to feed all the pilgrims who came to celebrate the feast. Other saints began to be included in the memorial, so Pope Sixtus IV established it as a universal feast for the Latin Church. As the prayer of the Mass states, the “merits of all the saints are venerated in common by this one celebration.”

ALL SOULS

The need and duty of prayer for departed souls has been promulgated by the Church at all times. It is recommended in the Old Testament (2Maccabees 12:38-46), and it is expressed in public and private prayers and in the offering of the Holy Sacrifice for the repose of souls. The memorial feast for all departed ones in a common celebration was begun by the Abbot St. Odilo of Cluny in the eleventh century. After vespers on November 1, the monks recited the Office of the Dead, and on the next day Mass was offered for the repose of the souls in purgatory. This observance of the Benedictines of Cluny soon began to spread and by the fourteenth century it was standardized for the Western Church.

Catholics believe in a supernatural solidarity with the deceased through the Communion of Saints, and of their need for further purification after death. It is an ancient Catholic custom to pray for and give alms in the name of our beloved dead especially at this time of year. 

We will be celebrating a special Mass at the Mission Center in Sugar Land on All Saints Day, and a Novena of Masses for All Souls. You are invited to send the names of your beloved dead to be remembered in these Masses. A reply slip is included on the last page of this newsletter for your convenience in sending us the names of those you wish to honor in this way. Wherever you are, you can join us in the solidarity of prayer on these days.

And if possible, please be generous in your alms for our missions.

Food for Your Feast

Colorful traditions and customs celebrate the feasts of All Saints and All Souls throughout the world. These include special foods served at this time of year. Many times these foods are shared with the poor. The giving of alms has also been part of the traditional Catholic celebrations during the month of November. 

Special breads are baked in honor of the poor souls and in many places people prepare a meal of cooked beans, peas or lentils called “soul food” which is served to the poor. Here is a special hearty and easy “soul food” bean dish with a Hispanic flavor to help make your November celebrations full of joy and love.

Frijoles Muerto 
(Dead Beans)

1 can black beans
1 cup ham scraps or smoked sausage pieces
3 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp. cumin (or more to taste)
1/2 cup beer
3 tbsp. chopped onion
2 tbsp. chopped green pepper
black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients except the cumin in a pan and bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat to simmer. Add the cumin and serve. No salt is added to this recipe because canned beans are generally salty; if you add salt, add it last because salt added to beans while cooking tends to make them tough. You may substitute pinto or red beans for the black beans if you prefer.


The above recipe is from Catholic Traditions in Cooking, by Ann Ball. Although the book is now out of print, the remaining copies were given to the Basilian Fathers to use in raising funds for the missions. If you would like a copy, please send a donation to the Basilian Fathers Missions (including $3.95 to cover the postage) and a note to Father Jack asking for a copy. You can write to him at: Rev. John R. Whitley, C.S.B., Basilian Fathers Missions, P.O. Box 708, Sugar Land, TX 77487-0708.

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