A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Today is the traditional day of the year to visit cemeteries and pray for the souls of the faithful departed. The closest cemetery to us happens to be one of the most unique ones in the city- the Santo Campo Teutonico in Vaticano. Only members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of the German Cemetery are allowed to be buried in the small garden, which the confraternity has owned since 1454, but was originally given to Charlemagne by Pope Leo III in 799. It is an extraordinarily historic plot of land within Vatican City, as it may mark the sight where St. Peter was crucified in the Circus of Nero.
Liturgical: Readings for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; they shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.
Bishop Barron's Gospel reflections today: Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about raising us on the last day. Our faith is that God will clothe the soul in a new and higher body, what Paul calls a “spiritual body.” Here we might rely on the musings of John Polkinghorne, the Christian physicist, who appreciates the soul as the “form” or pattern of the person. God remembers this “form” and then reconstitutes it at a higher level during the resurrection, much as the pattern of an article or a photograph could be preserved in a computer’s memory and then reproduced in a new way.
Listen again to the words of Jesus in our Gospel today: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” As you pray for the souls of your beloved dead, take comfort in those words. They will be raised again.
Sanctoral: Today is the Commemoration of the All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day). The Church, after celebrating the feast of All Saints, today prays for all who, in the purifying suffering of Purgatory, await the day they will join in heavenly glory. The celebration of the Mass, which re-presents the Sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, has always been the principal means by which the Church fulfills the great responsibility of charity toward the dead. Death cannot break the bonds of the Body of Christ. —Daily Roman Missal
"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven."The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1030-1031).
Human: The Day of the Dead (Mexico)
The Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos, is a very old holiday observed on November 2, when all souls of the dead are believed to return to the world of the living. It’s primarily celebrated in Mexico and in Mexican-American communities, honoring those who have deceased. Practiced initially by Indigenous cultures, Día de Muertos was later adopted by the Catholic faith (after the Spanish arrived in the 16th century) to coincide with All Souls’ Day.
During this special time, many families visit and decorate graves; some hold intimate family gatherings and create special altars (ofrendas) to remember and honor those who passed away with photos of their deceased loved ones and their favorite foods and drinks. The Day of the Dead has become more prevalent in today’s culture, thanks to modern movies (such as Coco or James Bond) and Halloween’s popularity, as well as larger Mexican-American communities celebrating with colorful parades and processions. Sweet pastries such as Pan de Muerto, or bread of the dead (made in the shape of a skull) are traditions, as are sugary chocolate skulls. Bright flowers decorate the stalls and streets; the marigold is the symbolic flower as its bright yellow-orange petals (like the brightly-colored costumes) are beacons to welcome the souls of the dead as they return home.
Natural: Traditional Day of the Dead celebration recipes (for your cemetery picnics)
Italian: 20 Words & Expressions to Help You Speak Italian Like a Native
Quote: “We never bury the dead, son. We take them with us. It’s the price of living.” – from “Sleepy Hollow”
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