Pastor's Corner

On this Feast of All Saints, the Church celebrates all those who now share the fullness of life with God in heaven. The Gospel for this feast gives us the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew, showing us the path they followed toward holiness.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes beatitude as “happiness or blessedness, especially the eternal happiness of heaven, which is described as the vision of God, or entering into God’s rest by those whom He makes ‘partakers of the divine nature’” (CCC 1024, 1721). The saints enjoy this happiness now, and their example reminds us that God calls each of us to the same eternal joy.

The Beatitudes are more than beautiful words. They are a portrait of Jesus and an invitation to become like Him. We live them when we recognize our need for God, comfort those who suffer, respond to others with gentleness, seek what is right, forgive those who hurt us, put God first, and work to bring peace. The saints were not people who never struggled; they were people who kept turning toward Christ in the ordinary circumstances of life.

Holiness is not a private journey. God calls us to help one another reach heaven—in our families, our classrooms, and our parish. A patient response, a generous sacrifice, a word of encouragement, or a faithful example can help another person grow closer to Christ.  We all have a very important role in our Church to bring people to Christ as we live the life of a disciple. 

This has special meaning as we celebrate Nativity’s 40th anniversary and continue our “Building on the Heart of Nativity” capital campaign. We are investing in our school and the formation of our young people, but our purpose is greater than expanding a building. We want to form hearts that know Jesus, love His Church, and carry His light into the world. Our sacrificial support helps pass on our faith to the next generation.

As we celebrate All Saints, may their example inspire us to seek holiness in the choices we make each day. May our homes, school, workplaces and parish be places where the Beatitudes are lived and where people are helped along the road to heaven. The greatest thing we can build together is a community shaped by Christ—one that helps form saints.

Throughout the month of November, the Catholic community prays for the “Holy Souls” in purgatory and honor the connection between the living and the dead.   We would invite you to write down the names of deceased relatives and friends in our book of remembrance which will be enthroned by the baptismal font.  This practice is inspired by the early Christian tradition of necrologies – public registries or books where the dates and names of the dead were recorded so local communities could regularly remember and pray for them.

-Fr. Jerry

Every year, well-meaning Christians ask how Catholics should approach Halloween. Sometimes we forget that there is a difference between glorifying evil and recognizing that, through Jesus Christ, evil and death do not have the final word. A little Catholic history helps us understand this season.

The word Halloween comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” the evening before the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1. The Church’s tradition of honoring all the saints developed over many centuries. Around the year 610, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Roman Pantheon to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the martyrs, with an annual observance on May 13. Later, Pope Gregory III established a celebration honoring all the saints on November 1 at a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica. During the ninth century, the observance spread more widely throughout the Western Church. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve, eventually shortened to Halloween.

November 1 also falls near the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, associated with the changing seasons and beliefs about the dead. Although some have suggested that the Church chose its date to replace this pagan festival, historians debate the precise relationship between the two traditions. What is certain is the Christian meaning of All Saints’ Day: we celebrate all those who now share in the glory of heaven.

The feast honors not only the saints officially recognized by the Church, but also the countless men, women, and children known to God alone. Some were martyrs; others were parents, teachers, workers, and ordinary people who lived lives of extraordinary faithfulness and love. They remind us that every baptized Christian is called to become a saint.

Over the centuries, Halloween customs have included costumes, carved pumpkins, and playful images of ghosts and skeletons. These traditions need not represent an embrace of evil. Catholics can enjoy harmless festivities while exercising good judgment and avoiding anything that glorifies evil or contradicts our faith. We can even use this opportunity to introduce children to the saints and the heroic lives of those who sacrificed themselves for others.

On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls’ Day, when we pray for the faithful departed. Together, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day remind us of our communion in Christ: we honor the saints in heaven and pray for those who have died, entrusting them to God’s mercy.

As Catholics, we do not need to live in fear of death. Jesus Christ suffered, died, and rose again, opening the way to eternal life. St. Paul expresses our confidence beautifully: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

That is the heart of our Christian hope. Our faith is not centered on darkness, but on the light of Christ. Enjoy the festivities, make good memories with your family, and perhaps share the story of a favorite saint with your children. Above all, remember what we celebrate on November 1: the victory of Christ in the lives of all those who now share in the glory of heaven.

God bless,

Fr. Jerry