Religious Education & Faith Life

 All Souls Day and All Saints Day

The Catholic Church celebrates two special days at the beginning of November- All Saints Day (November 1) and All Soul’s Day (November 2). 

Traditionally, All Saints Day, was called All Hallow’s Day because hallow is another word for holy. The night before was called All Hallow’s Eve, which was eventually shortened to Halloween. Every Sunday at Mass, we proclaim that we believe in the Communion of Saints when we pray the Creed. The Communion of Saints refers to the family of God.

All Saints’ Day is and an opportunity to remember all saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout history. Saints are ordinary people who loved God with all their heart and worked hard to live as Jesus taught by being kind, generous, acting with justice and respecting all people.  Remembering and celebrating our saints has been a Catholic tradition since the fourth century.

All Souls’ Day commemorates all of the faithful departed — our friends, relatives, parishioners and community members. We remember and pray for the souls of the people in purgatory, and we also pray that we may one day join Christ and all of the saints in heaven.