The homilist began by commending those of us gathered before him for coming to church on Halloween – for resisting the supposed temptation to forget All Saints' Day. “We’re different than those people out there,” he said, a vague gesture to the door, to the costumed trick-or-treaters. To me, what he seemed to be saying was better. READ MORE

Editor's Note: This is essentially a repost of an All Saints' & All Souls' Day Reflection from October 2016. I updated the first paragraph because of the loss my family (and I think the Parish) has experienced recently, and where our hearts and minds can begin to go during this time of continual loss due to COVID-19.

In the past two weeks our family has experienced the death of my wife’s father, Dr. Hilary O'Herlihy, and the loss of our dear friend and parishioner, Carolynn Kendall. So during these two days that we observe All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day I find myself pondering both the brevity of life (“You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” – James 4:14) and conversely, the eternity that we will step into at the end of our brief lives in order to be forever with Christ. READ MORE