Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose,
This week we will have the ghosts, goblins, and ghouls traipsing about.  Halloween is right around the corner.  It has changed from the night of pranks and trick or treating to a much more scary and sinister observance.
Some Christians even call Halloween the devil’s holiday and stay away from any observance of Halloween, thinking it an affront to their Christian Faith.
In the Catholic view, the devil  has no holiday and All Hallows is actually the celebration of the triumph of good over evil.  So, the devil is most likely rather upset with our observance of Halloween and All Saints’ Day.
We are really very fortunate that in our religion we are celebrating the victory of all the saints in Heaven who have persevered in living the Faith and now enjoy the Beatific Vision.
All during the year, Catholics celebrate the feasts of particular saints.  So we tend to take more notice of saints that are important to us and to which we have a special devotion.  For example, the saint we are named after, our parish patron saint, the saints whose feasts are on dates that mark major events in our lives.
November 1st is for all the Saints in Heaven, those who are on the Church calendar, but also for the ordinary saints.  They can be our parents or grandparents, our neighbors or teachers, our friends and other family members. On this feast, we celebrate with all of them.  We remember not only their lives on earth; we also remember that one day we, too, want to share the joys of Heaven.
On November 2nd, we celebrate All Souls’ Day.  On this day we remember all those who have died and are still in the time of purification, those who are still preparing to enter Heaven.  We can assist these souls by praying for them, having Masses offered, and doing acts of penance for them.  They are on their way to Heaven; they are just still making reparations for their sins.
During this time of the year we remember the connection we have with those who have died.  The saints in Heaven are praying for us; we are praying for the Poor Souls and for each other.  We call this the Communion of Saints.
May this holy time give us the continued hope of eternal life in Christ.
Msgr. Cox

 All Saints, Johann König (1599)