Ní imithe uainn atá siad, ach imithe romhainn.
They are not gone from us, but gone before us.
November is a time for remembering and praying for our loved ones who have gone before us and whose loss we feel. It is a time when we are particularly conscious of those in our parishes who are grieving and all those families who have lost loved ones in the past year. More than most years, this November will be especially poignant as we remember all those who have died during the Covid-19 pandemic.
We mark this time of year in our parishes with events like the blessing of the graves, the celebration of remembrance services as well as commemorating All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day. As a result of the current Covid-19 restrictions, it will not be possible for us to gather together for these annual events.
‘We will reach out in November, a month we traditionally pray for our dead, to offer spiritual support to the bereaved’ – Bishops
On Sunday 1 November, the eve of All Souls’ Day, the bishops and priests of Ireland will lead a short service of prayer at 3.00pm to dedicate the month of November to ‘Remembrance of the Dead and Prayer for the Bereaved’. Bishops invite the whole country to unite in this moment which will be followed by parish liturgies throughout the month of November, reaching out as much as possible to those who cannot be physically present.
Bishop John Fleming will lead a prayer service from St Muredach’s Cathedral at 3.00pm on November 1st.
Visit www.ballinaparish.org to join the service via webcam.
Click below to download the prayer service which bishops and priests will use on Sunday afternoon.
Families and the month of November
We are particularly conscious of families who have lost loved ones in the past year. As families are not able to attend remembrance services in person this year, we offer this prayer resource for use at home. We would suggest that the prayer service be used for the first time on the evening of Sunday 1 November, the eve of All Souls’ Day and then throughout the month of November as a way to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us.
Click below to download the prayer service or to open it on your phone.