Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

Today is All Souls Day, sometimes known by its fancier title that is posted above. But we shouldn't just remember our beloved deceased today. Ideally we need to remember them every day so that we can help them get to heaven. We like to think that when someone dies, they go to heaven. But very few of us--or our loved ones--will die in a perfect state of grace, having atoned for all our sins. That is where God, in his mercy, helps us to atone before we are ready for heaven. Since nothing imperfect can enter heaven, many of us will need to spend some unspecified amount of time in purgatory. And this is where we, the friends and relatives of those departed souls, can come to their aid with our prayers. The simplest way is to pray the "Eternal Rest" pray. For those who might need a refresher it goes like this: "Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they, and the souls of the faithful departed, in Your mercy, O Lord, rest in peace."