The Holy Souls in Purgatory
All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1st, is not just about stained-glass windows or marble statues. It reminds us that ordinary people are called to holiness in their everyday, sometimes messy lives. I believe sainthood is about being ordinary. Real saints were regular people, such as parents, workers, neighbors, and friends, who showed love, patience, and faithfulness through simple acts at kitchen tables and on the city bus. I am reminded of Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
This verse encourages us to live faithfully in our ordinary lives, knowing that we are supported by those who have come before us.
Remember that we are not walking through life alone. This day celebrates a family of faith, often unseen, cheering us on from behind the scenes or even from next door. Take a moment to remember your own ‘ordinary saints’—someone quiet and steady in your life who showed you unconditional kindness or grace. Who are those people for you? Maybe a teacher, a friend, or a neighbor who always went the extra mile, or someone whose gentle presence helped guide you through life’s difficult moments.
For me, those people were the women in my family: my mother, grandmothers, and auntie. My mother showed patience when I was born too early, sitting at the hospital nursery window every day for nearly 60 days to watch over me. My grandmothers taught me how to bake and cook family meals that connect us to the earth. My auntie could plant what looked like a dead stick in the soil, and months later, a vine would grow and produce beautiful raspberries for her jams.
These remarkable, ordinary women taught me about grace and showed me that you don’t need to be flawless or larger-than-life to be holy, even though they seemed that way to me. Our daily struggles, quiet sacrifices, and persistence make us worthy of grace.
This November, I will light a candle, pray for them, and invite their memories to dinner by setting an empty place at the table. You might honor your own saints by lighting a candle for someone who helped you, praying in their memory, or sharing a story about them with a friend. Even the smallest gesture can help you remember those who inspire you to live with kindness. I really miss my ordinary saints.
Chaplain Melissa
What Is the Difference Between All Saints Day and All Souls Day?
To see how All Saints Day and All Souls Day are different, it’s useful to know what each one is about. All Saints Day celebrates the saints in heaven. All Souls Day is for praying for souls in purgatory. All Saints Day is joyful and full of thanks, while All Souls Day is more about prayer and remembering those who have died.
Both days are based on a key Catholic belief called the communion of saints. This means that people on earth, souls being purified, and saints in heaven are all united as one family in Jesus Christ, and that bond continues even after death. On November 1, we ask the saints to pray for us. On November 2, we pray for those who have died.
There’s also a practical difference. All Saints Day is a solemnity and in the United States is usually a Holy Day of Obligation. All Souls Day is not a Holy Day of Obligation.
