November
Purgatory, Plenary Indulgence, Jubilee Year
November begins by drawing our attention to all who have gone before us and now share in the Communion of Saints. On November 2, the Church commemorates All Souls’ Day, when we pray especially for those in Purgatory—souls being purified for their entrance into Heaven. As a community of faith, let us unite in prayer for the faithful departed—our relatives, friends, and those who have no one to remember them by name.
Throughout the past eleven months, we have been celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope. During this sacred period, the Church grants the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence by visiting a designated Jubilee site—such as the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville—and fulfilling the required spiritual conditions. This indulgence may also be offered on behalf of a soul in Purgatory.
November also offers a meaningful opportunity for grandparents and parents to share stories of loved ones who have passed away. Children may not always appear attentive, but they absorb the narratives and values we impart through these memories. Fr. Mike Schmitz, in his Bible in a Year podcast, recounts a conversation with his spiritual director, who reminded him that after death, most of us will not be remembered by name. Quoting the Book of Sirach (10:17), he reflects, “He has removed some of them and destroyed them, and has extinguished the memory of them from the earth.” Fr. Mike challenges listeners to consider how many of us can recall the names of our great-grandparents or great-aunts and uncles—an invitation to humility and remembrance.
Similarly, Wendell Berry, in his novel Marce Catlett: The Force of a Story, writes of Andy Catlett’s deep connection to his deceased family members:
“He gave thanks for the continuing so far of his own life, the story of which, as he knows it, is longer than his life, for it began a generation before his birth and may continue past his death in generations for whom, if they remain in place, the story will be a landmark as they remember it and continue it.”
This month, let us recommit ourselves to praying for our deceased relatives and sharing their names and stories with our children. Our faith is lived because we witness to our children.
Let us be faithful witnesses.
Beautiful.