ALL SAINTS DAY will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 1. It is a holyday of obligation requiring Mass attendance for all Catholics. We remember on this day all the blessed in heaven, the whole communion of saints, but in a particular way, we honor those holy men and women who have no special feast days in the liturgical year.
Masses will be celebrated for the holyday on:
Tuesday evening, October 31 at Saint Rosalia Church:
6:00 pm Vigil Mass
Wednesday, November 1 at Saint Paul Cathedral:
8:15 am Mass (Oakland Catholic High School attending)
12:00 Noon Mass
6:00 pm Mass
ALL SOULS’ DAY will be celebrated on Thursday, November 2. This is the annual commemoration of all the faithful departed. The dead were prayed for from the earliest days of the Church, a custom that dates to the Catacombs in Rome where the Christians gathered around those who had been buried to offer Mass and pray for their beloved dead. All Soul’s Day was set on November 2 so that the memories of souls (both saints in heaven and the souls of those in purgatory) could be celebrated on two successive days. In this way the Christian belief in the communion of the saints could be more clearly expressed. Catholics believe that purgatory is the place of the final cleansing of human imperfections before a soul can enter the joy of heaven. We can assist the souls in purgatory by our prayers, particularly those we offer in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Masses on All Souls’ Day are scheduled at Saint Paul Cathedral at:
8:15 am
12:05 pm
7:00 pm (Annual Mass for those from our parish who have died in the past year)
A SPECIAL ALL SOULS’ DAY MASS will be celebrated by Father Stubna at Saint Paul Cathedral this Thursday, November 2 at 7:00 pm. This Mass will be televised and livestreamed and can be accessed on our parish website, Facebook page, and on Christian Associates TV (Comcast Channel 95 in the City of Pittsburgh). This Mass will remember those who have died in the past year (from November 2022 through October 2023) from our parish. The next of kin for those who have died have received an invitation to the Mass, but all are welcome to attend. Many thanks to the Saint Paul Cathedral Parish Ladies of Charity for their help in coordinating this Mass. They will host a small reception following the Mass in the parish social hall – all are welcome to attend. Let us come together and celebrate the lives of those we have lost this year and pray for their eternal rest and for their families and loved ones. May they rest in peace.