HOLY DAYS – ALL SAINT’S DAY & ALL SOUL’S DAY, CATHOLICISM – PARENTS & LOVED ONES: I have memories, I pay my respects, I give honor and tribute; most I love you!*
Vol. 3, No.29, Monday, October 29, 2012
TITLE: “HOLY DAYS – ALL SAINT’S DAY & ALL SOUL’S DAY, CATHOLICISM – PARENTS & LOVED ONES: I have memories, I pay my respects, I give honor and tribute; most I love you!*”
INTRODUCTION
With the month of November fast approaching, this means two important days are coming. November 1st is “All Saint’s Day” and November 2nd is “All Soul’s Day”. (Many people don’t know about these days.) For Catholics, these are not holidays; instead they are holy days. That’s something to think about.
The thought of these days bring the faces of my dear parents to mind. Today’s topic then is personal remembrance. I will share with you some things that I do and sentiments that I feel. Remembering those departed souls is something good! My book of the week is “All Saints, All Souls: Halloween” by Catherine Chambers (Author) (Editor’s Note: This is another in the continuing series on holidays and special dates.
ANTOINETTE’S LIFE & TIMES*
CHILDHOOD Nov. 1st & 2nd at Home: “All Saint’s Day” is a kind of birthday for all those saintly… the right time to pray for a favor. “All Soul’s Day” is about prayer and sacrifice in behalf of those departed. For my mother, this was a time to pray. And she would visit the cemetery. Also, without fail, she would light a candle for each deceased person that was dear to us. Sad to say, as the more years went by, the more candles she lit. Lighting candles is our way of extending our prayers. It is also a connection to those dear people who have gone.
CHILDHOOD Nov. 1st & 2nd at School: When I was in elementary school, there was a school holiday for “All Saint’s Day” with “All Soul’s Day” following. Today, these days are no longer observed in schools.
TODAY – My DEAR parents: I lost them both, my Dad in 2006 and my Mom in 2012. I feel the sense of loss every day. Yesterday, I went to the cemetery. Soon, I will light candles for them. I pray for them daily, but lighting candles for them is a sign of not only honoring the dead, but feeling their presence.
My DEAR Father: My Dad was a BIG part of my life. He was a fine man. He was hard-working and a great husband. He helped make me the woman that I have become. I miss him a lot! He knew alot about many things. He read a great deal and was interested in current events. Self -taught, he was very smart. His advice still comes to mind when certain situations arise. Another side of him was his wonderful sense of humor. His smile made my heart sing.
My DEAR Mother: My Mom was a BIG part of my life. I miss her terribly! She was a fine lady. She was hard-working and kept a beautiful home. She was a great wife – family was very important to her. She helped make me the woman that I have become.
She was a very wise woman. For any lesson in life, she had sayings and fables. No matter what arises from day to day, I always remember that my Mom had something to say. She recited a saying as the situations arose; and I remember them when a similar situation arises. I’ll give you some examples. For instance, (translated from Italian with the meaning in brackets), she would say,
- “You want your barrel full of wine and your wife drunk.*” (You want your cake and eat it too.)
- “Someone else’s wife is better than your own.*” (The grass is greener on the other side.)”
- “You should grease the horse for the owner.*” (Be pleasant to your in-laws for respect to your loved ones.)
- “He who rejects too many possible suitors will make the wrong choice.*” (Nobody’s perfect.).
- “You cry the dead and screw the living.*” (You’re not being honest.)
- “A beautiful shoe becomes an ugly loafer.*” (As we age, we lose our looks.)
I think that you get the idea. You know, I sometimes would joke with my mother that someday, I would write a book with all of her sayings. Who Knows … it may happen!
THE AUTHOR: Catherine Chambers
Catherine Chambers is a Heinemann-Raintree author. She is also an editor of children’s books. Her published credits include The Elephants’ Ears (A Barefoot Paperback), The Elephants’ Ears (A Barefoot Paperback), Computer (Look Inside Series).
SERIES/COLLECTION
Books/Articles:
Some of her books are:
- Big Freeze by Catherine Chambers (Mar 22 2007)
- Blizzard by Catherine Chambers (Mar 22 2007)
- Drought by Catherine Chambers (Mar 22 2007)
- Flood by Catherine Chambers (Mar 22 2007)
- Heat Wave by Catherine Chambers (Mar 23 2007
- Hurricane by Catherine Chambers (Mar 22 2007)
- Thunderstorm by Catherine Chambers (Mar 22 2007)
THE BOOK: All Saints, All Souls: Halloween by Catherine Chambers (Author)
The topic is All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day and Halloween. I understand that this book has information on the traditions and celebrations from all over the world. I like to learn – don’t you.
