Saint Gabriel Catholic Church in Pompano Beach recently shared a note from the pastor about the meaning of All Souls Day. 

"My dearest people who are all close to my heart! With lots of love and blessings and prayers to you all," the Rev. Sahayanathan Nathan said in the church's Nov. 8 bulletin. "The very first preface of The Dead Prayer beautifully synthesizes the whole theology of death."

This prayer says that we have our resurrection to look forward to, and the sadness of death is balanced out by the joy that is our immortality with the Lord, which removes so much fear of death. 

All Souls Day is a solemn time in which we remember all those who have died before us. We believe, as Catholics, that a soul will go to heaven, hell or purgatory. The Church is careful to not determine where a soul has gone, but resolves to pray for those who have died, in the hope that our prayers may work toward their good.

"The Church remembers, prays for, and offers requiem Masses up for the faithful departed in the state of purification," Nathan said. "All Souls Day is a day of almsgiving and prayers for all that are dead. The intent is for the living to assist those in purgatory." 

He also noted that our prayers for the dead allow two things to happen: first, that they may be able to "reach a better level"; and second, that "they in turn would also assist us by their intercession for our life."

Let us think about those who have died in the recent past and pray for them in a special way, that they may reach their place of immortal resting with our Lord, taking part in the beatific vision of his glory for all of eternity. 

"It’s great in both ways!" Fr. Nathan said. "Let us remember to pray for them."