allsoulsday

The Catholic Cemeteries Assoc.
     - All Souls Day Program

The Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Remember... All Souls Day
November 2, 2008 - 3 PM - All Cemeteries (except Queen of Heaven - 4 PM)

“Precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of His faithful Ones.” – Psalm  116:15

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION (Cemetery Counselor)

OPENING PRAYER -- PRESIDER

TOGETHER, LET US PRAY:  Lord, grant that this cemetery, placed
 under the sign of the cross, may, by the power of Your blessing, be a place
 of rest and hope.  May the bodies buried here sleep in Your peace, to rise
 immortal at the coming of your Son.  May this place be a comfort to the
 living, a sign of their hope for unending life.  May prayers be offered
 here continually in supplication of those who sleep in Christ and in
 constant praise of Your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

THE SCRIPTURE READINGS:
The First Reading:      Wisdom 3:1-6, 9
Second Reading:         1 John 3:1-2    .
The Gospel                John 14:1-6

RESPONSORIAL HYMN:  Eye Has Not Seen,

EYE HAS NOT SEEN

Eye has not seen
Ear has not heard,
What God has ready for those who love him;
Spirit of Love, come, give us the mind of Jesus,
Teach us the wisdom of God.

When pain and sorrow weigh us down,
Be near to us, O Lord, 
Forgive the weakness of our faith,
And bear us up within your peaceful word.

Our lives are but a single breath,
We flower and we fade,
Yet all our days are in your hands,
So we return in love what love has made

To those who see with eyes of faith,
The Lord is ever near,
Reflected in the faces
Of all the poor and lowly of the world.

REFLECTION

FOR YOUR REFLECTION:

All Souls Day follows All Saints Day, and commemorates the
Faithful departed, those who die in God’s faith and friendship.
However, Catholics believe that not all those who die in God’s
grace are immediately ready for the Beatific vision, the reality
and goodness of God and heaven, so they must be purified of “lesser faults,” and the temporal effects of sin.

All Souls is the day to remember, pray for and offer masses for
these faithful departed in the state of purification,  Christians will take this day to offer prayers on behalf of their departed relatives and friends.

LITANY OF REMEMBRANCE:  My brothers and sisters, we believe
that all the ties of friendship and affection that knit us as one throughout
our lives do not unravel with death.  Confident that God always remembers
the good we have done and forgives our sins, let us ask God to gather our
loved ones to Himself.  Let us listen now as we remember various groups of
our spiritual ancestors.  A bell will be rung after each remembered group to
remind us of how their goodness has resonated in our lives.

We now call to mind our spiritual ancestors:

  1. Let us remember the light-filled ones, who enkindled our spirits with their teachings and the spark of their beliefs...
  2. Let us remember the risk-takers, who faced their fears and took action, who sought justice even though they had to pay a price for it…
  3. Let us remember the vulnerable ones, who allowed us to care for them, to be with them in their time of need…
  4. Let us remember the faith-filled ones, who brought us to the Holy One,  who led us, by their words and example, into deeper relationship with God…
  5. Let us remember the brave ones who walked through their struggles with hope, who taught us how to trust and have confidence during our times of sorrow and difficulty…
  6. Let us remember the great lovers of life, whose humor and enthusiasm lifted our spirits and brought us joy…
  7. Let us remember the nurturers, who birthed us physically or spiritually, who gave us sustenance by their caring presence…
  8. Let us remember the ones who lived and loved deeply, who found the source of their inner strength from you, the Divine Beloved…

 


TOGETHER, LET US PRAY:  Jesus, Sacred One, and Sustainer of Life, thank you for the holy ones whom we have known.  As they embrace you in the white-robed home of eternity, we give you thanks for them.  May our lives model their virtues; may our hearts resonate with their goodness.  AMEN.

Recitation of one decade of the ROSARY led by the Leader.  (You may want to pray the remaining decades at the grave of your loved one.)

The First Glorious Mystery:   Help me with the pain I feel as I remember “N” and his/her death.  Strengthen me with Faith.  Let me hear the words of the angel, “Do not be frightened,  I know you are looking for Jesus the crucified, but He is not here. He has been raised.”  Help me to trust that “N” is now, not among the dead, but united to Jesus in His RESURRECTION.

The Second Glorious Mystery:  In the ASCENSION, you have shown the path of life which begins on the tragic cross and ends in glory.  Give me hope to realize that “N” was not lost in death but rather is on the path that leads to glory.  Shepherd “N” as he/she follows in your path.

The Third Glorious Mystery: When I am overwhelmed with the sense of loss I feel because of “N’s” death, send your Holy Spirit as you did at PENTECOST.  May the Holy Spirit help me to see beyond this loss and give me zeal to carry out God’s will for me today.

The Fourth Glorious Mystery:  The ASSUMPTION OF MARY reminds us that our true lasting home is in heaven in which we will have eternal happiness.  Help me to remember that the loss of happiness since “N’s” death will be compensated beyond all my expectations when we join all the saints in the kingdom of God.

The Fifth Glorious Mystery: The CROWNING OF MARY calls us to be devoted to Mary who said “yes” to God’s will.  Yes, to conceiving a child even though he would be rejected, suffer pain and crucifixion.  Mary rejoices in God’s plan even though it meant a sword of sorrow for her.  Help me to accept my pain of sorrow and to believe, like Mary, that trusting in the Lord will ultimately lead to the crown of glory that awaits all who believe.

LEADER: Gentle Father, we place in Your hands all our loved ones and we know they are in peace. Give Your peace to our own hearts.  Help us to prepare in our own lives a sure hope of the Resurrection.  Never cease to remind us of the life that we are to share in Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies to be like His in glory, for He is Lord,
forever and ever.     AMEN.

With goodness beyond imagining God has created you and in the resurrection of His Son has filled you with the hope of rising again.  May the God of all consolation bless you now and forever.  AMEN.

May He give us, the living, pardon for our sins, and to our dead brothers and sisters a resting place of light and peace, now and forever. AMEN.

May we who believe in Christ’s resurrection from the dead, live with Him in glory forever and ever. AMEN.

And may almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.  

GO IN PEACE!

CLOSING HYMN:  Sing With All the Saints in Glory

SING WITH ALL THE SAINTS IN GLORY

Sing with all the saints in glory, sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story, to the former days belong.    All around the clouds are breaking, soon the storms of time shall cease,    In God’s likeness, we awaken, knowing everlasting peace.

O what glory, far exceeding, all that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts for ages pleading, never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it, there on high our welcome waits.  Ev’ry humble spirit shares it, Christ has passed the eternal gates.

Life eternal! Heav’n rejoices; Jesus lives who once was dead;
Shout with joy, O deathless voices! Child of God, lift up your head!  Patriarchs from distant ages, saints all longing for their heaven.  Prophets, psalmists, seers and sages, all await the glory giv’n

Life eternal! O what wonders, crowd on faith; what joy unknown,  When amidst earth’s closing thunders, saints shall stand before the throne! O to enter that bright portal, see that glowing firmament. Know, with you, O God immortal, Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

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