Bishop's Message: All Saints and All Souls Days

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As we close the month of October, we prepare to celebrate two important feast days in the Catholic Church – All Saints and All Souls Days.

All Saints Day, November 1, is a Holy Day of Obligation. On this day the Church gives us models of faith whose holy lives show the light of Christ. In our prayer, we seek the assistance of the saints who inspire us to live holy lives. There are well known saints like our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, Sts. Peter and Paul, Sts. John Paul II and Teresa of Calcutta.  There are also lesser-known saints who quietly lived lives of holiness and selfless service to the Church.  They are members of the Communion of Saints we call the Church Triumphant.
 
On All Souls Day, November 2, we join the saints in heaven in praying for the faithful departed. These individuals are remembered annually because we personally knew them.  We pray for their souls that they be admitted to the Company of Saints in heaven. Let us embrace these two important feast days with gratitude and devotion.

November also marks for this local church the opening Mass in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Diocese of Austin on Nov. 19. I hold in prayer the many who came before us -- those who were present at the founding of the Diocese of Austin and even those faithful Catholics who came before. Join me in remembering them, particularly in the celebration of holy Mass. I look forward to seeing you at this historic event so that together we may give praise and glory to God.