All Souls Day, by Jules Bastien (1882)
All Souls Day marks the end of the beginning. It is the end of our three day celebration of the communion of saints, which three day festival marks the beginning of the month of November, the month during which we commeorate those who have gone before us. This is why we begin the month with the great solemnity of All Saints, asking for the intercession of those who dwell in beatitude, in the immediate presence of God, those canonized and those whose life is hidden in God with Christ.
All Souls is our religious observance of memorial day. So, consider visiting the grave of a loved one, of a dead priest or sister who may have nobody to visit their grave. Certainly make time to pray for the dead. Without a doubt the best opportunity to do this is by attending Mass on this great feast, which is not a holy day of obligation, but a day that should be observed nonetheless.
This is something I posted 2 years ago on our parish blog, The People of St. Mary Magdalene.
All holy men and women, pray for us.