Mary Rodgers Liegeois
83
Shared by Bruce Wiacek, friend from grammar school
November 1 & 2
All Saints and All Souls
Join us in honoring all the saints in heaven and praying for our faithful departed.
About the feast
Why we celebrate All Saints and All Souls
On November 1, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, honoring every holy man and woman now with God, both the canonized and the countless unknown. On November 2, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day), we pray for those who have died and are being purified on their way to heaven. Together, these days remind us that the communion of saints joins the Church on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven in one family of faith.
Ways to observe
Honoring the saints and the faithful departed
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Attend Mass
Celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1 and pray for the faithful departed at Mass on All Souls Day, November 2. The Eucharist is the Church’s greatest prayer for those who have died.
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Visit a cemetery
Pray at the grave of a loved one. From November 1 to 8, Catholics who visit a cemetery and pray for the dead may receive a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory. The usual conditions apply: go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions, and be free of attachment to sin.
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Receive the All Souls indulgence
On November 2, visit a church or oratory and pray the Our Father and the Creed for the faithful departed. This plenary indulgence, like the cemetery indulgence, is applicable only to the souls in purgatory. The usual conditions apply: go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions, and be free of attachment to sin.
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Have a Mass offered
Ask your parish to offer a Mass for a loved one who has died. It is one of the most meaningful ways to remember them, and a lasting gift to their family.
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Add a name to the Book of the Dead
Many parishes maintain a Book of the Dead during November, inviting parishioners to inscribe the names of deceased loved ones who will be remembered in the community’s prayers.
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Learn from the saints
Learn about your patron saint, a saint whose name you share, or a saint with a connection to New York, such as St. Frances Xavier Cabrini or St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Prayer for the faithful departed
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Prayer card
Prayer Card
On the Solemnity of All Saints, the Church honors every holy man and woman who now shares in the glory of heaven, both the saints we know by name and the countless faithful whose holiness is known to God alone. They are our companions and intercessors on the journey of faith.
Download this prayer card for your phone and keep it close throughout the season. Each time you see it, pause for a moment to pray with the saints and for your loved ones who have died.
Remember a loved one
Share a name, share a memory
Throughout November, the Church prays in a special way for those who have gone before us. Share the name of a loved one and, if you wish, a memory of them. Names will be remembered in prayer, and selected memories may be shared in our Book of Remembrance below.
Learn More about BereavementBook of remembrance
Those we hold in prayer
Memories shared by families across the Archdiocese of New York. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
Ann & Ed Wiacek
Shared by Bruce Wiacek, parents
Kenneth Wiacek
61
Shared by Bruce Wiacek, brother
Annaviktoria Robbiano
76
I will always remember our wedding day. We were married at the Catholic Actors Chapel in NYC. James Cagney was also married there!
Shared by Hugo Giovanni Robbiano, spouse
Laraine Benvenuto
60
Shared by Lisa Olivo, sister
Edilberto Verastegui
88
Shared by Virna Verastegui, father
Natalie C. McBride
62
Loved me unconditionally
Shared by Robyne Heath-Carrasquillo, aunt
Sally Urang
Dear friend and mentor. Introduced me to the game basketball!
Shared by Robyne Heath-Carrasquillo
John G Mangan
11/7/1959 to 9/9/2014
John was artist and art instructor at Penn State University. He was a spiritual person who was generous with his time and talents to his students, his community, and his family. His goodness and kindness was known to all the lives he touched during his life.
Shared by Daniel P Mangan, brother
Philomena holmes
99+
So many good memories
Shared by Bernadette T Whalen, sister