Communion of Saints
October 31st on the Catholic calendar is known as the Vigil of All Saint's Day and also called All-Hallows Eve. This is the Eve before the Catholic Holy Day of obligation called All Saint's Day. Prior to the changes in the Church calender in 1955(Pope Pius XII) this day was held as a fast and abstinence day.
Dom Gueranger explains how we should hold this vigil: "Let us prepare our souls for the graces heaven is about to shower upon the earth in return for its homage. To-morrow the Church will be so overflowing with joy, that she will seem to be already in the possession of eternal happiness; but to-day she appears in the garb of penance, confessing that she is still an exile. Let us fast and pray with her; for are not we too pilgrims and strangers in this world, where all things are fleeting and hurry on to death? Year by year, as the great solemnity comes round, it has gathered from among our former companions new saints, who bless our tears and smile upon our songs of hope. Year by year the appointed time draws nearer, when we ourselves, seated at the heavenly banquet, shall receive the homage of those who succeed us, and hold out a helping hand to draw them after us to the home of everlasting happiness. Let us learn, from this very hour, to emancipate our souls; let us keep our hearts free, in the midst of the vain solicitudes and false pleasures of a strange land: the exile has no care but his banishment, no joy but that which gives him the foretaste of his fatherland. With these thoughts in mind, let us say with the Church the Collect of the vigil.
Prayer: O Lord our God, multiply thy grace upon us; and grand us in our holy profession to follow the joy of those, whose glorious solemnity we anticipate. Though our Lord."
In America a popular celebration is held on this day that many of us know as Halloween. The name Halloween derives from today's vigil which is called All Hallow's Eve, the following day (All Saint's Day) may also be called Hallowmas (Mass of the Holy/Hallowed) which Halloween also derives it's name from. Many of the traditions held in the secular American world on this day derive from old pagan customs and Celtic celebrations that are not of Catholic origin. Parts of the Halloween as we know it have Catholic traces but they came from the Holy Day of All Saint's Day that is held on November 1st not the vigil of the feast day. One of the American Halloween customs of trick or treating has a Catholic trace in it. The part of going door to door asking for candy comes from the tradition of children going door to door asking for soul cakes. Little cakes that were baked and given away in return the children would say a prayer for the poor souls in purgatory.
"In medieval times, one popular All Souls' Day practice was to make "soul cakes," simple bread desserts with a currant topping. In a custom called "souling," children would go door-to-door begging for the cakes, much like modern trick-or-treaters. For every cake a child collected, he or she would have to say a prayer for the dead relatives of the person who gave the cake. These prayers would help the relatives find their way out of purgatory and into heaven. The children even sang a soul cake song along the lines of the modern "Trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat, give me something good to eat." One version of the song went:A soul cake! A soul cake! Have mercy on all Christian souls, for A soul cake!"" (How Stuff Works- Trick or Treating)The part of dressing up while trick-or-treating comes from the pagan Celtics and has no Catholic ties on the Vigil of All Saints. Making Soul Cakes on All Saint's Day would be a wonderful way to celebrate our Catholic Holy Day (holiday) and keep with Catholic tradition not to mention the wonderful prayers that would be offered up for the Poor Souls in Purgatory in return for these Soul Cakes. What is a soul cake?"Soul cakes, a form of shortbread- and sometimes quite fancy, with currants for eyes - became more important for the beggers than prayers for the dead, it is said. Florence Berger tells in her Cooking for Christ a legend of a zealous cook who vowed she would invent soul cakes to remind them of eternity at every bite. So she cut a hole in the middle and dropped it in hot fat, and lo- a doughnut. Circle that it is, it suggests the never-ending of eternity." -The Year and Our Children By: Mary Reed Newland Impr. 1956 The recipe of Florence Berger's Soul Cakes can be found here.When one comes signing for a Soul Cake (see above) the other may replay "Soul, soul, an appleor two, If you haven't an apple, a pear will do, One for Peter , two for Paul, Three for the Man Who Made us all." (The Year and Our children)
It would be a true celebration of the Catholic Holy Days to keep the Vigil of All Saints that one of fasting and prayer. To keep our thoughts on the Holy Day that is to come on November 1st and say prayers for the living and the dead. To spend the Vigil of All Saints contemplating heaven and hell and how to get to one and avoid the other. Then spend the day of All Saints in celebration of those who have attained their eternal glory.
