On All Souls Day, at the beginning of this month, we reflected on those who have departed and prayed for them. This is such an important day for our faith tradition. It is a day when we are truly reminded of the saving power of Jesus Christ, his resurrection, and the promise of our own. When we remember those who have departed we can pray for their souls, however, we can also be comforted by the possibility of eternal life and that we may all be reunited at the resurrection.

Pope Francis prayed to the father on all Souls Day for all who have lost a loved one. In his prayer he said, "Comfort those who mourn in sorrow, with the assurance that the dead live in You and that even bodies entrusted to the earth will one day share in the Easter victory of your Son. You, who placed on the Church's path the Blessed Virgin Mary as a radiant sign, sustain our faith through her intercession, so that no obstacle may lead us astray from the path that leads to You, who are the endless glory. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen."

As a Marist community, may we heed the prayers of the Holy Father and ask for the intercession of Mary, our Good Mother, to sustain our prayers and to guide us more closely to our Loving Lord.