The month of November is traditionally a time in which the Catholic community remembers those who have died. The end of November is the end of the Liturgical Year with a new year starting the First Sunday of Advent – the four-week period of preparation before Christmas. During this month, the Church commemorates the Solemnity of All Saints and All Souls Days to remind her faithful of the importance of sanctity of life and the reality of human mortality.
These feasts duly express our faith in the Communion of Saints; the link among the faithful who have already attained the joys of heaven (the Church Triumphant), the faithful departed who are still undergoing the pains of expiation for their sins in Purgatory (the Church Suffering) and the faithful who are still on pilgrimage in this world, working out their salvation amid the vicissitudes of life (the Church Militant). “In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others….” (CCC, 1475).
All the faithful are encouraged to express solidarity with the souls in purgatory through public and private prayers, offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and giving alms to the poor. Members of the pilgrim Church, all of us, are encouraged to obtain plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory. The indulgences are obtained in the eight days following the All-Souls Day. Hence, we encourage the faithful in our Archdiocese to take advantage of this provision granted us. Other feast days and memorials in this month yet to be celebrated are:
• St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13),
• St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17),
• The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (November 21),
• St. Cecilia (November 22),
• St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24),
• St. Andrew (November 30).
…Archbishop’s intention for November 2024
For the Faithful Departed: We pray thoroughly for the souls of the faithful departed. We are requested to pray in particular for the departed Priests and Religious of the Archdiocese of Lagos. May God grant all our departed ones eternal rest and the grace of beatific vision. We pray also for the release of the souls in purgatory.
• Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.
