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Observances remember ordinary people of faith
Saints and souls are the focus of services and remembrances.
Ghosts, witches, superheroes and caricatures of politicians and celebrities dominated the scene Friday as young trick-or-treaters sought out Halloween candy and adults costumed themselves in fantasy. Now the attention to turns to saints and souls.
In the Catholic Church, today is All Saints Day and Sunday, All Souls Day. All Saints is a special recognition of saints and All Souls Day remembers people of faith who have died during the year.
In other denominations, All Saints Sunday remembers deceased members of the church and loved ones of members.
“All Hallow’s Eve is the vigil for All Hallows Feast Day, which we now know as All Saints Day," said the Rev. Donald King, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Warren.
“All Saints Day is actually the bigger holiday,” Father King said. “In the Catholic tradition, All Souls Day honors those who died ... the people of faith in Christ,” he said.
Blessed Sacrament will hold a special All Souls Evening Prayer at 7 p.m. Sunday. “It’s a service that we use as a supportive celebration for those who have lost loved ones,” he said.
Father King said the prayer service singles out each deceased person as his or her name is read during the Litany of the Deceased. A candle with the deceased person’s name on it also is given to family in attendance. They will be lighted during the service.
Father King said about 100 people or so usually turn out for the 45-minute service that includes prayer, music and psalms.
“I think people find it helpful to pray at this service,” Father King said. “People see how the experience [of grief] is common to all. We can support one another.
“People are in different stages of mourning ... but share the experience. That contributes to the nature of community,” he said.
That kind of sharing also is part of another service.
“It’s been a tradition for a long time to have Mass at the cemetery,” said Marge Palusak, a board member with St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, 3900 Villa Maria Road, Lowellville, The Mass is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday in the hall on cemetery grounds. The Rev. John Jerek of St. John the Baptist Church in Campbell will officiate.
“Not only church members are buried at the cemetery. There are people from throughout the community,” Palusak said. “The names of the deceased from this year will be read. And many people come for the service.”
She said it was a way to honor and remember loved ones.
That focus also is theme of a service planned at 10:45 a.m. Sunday at Mahoning United Methodist Church in Youngstown.
The Rev. Joyce Lawson, pastor, said the worship service for All Saints Sunday will focus on “remembering all those in the faith who have died.”
“In the afterlife, we’ll all be among saints ... those who have lived and died in Christ,” she said.
She said the church will remember 16 members who died this year. The service will include a procession of children carrying white carnations and the choir. The flowers will be placed in a vase on the altar and then distributed to the family of the deceased. She also said there will be a lighted candle for each deceased and a bell will be chimed when his or her name is read. The Rev. Mrs. Lawson said the song, “When the Saints Go Marching In,” also will be sung.
“We want to remember those who were part of our church family and give thanks for their lives,” she said.
“I think the families appreciate it and for some, it’s emotional,” she said.
All Saints Sunday will be observed during worship at 11 a.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church in Youngstown.
“I think of it as the church’s memorial day,” said the Rev. Nick Mager, pastor. “It reminds of us what we affirm in the Apostles Creed ... I believe in the Holy Spirit ... the communion of saints,” he said.
“This service reminds us of the living examples of our faith who have gone before us ... and the faith we have inherited from them,” he said.
“Pastorally, I think it’s a wonderful way to remember the deceased of the church ... and call them saints of God,” he said.
“We can be thankful for the saints, who were ordinary people,” he said, and noted that all can be saints because “we are all called to be of service.”
Mr. Mager said he especially liked a hymn called “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God,” that will be sung. “It’s an old English hymn that’s so British,” he said. “And I especially like the last line.”
The third verse of the hymn:
“They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still.
The world is bright with the joyous saints
who love to do Jesus’ will.
You can meet them in school, on the street, in the store,
in church, by the sea, in the house next door;
they are saints of God, whether rich or poor,
and I mean to be one too.”
Other observances will be:
UAll Souls Memorial Service set at 1:45 p.m. Sunday at the chapels of Calvary Cemetery, 248 S. Belle Vista Ave., Youngstown, and Resurrection Cemetery, 300 N. Raccoon Road, Austintown.
USt. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave., Youngstown, will observe All Saints Sunday at services at 8 and 10:30 a.m.
UDisciples Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 565 Boardman-Canfield Road, Youngstown, will have a service of remembrance at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
UGood Hope Lutheran Church, 98 Homestead Drive, Boardman, will mark All Saints Sunday. Services are at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.