Catholic Fire

On November 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints, also known as Hallowmas and All Hallows. Today's feast honors all the saints of the Church, known and unknown, whose virtues and efforts in this life are considered to have earned them an eternal reward with God. On this day, Catholics are asked to reflect on holiness and sainthood and to celebrate the holiness of men and women who gave their lives in faithfulness and service to God, and whose witness continues to inspire us today. Christians have been honoring saints and martyrs since at least the second century AD. Initially, the calendars of saints and martyrs varied by location, with churches honoring local saints. However, gradually feast days became more universal. The first reference to a general feast celebrating all saints occurred with St Ephrem the Syrian (d. AD 373). St. John Chrysostom (d. AD 407) assigned a day to the feast, the first Sunday after Pentecost, where in the Eastern Churches the feast is celeb...

Today, on this glorious feast day, the Church celebrates all the saints: canonized or beatified, and the multitude of those who are in heaven enjoying the beatific vision who are known only to God. During the early centuries, the saints venerated by the Church were all martyrs. Later on the Popes set November 1 as the day for commemorating all the Saints. All Saints Day is one of my favorite days of the liturgical year. I have so many saint friends in heaven who are constantly interceeding for me. The special saints in my life are many, but I will share just a few who have influenced my life in powerful ways. I was born on the feast of St. Dominic,baptized on the feast of St. Pius X, and chose St. Catherine of Siena (a Dominican) for my Confirmation saint. I was named after St. Joan of Arc, the patron saint of France, and St. John the beloved disciple. I am an oblate with the Community of St. John, which was founded by a French Dominican priest. One of the community's patron s...

Te Deum Laudamus (Chanted by the Benedictine Monks Abbaye Saint-Maurice- Clervaux, Luxembourg 1998). The mp3 for this chant is here. Video via Catholiques. Today's feast honors all the saints of the Church, known and unknown, whose virtues and efforts in this life are considered to have earned them an eternal reward with God. On this day, Catholics are asked to reflect on holiness and sainthood and to celebrate the holiness of men and women who gave their lives in faithfulness and service to God, and whose witness continues to inspire us today. According to tradition, Catholics did honor Christian martyrs on May 13. Pope Boniface IV created Feast of All Martyrs in 615. Pope Gregory IV changed the date to November 1 to put in the place of pagan festivities in 844. He also moved it on the practical grounds that Rome in summer could not accommodate the great number of pilgrims who flocked to it. In 741, the feast was used to celebrate everyone in Heaven. The name of the day changed t...