A message from your Interim Rector 10/28/2026
All Saints Day & All Souls Day
All Saints Day is coming, this Sunday, November 1st. This is a day that celebrates all of us - the living and the dead. This is a day which reminds us of our journey with God from eternity to eternity. For a time, we journey in this earthly life, and then for eternity we continue our lives in God’s nearer presence. On All Saints Day, we remember those Saints, who have gone before us and those yet to come. We see the models of Christian life and discipleship left for us by the known Saints and the lesser known saints who have impacted our lives.
Come and celebrate Sunday morning at 8:30 or 11 AM for our All Saints Celebration. Then come Monday night at 7 PM - to light a candle, name a saint of God and hear the bells toll for those who are in our hearts but no longer physically in our lives.
You may be wondering why we have two very similar celebrations at St. Catherine’s. So here is what I was told is the history here. On November 1st All Saints Sunday, we celebrate those “named” Saints of Church History whose examples of a holy life help us to live more fully into our baptismal vows. We name those in our congregation who have died in the past year and we celebrate our lives as part of that great circle and fellowship of the living and the dead.
Then on November 2nd, we commemorate All Souls Day at 7 p.m. This day is set aside to remember and celebrate the lives of all those whom we love and see no longer. In some cultures, this is called the “day of the dead”. It is a time to remember all those we loved and the joys they gave us. This service begins in the church, but moves to the memorial garden where we light candles, remember the names of those we loved, and toll a bell for them.
Both services make up the fullness of the Saints, saints, and saints of God, those on this earthly journey with us and those whose presence in heaven signals the fullness of life in God’s eternal kingdom.
By the way, don’t forget to turn your clocks back 1 hour on Saturday night or you will be very early for worship!
What about October 31st? Well that was originally called “All Hallows Eve” reminding us of the evening before All Saints - it can be translated “All Holy Eve”. Just like the “eve” or evening before Christmas and Easter became the times to start celebrating those special events in the life of the Church, so too did the evening before All Saints begin to be a celebration. In the culture and myths surrounding life and death, it was shortened to Halloween - the two words hallow and evening; and it became a time to “risk” going out to see if the spirits of the saints were out before the dawn of All Saints Day. (That is my short version and explanation). Later it became more of a children’s event to get treats.
Blessings and see you soon.
Mo Pat+