There are many wonderful and fully Catholic traditions for celebrating All Saint's Day, such as those the Soul Cakes mentioned above. In addition to that lovley symbol of the Soul Cake many Catholics also take this time of year to dress up as their favorite Saint or maybe even their patron Saint. Fun and holy games are played on this day such as a version of charades that show the wonderful stories of saints lives leaving the audience to guess which saint's story is being told. Many traditional foods are shared at such a party because God has given us a wonderful abundance during the fall harvest. We thanked Him for it not long ago in the September Ember Days. Foods such as pumpkins, corn, apples ect can all be shared and eaten on the Feast of All Saints, giving honor to our Creator who made them for us.
The upcoming Monday's during this month will be a continuance of this post, as we continue to share resources, links and history on how to keep Catholic the most holy celebration of All Saints and All Soul's day as well as the vigil of such a great feast.
We share from Dom Gueranger's writings on the Vigil of All Saint's once again:
"Let us close this month, as we opened it, by homage to Mary, Queen of the holy rosary, and Queen of all the saints. The ancient Dominican missals furnish us with a formula.
Dom Gueranger explains how we should hold this vigil: "Let us prepare our souls for the graces heaven is about to shower upon the earth in return for its homage. To-morrow the Church will be so overflowing with joy, that she will seem to be already in the possession of eternal happiness; but to-day she appears in the garb of penance, confessing that she is still an exile. Let us fast and pray with her; for are not we too pilgrims and strangers in this world, where all things are fleeting and hurry on to death? Year by year, as the great solemnity comes round, it has gathered from among our former companions new saints, who bless our tears and smile upon our songs of hope. Year by year the appointed time draws nearer, when we ourselves, seated at the heavenly banquet, shall receive the homage of those who succeed us, and hold out a helping hand to draw them after us to the home of everlasting happiness. Let us learn, from this very hour, to emancipate our souls; let us keep our hearts free, in the midst of the vain solicitudes and false pleasures of a strange land: the exile has no care but his banishment, no joy but that which gives him the foretaste of his fatherland. With these thoughts in mind, let us say with the Church the Collect of the vigil.
Prayer: O Lord our God, multiply thy grace upon us; and grand us in our holy profession to follow the joy of those, whose glorious solemnity we anticipate. Though our Lord."
In America a popular celebration is held on this day that many of us know as Halloween. The name Halloween derives from today's vigil which is called All Hallow's Eve, the following day (All Saint's Day) may also be called Hallowmas (Mass of the Holy/Hallowed) which Halloween also derives it's name from. Many of the traditions held in the secular American world on this day derive from old pagan customs and Celtic celebrations that are not of Catholic origin. Parts of the Halloween as we know it have Catholic traces but they came from the Holy Day of All Saint's Day that is held on November 1st not the vigil of the feast day. One of the American Halloween customs of trick or treating has a Catholic trace in it. The part of going door to door asking for candy comes from the tradition of children going door to door asking for soul cakes. Little cakes that were baked and given away in return the children would say a prayer for the poor souls in purgatory.
"In medieval times, one popular All Souls' Day practice was to make "soul cakes," simple bread desserts with a currant topping. In a custom called "souling," children would go door-to-door begging for the cakes, much like modern trick-or-treaters. For every cake a child collected, he or she would have to say a prayer for the dead relatives of the person who gave the cake. These prayers would help the relatives find their way out of purgatory and into heaven. The children even sang a soul cake song along the lines of the modern "Trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat, give me something good to eat." One version of the song went:A soul cake! A soul cake! Have mercy on all Christian souls, for A soul cake!"" (How Stuff Works- Trick or Treating)The part of dressing up while trick-or-treating comes from the pagan Celtics and has no Catholic ties on the Vigil of All Saints. Making Soul Cakes on All Saint's Day would be a wonderful way to celebrate our Catholic Holy Day (holiday) and keep with Catholic tradition not to mention the wonderful prayers that would be offered up for the Poor Souls in Purgatory in return for these Soul Cakes. What is a soul cake?"Soul cakes, a form of shortbread- and sometimes quite fancy, with currants for eyes - became more important for the beggers than prayers for the dead, it is said. Florence Berger tells in her Cooking for Christ a legend of a zealous cook who vowed she would invent soul cakes to remind them of eternity at every bite. So she cut a hole in the middle and dropped it in hot fat, and lo- a doughnut. Circle that it is, it suggests the never-ending of eternity." -The Year and Our Children By: Mary Reed Newland Impr. 1956 The recipe of Florence Berger's Soul Cakes can be found here.When one comes signing for a Soul Cake (see above) the other may replay "Soul, soul, an appleor two, If you haven't an apple, a pear will do, One for Peter , two for Paul, Three for the Man Who Made us all." (The Year and Our children)
It would be a true celebration of the Catholic Holy Days to keep the Vigil of All Saints that one of fasting and prayer. To keep our thoughts on the Holy Day that is to come on November 1st and say prayers for the living and the dead. To spend the Vigil of All Saints contemplating heaven and hell and how to get to one and avoid the other. Then spend the day of All Saints in celebration of those who have attained their eternal glory.
