Remembering those who have died.

Dear family and friends,

 It is a strong tradition both in religious and secular cultures, to honor those who have died.

The famous people in both sets of cultures have a lot of recognition, and those privately known to our smaller circles of family and society, also deserve communal remembrance.

The month of November, in the Catholic tradition, is a month of prayer for the dead. Our prayers refer to the those who have died as "those who have gone before us, marked by the sign of faith."

We understand that for God, "marked with the sign of faith " is very broad, and includes: 

the saints, the prophets and martyrs,

the righteous of every generation, 

those of any faith who seek God with a sincere heart,

and those claim not to know God, but whose lives are marked by goodness.

 This understanding is expansive because the Mercy of God is expansive, and the intimate dialogue between God and the individual soul, as the soul takes its leave of the body, cannot be known to us.

 This silences all human judgement.

You are welcome to send us the names of those who have gone before you, who you would like inscribed in our Book of Life (Luke 10:20).

If this interests you, send their names to me at leo.frechette@stlukehaiti.org.

For the rest of the month of November, and for every Friday of the ongoing years (until my own name is in the book!), the book will be on our altar at St Damien Chapel (Tabarre, Haiti). Those listed will be remembered in our masses, Divine Office, rosaries and other prayers.

 This is not an appeal for donations, but an invitation to join in one way of remembrance and prayer.

This list of names will be visible here, which will also have a weekly prayer or reflection as a guide to meditation. (If you indicate so, the names you present for the book can also remain anonymous to the public.)

We stand on an enormous foundation of history, culture, civilization, faith, and family heritage, built by those who have gone before us. Let's gratefully and prayerfully remember those who did more than their share for us during their lifetimes.

Let us also ask God to help us to each make our important contribution to the human family, by the way we live our lives, for the sake of those who are right behind us and those still generations away from being born.

 Fr Rick Frechette CP

Port au Prince

November 8, 2020