By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles
LAKE CHARLES — Bishop Glen John Provost celebrated the annual Mass for the Dead at Consolata Cemetery at 6:00 p.m. on All Souls Day, November 2. The Mass is hosted annually by Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church. Several hundred people gathered on a breezy evening as the sun was setting around the main mausoleum.
The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) in Purgatory. The Holy Souls are referred to as the Church Suffering, while the Saints in Heaven are the Church Triumphant. The faithful on earth are the Church Militant.
Purgatory and prayers for the dead are an important part of the Month of Holy Souls. Since the Holy Souls in Purgatory cannot pray for themselves, they rely entirely on living souls to pray and make sacrifices on their behalf while awaiting purification of their souls.
“The people that we are honoring this evening who have gone before us knew suffering in their lives as all of us do,” said Bishop Provost. “Those sufferings joined to Christ helped them to bring about some good. That suffering was also a purification for them.”
The bishop remarked that nothing is wasted in life, not even our sufferings.
“The purification of suffering is necessary. We cannot avoid it, and it is through this redemptive suffering that we are made even more pleasing to God,” he said.
Catholics believe that the forgiveness of sins can take place following death. This is the purpose of Purgatory.
“Purgatory is a doctrine of hope. There, even suffering has meaning, because it has an end that is nothing less than union with God and his love,” Bishop Provost said. “God must purify us as much as possible to be in his Presence for all eternity. Purgatory is a doctrine of love because God reminds us of the refining fire of his patient love.”
Priests concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Provost were Rev. Monsignor Daniel A. Torres, Vicar General and Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church; Very Rev. Aubrey Guilbeau, V.E., Pastor, St. Theodore Catholic Church; Very Rev. Nathan Long, V.F., Pastor, St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church; Rev. Josh Page, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church; Rev. Paul Jussen, Pastor, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church; and Rev. Levi Thompson, Pastor, St. Joseph Catholic Church in DeRidde. They were joined by Deacon Harold Nixon, Our Lady Queen of Heaven; and Deacon Tony Pousson, St. Margaret of Scotland. Very Rev. Joseph Caraway served as Master of Ceremonies.
Serving as Honor Guard for the Mass was Monsignor Hubert Cramers Assembly 320 Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. Members of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, OLQH Court 1785 were also in attendance. Colette Tanner directed the choir for the liturgy.
Following the Mass, the priests walked around blessing graves for family and friends.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God Rest in Peace. Amen.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT:
Shannon Barlow / Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church
