'It is a Holy and Whloesome throught to pray for the dead,' so we are taught in the Book of the Maccabees. The Church has always taken this injunction seriously, together with the teaching of our Lord in the Gospel. The Church sets aside a whole month, November, specifically to pray for the dead.
In Britain the month of November has a remembrance tone to it anyway; we are urged to, 'Remember remember the 5th of November!' The country pauses twice in this month, once on Armistice Day (11/11) and then again on Remembrance Sunday to recall the sacrifice of those lost in conflit and wars over the years.
So our Catholic devotion of praying for the dead and remembering them to the Lord in our prayers and through the celebration of Mass fits in nicely to the national mood.
And so it was that on the first Sunday of November St. Clare's held their annual Service for the dead. Each year all are welcomed to come and pray for their dearly departed loved ones. A special invitation is sent to those whose loved ones have died in the preceeding 12 months. The names of the loved ones are recorded and placed at the foot of the crucifix; each person is invited the place a lighted candle in front of the crucifix as an on-going prayer for their dead loved ones. With scripture and song and silences and prayers all are remembered. The names of those deceased in the last 12 months are called out and commended to the Lord.
Afterwards light refreshments are served.
For our faithful departed: Eternal rest give unto them O Lord, let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.