CONCLUSION
For many of us, the month of November begins with a focus on the people whom we love and have passed away. It`s not about feeling alone and miserable. Rather, it`s about being comforted by their presence and happier when remembering the good times.
Personal Comments
I say:
- That for me, All Saint’s Day” and “All Soul’s Day” are important.
- That I know I was blessed to have such wonderful parents – I want to honor them. I often light candles for them – I don’t wait for “All Soul’s Day”.
- That the idea is that when a candle is lit for the dead, they will be remembered forever.
The Point
Regardless of your religion, let’s not forget our loved ones after they pass away. Even with our busy lifestyle, let’s stop for a minute.Tears, there may be a few.
It`s also good to commemorate their lives. It involves: memories, respect, honor and tribute. Give them this honor they deserve. But, let’s light a candle for them. Lighting candles help us deal with their deaths and keep their memories in our hearts. Make it a lifelong ritual. While you are giving of yourself, you`re receiving much in return!
Perhaps it`s also about asking that a wish come true. You see, they`re personal angels. I believe my parents are my angels like two shining stars in the sky brightly lighting my way.
ANTOINETTE’S TIP SHEET*
Everyone should:
- Keep the memory alive of the deceased you’ve loved on All Soul’s Day.
- Let’s commemorate the dead on this day.
- Make lighting candles for the deceased in our lives a lifelong ritual; further
- Light a candle to a saint of your choice for a favor, if you need one.
- Light a candle for the deceased on All Soul’s Day.
- Pray to your favorite saint on All Saint’s Day.
If you’re lucky, a smile might peak through the sadness. Surprisingly, you might feel better for it.
And that’s my thought of the week on books, what’s yours?*
Take it out for a spin and tell me if you agree.
ALP
“Books are life; and they make life better!*”
PREVIEW (tentatively scheduled for Nov. 5th 2012: Next week, I will give you an update on a post commemorating November 11th – Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in Canada, U.K., etc. (Commonwealth). Be there! It’s the right thing to take the time to show our respects. (Editor’s Note: This is another in my continuing series on holidays and special dates.
PREVIEW (now tentatively re-scheduled for early january 2013): I was at the gym recently and a fellow was explaining to a young woman (a newbee at weights and workout machines) that discipline was essential if you want to get fit and in shape. It got me to thinking about (self-) discipline to being the key to success whatever the pursuit. That week, I will upload a post on discipline … as long as I stay disciplined enogh to write it!. Please come by to see if I managed to do it!
“Books are life; and they make life better!*”
P.S. Big News: There are still more addditions coming to my blog – Please stay tuned.
P.P.S. #1 I have a TWITTER page. Consider becoming a follower? Visit www.twitter.com – saveandread
P.P.S. #2 I also have a FACEBOOK page. Consider becoming a friend? Visit: www.facebook.com – Alp Save Andread – please check it out.
P.P.S. #3 I am on Linkedin. Consider becoming a connection? Visit www.linkedin.com – Antoinette La Posta
*TM/© 2012 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.
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PAGE 2
NEED SOMETHING FURTHER? TRY SAVE AND READ* (S&R*) BACKGROUNDER: ANTOINETTE’S 1, 2, 3, & 4
ONE – “I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT!*” – QUOTES
S & R* QUOTE #1: Emily Dickinson
“Love — is anterior to Life –
Posterior — to Death –
Initial of Creation, and
The Exponent of Earth”
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/life/index15.html)
S & R* QUOTE #2: Amelia Burr
“Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die.”
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/life/index15.html)
S & R* QUOTE #3: Edna St. Vincent Millay
“My candle burns at both its ends;
It will not last the night;
But oh, my foes, and oh, my friends –
It gives a lovely light.”
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/life/index15.html)
TWO – “IT WORDS FOR ME!*”
For today, my word/phrase(s) are: “All Saints’ Day“,“All Soul’s Day”;
All Saints’ Day
All Saints’ Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas[3]), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In the Western calendar it is the day after Halloween and the day before All Souls’ Day.
In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Catholic Church and many Anglican churches, the next day specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Christians who celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day do so in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual bond between those in purgatory (the ‘Church Suffering’), those in heaven (the ‘Church triumphant’), and the living (the ‘Church militant’). Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways; for example, in the Methodist Church, the word “saints” refers to all Christians and therefore, on All Saint’s Day, the Church Universal, as well as the deceased members of a local congregation, are honoured and remembered.[2][4] (Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints_DayTHREE
All Souls’ Day commemorates the faithful departed.