There are many wonderful and fully Catholic traditions for celebrating All Saint's Day, such as those the Soul Cakes mentioned above. In addition to that lovley symbol of the Soul Cake many Catholics also take this time of year to dress up as their favorite Saint or maybe even their patron Saint. Fun and holy games are played on this day such as a version of charades that show the wonderful stories of saints lives leaving the audience to guess which saint's story is being told. Many traditional foods are shared at such a party because God has given us a wonderful abundance during the fall harvest. We thanked Him for it not long ago in the September Ember Days. Foods such as pumpkins, corn, apples ect can all be shared and eaten on the Feast of All Saints, giving honor to our Creator who made them for us.
The upcoming Monday's during this month will be a continuance of this post, as we continue to share resources, links and history on how to keep Catholic the most holy celebration of All Saints and All Soul's day as well as the vigil of such a great feast.
We share from Dom Gueranger's writings on the Vigil of All Saint's once again:
"Let us close this month, as we opened it, by homage to Mary, Queen of the holy rosary, and Queen of all the saints. The ancient Dominican missals furnish us with a formula.
In the virginal garden, the young shoots of spring bud forth, and burst into blossom with fruitful abundance.
The frost and the winter have passed away, the snow and the rain are over; and roses spring up on earth from heavenly seed. The rose has produced a lily; during the while time of her exile she gathered the produce of her Son's garden: Joy for the just, and justification for sinners, glory for the elect, salvation for all.
The gifts Christ brought from heaven, and the sufferings he endured on earth, he bestowed upon the world when he overcame the world.He sheltered under the rose tree's foliage, he was wounded by the thors, he was crowned with its flowers; thus does he call us, purify us, reward us.
Because of the leaves and thons and flowers of the rose, we shall enjoy the delights of that rich land, where she, the fair cultivator resides, the empress, who joyfully presides over our militant companies, and over the nine choirs of the trip hierarchy.
Hail! thou, who by a new triumph dost repair the loss we sustained when the enemy triumphed in the first combat. See how gain he threatens fierce revenge; unless thou oppose him, every Christian must perish. Hail, home of the Word, sanctuary of the Holy Ghost, daughter of the most high Father!
In the various perils of this life, bring us unfailing assistance against the darts of the enemy. May lilies intertwined with roses from the garden of heaven, be our crown of victory after the combat. Amen."
The frost and the winter have passed away, the snow and the rain are over; and roses spring up on earth from heavenly seed. The rose has produced a lily; during the while time of her exile she gathered the produce of her Son's garden: Joy for the just, and justification for sinners, glory for the elect, salvation for all.
The gifts Christ brought from heaven, and the sufferings he endured on earth, he bestowed upon the world when he overcame the world.He sheltered under the rose tree's foliage, he was wounded by the thors, he was crowned with its flowers; thus does he call us, purify us, reward us.
Because of the leaves and thons and flowers of the rose, we shall enjoy the delights of that rich land, where she, the fair cultivator resides, the empress, who joyfully presides over our militant companies, and over the nine choirs of the trip hierarchy.
Hail! thou, who by a new triumph dost repair the loss we sustained when the enemy triumphed in the first combat. See how gain he threatens fierce revenge; unless thou oppose him, every Christian must perish. Hail, home of the Word, sanctuary of the Holy Ghost, daughter of the most high Father!
In the various perils of this life, bring us unfailing assistance against the darts of the enemy. May lilies intertwined with roses from the garden of heaven, be our crown of victory after the combat. Amen."
