All Souls Appeal 2008
Dear Friend of Resurrection,
Recently in England they opened the grave of Cardinal Newman as they work on his cause for canonization. But they found nothing. No, the great convert and teacher of the faith wasn't the victim of grave robbers. They found traces of the casket, his clothes, and the Cardinal himself, but the rest was dirt. Dust to dust.
It reminded me once again that this body we carry around isn’t the real us. The thing that matters, the thing that lasts, is our soul. We hear this often enough on Sundays, but does it really sink in. After all, our bodies are interchangeable – there are many people who look alike. But each soul is unique, fashioned individually by God Himself.
And then we shape our souls each hour of each day of each year. They either retain their original beauty and dignity through our reception of God’s grace, or we deform them through our willful selfishness and sin. Whether we think about it or not, we are always either moving toward God’s loving embrace, or off in our own directions.
But God keeps after us, even to the moment of our death. He is the Father of His prodigal children, standing on the porch, scanning the horizon, waiting for our return.
On All Souls Day, we hope and pray that those who have gone before us have felt their Father’s embrace, had the ring placed on their fingers, and enjoy the feast He has prepared for them. We also ask them to pray for us, that we may better prepare for the day when we join them.
Here at Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South, we will pray for and remember in our Masses your loved ones who have passed away – just as you faithfully remember us with your generous prayers and gifts. Won’t you help us once again?
All Souls Day reminds us not only of our common end. It drives home the fact that we are really all the same. Whether one of the children at the Fr. Walter Center for Handicapped Children, a recipient of food and encouragement through the Interfaith Elderly Outreach program, a resident of Resurrection Life Center, or one of those who makes this wonderful work possible – we are all God’s children. And as St. John reminds us in his beautiful letter: “When He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one who thus hopes in Him, purifies himself as He is pure.”
May God continue to bless you and keep you and your family close to Him.
Sincerely yours in the Resurrection,
Fr. Manuel Williams, C.R.
Mission Director