ONE CHURCH, UNITED IN CHRIST November 1, 2026

All Saints and All Souls

As we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed on November 2nd, we are reminded of a beautiful and consoling truth: the Church is far greater than those of us who gather in its pews today.

The Church transcends time and even death. We belong to a communion that embraces heaven and earth, the living and the departed, all united in Jesus Christ.

Traditionally, the Church speaks of three dimensions of this communion: the Church Militant, those of us still making our pilgrimage through this world, striving to live faithfully as disciples of Christ; the Church Suffering, those who have died in God's friendship and are being purified in preparation for the fullness of heaven; and the Church Triumphant, the saints who already rejoice in God's presence.

These are not three separate Churches, but one Church, united in Christ.

On All Saints, we rejoice with those who have completed their earthly pilgrimage. We honour their holiness, seek their intercession, and remember that we too are called to share in their glory.

On All Souls, we turn our hearts toward those who have gone before us, especially our family members, friends, and fellow parishioners. We remember them with affection and offer our prayers for their eternal rest.

Our communion with one another does not end at the grave. In Christ, the bonds of faith, hope, and love endure beyond death.

These two days remind us that we belong to something wonderfully greater than ourselves: one family of faith, spanning heaven and earth, journeying together toward the fullness of life in God.

Fr. Marc-André Campbell

Parish Priest