All Souls’ Mass of Remembrance: Because No One Grieves Alone
Monday, November 2, 2026 | 6:00 PM
Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish
One of the most beautiful things about belonging to a parish family is knowing that we do not have to walk through life's most difficult moments alone. When someone we love dies, the Church does not simply celebrate a funeral and send us on our way. She continues to walk with us, pray with us, and remind us that even in the midst of grief, we are never separated from the love of Christ.
I witness this in a particularly beautiful way through our Parish Bereavement Team. These dedicated parishioners accompany grieving families with extraordinary compassion, tenderness, and care. Through countless quiet acts of service, they help families experience the loving presence of their Church family when they need it most.
I am deeply grateful for their ministry. Much of what they do happens behind the scenes, but their service reveals something essential about who we are called to be as a parish. A parish is truly a family when we show up for one another, especially in moments of sorrow.
Next Monday, November 2, at 6:00 PM, we will gather for one of the most beautiful and moving liturgies of our parish year: our All Souls’ Mass of Remembrance.
On All Souls’ Day, the Church invites us to practice one of the spiritual works of mercy: praying for the dead. As Catholics, we believe that death does not destroy the bonds of love formed in Christ. Through the Communion of Saints, we remain spiritually united with those who have gone before us, and our prayers for the faithful departed are a profound expression of that enduring love.
At the heart of this celebration is the Holy Eucharist. The Mass is more than a memorial; it is the sacrifice of Christ made sacramentally present. When we offer the Mass for the faithful departed, we entrust them to God's infinite mercy and pray that they may enter the fullness of eternal life. We gather not simply to remember those who have died, but to proclaim our hope in the Resurrection.
During this solemn liturgy, we will remember by name the members of our parish family who have died over the past year. Their families will be invited forward to light a votive candle in their memory, a beautiful reminder that Christ's light shines even in the darkness of grief.
I especially invite every parishioner to attend, whether or not you have experienced a recent loss. Your presence is itself an act of Christian love. Imagine what it means to a grieving family to look around the church and see their parish family gathered in prayer alongside them. Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer is simply to be present.
Families planning to attend are asked to contact our Parish Office at 315-724-3155 by Monday, October 26. All are welcome, even if you have not registered.
May this sacred evening remind us that we belong to one another, that no one in our parish family should ever grieve alone, and that in Christ, love is stronger than death.
Your Servant in Christ,
Father Jason C. Hage, Pastor
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Mary, Mother of Our Savior, pray for us!