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containing matters related to Catholicism. Hopefully we're always able to update this page regularly with new topics. Question: I've often wondered about the feasts of All Souls and All Saints. Are not all the souls we pray for also saints? Why not just celebrate a feast day for all who are in heaven? Answer: In the New Testament, the word "saint" meant "Christian". In some way, then, all followers of Jesus were originally considered to be saints to God. But over the centuries, the word "saint" has gradually come to connote the holy men and women who have been declared saints by the Catholic Church. The formal process of becoming a saint is called canonisation, and sometimes takes centuries -- it took nearly 500 years for St. Joan of Arc to be canonised. In the 2000 years of Roman Catholic history, more than 2500 saints have been recognised as such. On the feast of All Saints, we honour these holy men and women, especially our patron saint and those saints for whom we have some special admiration. The feast of All Souls is a day to honour our loved ones who have died. It is safe to say that most of those among our family and friends who have died have not been officially canonised by the Church. As the Church gives official status to a deceased holy person by canonising them as a saint, so too Christ's paschal mistery gives meaning to the death of a faithul Christian. As is says in Thessalonians: "For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God wil bring with Him those who have died" (1 Thes 4:14). When we pray for our dead on the feast of All Souls, we acknowledge the mystical body of Christ which includes us, our family and friends who have died, and the officially canonised saints of the Church. (Source: The answer provided by Rev. Paul J. Coury, C.Ss.R. on the "Dear Padre" column) |
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