St. Wendelin Parish

The end of October and the beginning of November is always a busy time at our parish due to our feast day on October 22, Forty Hours, and then the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1, and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day) on November 2. As the weather turns colder, the sun sets earlier, and we celebrate the saints and pray for the souls in purgatory, it is a reminder for all of us that at some point, our time on this earth will come to an end. Memento mori: “remember that you have to die” is a phrase the Church has used since the second century. By gathering on All Saints (a holyday of obligation) and praying for the souls in purgatory throughout November, we keep in mind the need to live faithfully because we will die. This “remembrance” is not in a sad sense, but in the joy that we look forward to heaven. We certainly pray at the end of our life Saint Paul’s words in the second reading may be ours: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
Masses for All Saints Day will be at 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM. There will be NO 5:15 PM Mass that day. Our Parish Memorial Mass is Wednesday, November 2 at 7:00 PM. All are invited to come to this very moving Mass and pray for those who have died in the past year. (There will still be 9:00 Mass that morning.)