Mass Times for All Saints' Day at St. Mark

Thursday, November 1 is All Saints' Day.  St. Mark in Vienna, VA, will have Masses at the following times:

• 6:15am
• 9:15am
• 5:30pm
• 7:30pm

And from the St. Mark bulletin, a note:

This Thursday, we rejoice in all those who have attained the reward of their faith in the happiness of heaven, as we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. As well as the known and canonized Saints, all who now enjoy the presence of God are of the Communion of Saints, to which we aspire. And as a Holy Day of Obligation, falling upon a week-day, this Solemnity reminds us to be conscious of the saints’ prayers for us at all times

All Hallows Eve

Today is Halloween!  What sort of connection do we as Christians have to this day?  Watch the video below to hear about Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day from Fr. James Martin, S.J..

[Video is 8:14 long]

All Saints' Day

With Halloween candy on the clearance racks today, we Catholics turn our attention to All Saint's Day (the Solemnity of All Saints).  Today is a wonderful opportunity for us to gather together to celebrate all the saints who have gone before us, both canonized and uncanonized.

Greeting Pilgrims from his balcony, Pope Benedict XVI had this to say to English speakers today:

I am pleased to wish all of you a happy All Saints Day! This wonderful feast, along with tomorrow's commemoration of the faithful departed, speaks to us of the beauty of our faith and of the joy that awaits us in heaven with our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Christ. Let us therefore pray earnestly that we may all be joyfully united one day in the Father's house. God bless you all!

So what is it about the Saints that captures our attention?  Fr. Jim Martin explains how real the attraction of saints can be, and how important they are for our faith:

Happy All Saint's Day!

Saints and All Hallows Eve

Next week is Halloween and, more importantly, the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls.  Is there a connection here?  If so, what is it?  And what do we really believe about saints?  Watch the video below to hear answers from Fr. James Martin, SJ.


[Video is 8:14 long]