In Western Christianity, this day is observed principally in the Catholic Church, although some churches of Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches also celebrate it.
The Roman Catholic celebration is associated with the doctrine that the souls of the faithful who at death have not been cleansed from the temporal punishment due to venial sins and from attachment to mortal sins cannot immediately attain the beatific vision in heaven, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass.[1] In other words, when they died, they had not yet attained full sanctification and moral perfection, a requirement for entrance into Heaven. This sanctification is carried out posthumously in Purgatory.
The official name of the celebration in the Roman Rite liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church is “The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed“.[1] Another popular name in English is Feast of All Souls. In some other languages the celebration, not necessarily on the same date, is known as Day of the Dead. (Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia)– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Souls’_Day)
STUDY/STATISTICS:
FOUR – BONUS ARTICLES
S & R*NEWS ALERT*#1: Three simple ways to live life more richly
“Canadians are always looking for ways to save money, but are not always willing to sacrifice comfort. With a couple of simple adjustments, it’s possible to save on monthly household expenses without compromising on quality and comfort. Here are some ways to put hundreds of dollars back in your pocket in a matter of months.
Canadians are paying an average of $40 a month for home phone service. If you are already paying for high-speed Internet, you can use your existing connection and use a voice over IP phone system for free local and long distance calls within Canada. On the sleek Ooma Telo device for example, you get advanced features like caller-ID, call-waiting and voicemail as part of the basic service package, which means extra savings. By making the switch to VoIP, you can easily save over $600 in two years.
Household energy and water bills consistently eat away at your monthly budget. Consider the time of day you are doing laundry or running the dishwasher, and take advantage of off-peak rates. Did you know it’s more expensive to do a load of laundry during the day than it is at night? You can also save water by taking a shower instead of a bath, and turning the tap off while brushing your teeth. This may seem like common-sense advice, but the financial benefits are anything but basic.
Television cable can often be one of the highest bills every month. Luckily, there are simple ways to cut back on this monthly expense, without completely eliminating this source of entertainment. Consider opting for a PVR instead of purchasing a time-shifting package. This gives you more flexibility while reducing duplicate channels. You can also watch online, some networks stream their shows shortly after their regular television broadcast. And don’t be afraid to shop around or negotiate a new deal a simple telephone call could mean big savings. can save you big.”
More information is available online at http://ca.ooma.ca www.newscanada.com
S & R*NEWS ALERT*#2: Vigils honour murdered and missing aboriginal women
“Photo caption: Every year, on October 4, the families of missing and murdered First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and girls hold vigils across Canada to honour the lives of loved ones.
Sixteen-year-old Felicia Solomon, originally from Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba, went missing in Winnipeg in March 2003. Her body was found three months later. To date, no one has been charged with her murder.
Solomon was not the first young woman stolen from this family. Her cousin, Helen Betty Osborne, was abducted, raped and murdered in 1971 by four men in The Pas, Manitoba. A provincial inquiry concluded that she had been targeted for acts of extreme brutality because she was an aboriginal woman.
Every year, on October 4, the families of missing and murdered First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and girls hold vigils across Canada to honour the lives of loved ones like Felicia Solomon and Helen Betty Osborne. They are joined by supporters and partner organizations like the human rights movement Amnesty International, whose 2004 Stolen Sisters report documented the high levels of discrimination and violence experienced by aboriginal women in Canada.
Many Canadians will be shocked to learn that there are no official government statistics on the numbers of missing and murdered aboriginal women. There are simply too many gaps in how this information is recorded and made public. However, the Native Women’s Association of Canada has independently documented more than 600 cases of aboriginal women who have been murdered in recent decades or who are missing and feared dead.
One reason for the shockingly high numbers of missing and murdered aboriginal women is a gap in access to basic services. For example, in many communities aboriginal women often have no access to emergency shelters to escape violence. In addition, as the Helen Betty Osborne inquiry concluded some three decades ago, there are men who specifically target aboriginal women for acts of violence. Finally, as has been documented by Amnesty International and others, despite the known threats to the lives of these women, police response is all too often slow and inadequate.
Across Canada, aboriginal organizations and the families of missing and murdered women are taking the lead in trying to expose the violence and injustice they face. The October 4 vigils across Canada are a powerful way for people to come out and show their support.” More information on the vigils is available on the websites of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (nwac.ca/programs/sis-vigils) and Amnesty International (amnesty.ca).
*TM/© 2012 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.