Everest Academy Lemont Blog

 All Souls’ Day every Nov. 2, the Church remembers the faithful departed in a special way and dedicates
he whole month to the holy souls in purgatory. The Church also offers a plenary indulgence to all those
who make a visit to a cemetery this day. So, this morning all of us Consecrated and Mission Corps
Volunteers made a visit to a nearby Cemetery, Queen of Heaven Cemetery, to pray for the souls of the
dead.

We spent half an hour praying before the tombs of the deceased and offered a rosary for them.
We were actually able to be inside a mausaleom (God is good, because it was a little cold!), and I was
amazed at how peaceful it was. It was such a beautiful, beautiful place, so respectful of the dignity of
those laid within.  While I was praying my rosary, I realized that there were probably 1000s of people
laid in the mausaleom. It wasn’t a morbid thought, but something that moved me to want to pray more
for them. How many of them are in heaven? How many of them have someone still left on earth to pray
for them? It made me realize the beauty of this day in the Church. We are one family united in Christ,
and the Church asks us to unite to our brothers and sisters who are dying (literally!) to get to heaven!!
I’m sure that more than one of you thought of a deceased loved one today, and felt your heart ache.
Christ knows that death isn’t easy – it never was or is supposed to be! That wasn’t part of His plan; we
messed that up by sinning! But HE HAS CONQUERED DEATH by HIS DEATH! And our prayers draw from the graces He merited for us by His death, and spread those graces to others. That’s how we can help
get souls to heaven, especially our loved ones!  If you weren’t able to make a visit to the Cemetery no
worries, because you can gain a plenary indulgence for deceased souls (and your own soul too) EVERY
DAY!

Yours in Christ,  Teresa Maziarz