These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS)—November 2

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
Let them rest from their labors,
for their good deeds go with them.
(Rev 14:13)

Give rest, O Christ,
to thy servants with thy saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Thou only art immortal,
the Creator and Maker of man;
and we are mortal, formed of the earth,
and unto earth shall we return;
for so thou didst ordain
when thou createdst me, saying:
'Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.'
All we go down to the dust,
and, weeping o'er the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Give rest, O Christ,
to thy servants with thy saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing, but life everlasting.
(Russian Kontakion for the Departed, Orthodox Liturgy)

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. And may their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.