November 2, 2022, All Souls Day, Holy Rosary (Glorious Mysteries)

Today is the Commemoration of All Souls’ Day, also known the All the Faithful Departed.

After celebrating the feast of All Saints, today we pray for all who are in the purifying suffering of Purgatory awaiting the day they will join God in His heavenly glory, along with the company of saints.

On departing from the body, souls are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins or have not fully atoned for past transgressions. Therefore, they are debarred from the Beatific Vision. The faithful on earth can help them through prayers, almsgiving, and the sacrifice of the Mass.

This is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this mystery:

“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death, they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.”

“The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.”