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Deep in every human heart is a desire for the living God that expresses itself in prayer. In the Catholic tradition, some prayers become classic expressions of what the human heart seeks. Words of Faith: Our Prayers explores prayers that for centuries hrevealed a faith that fosters a deep, personal, growing, and loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Tese prayers teach us much abwho we are and about the God to whom we belong. Keith J. Egan, Series Ed

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By Dr. Jean Donovan, theologian and lay person, widow and mother offive. Dr. Donovans career includes university teaching, parish, campus, and hospice ministry.Series Editor, Keith J. Egan, PhD, is President of the Carmelite Institute; Adjunct Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame; Aquinas Chair Emeritus, St. Marys College.

OU PRYES:Eternal Rest

We PrayThis prayer is often prayed in a call and response format.Leader: Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord.

All: And let perpetual light shine upon them.

Leader: May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed,through the mercy of God rest in peace.

All: Amen

We PracticeW

hen someone dies, the Church steps

ward. Christians hold dear and unflin

ingly the sacredness of human life and

profound respect and love follow through to the

emn burial of every individual. When someone dies

gather together at the home, pray in vigil, and accom

ny family and friends through the funeral rites and d

of mourningholding them close every step along

way. Neighbors arrive, bringing food and comfort. W

is put on hold. Time stands still as we bury a loved o

The Order of Christian Funerals contains all the li

gical prayers and rituals of the Catholic Church thatuse when one of our own dies. At the heart of these

emn rites are prayers for those who are left to mo

and prayers for the person who has died. We pray

ourselves, that we might find comfort and healing;

pray for the deceased, in gratitude for their lives an

steadfast hope that their sins will be forgiven and t

well find eternal rest with God in heaven.

The Church calls each member

Christs Bodypriest, deaco

laypersonto participate the ministry of consolatio

to care for the dying, to

pray for the dead, to comfo

those who mourn.

Order of Christian Funerals

By Dr. Jeparish, cSeries EdAquinas

DID YOU KNOW?Many Catholic parishes invite members and

guests to write the names of loved ones

who have died in a special book, sometimes

called the Book of the Dead or the Book

of Names, during the month of November.

This simple ritual reminds everyone in the

parish to pray for those who have died and

for those who mourn.

ose eve

e, bri in food a

old. Time stands still as we b

The Order of Christian Funerals cont

gical prayers and rituals of the Catholiuse when one of our own dies. At the

emn rites are prayers for those who

and prayers for the person who has d

ward. Christians ho de

ing the s u

profound re r

e

edness ofness

ect and love follow t ov

urial of every individual. Whenvidua .

gather together at the home, pray in vio h me,

ny family and friends through the funy d ou the f

of mourningholding thee

wa . Neighbors ar

is put oi

hem.

e souls of all the faithful departed,ercy of God rest in peace.

men

. ,classic expressions of what the human heart seeks. Words of Faith: Our Prayers explores pra hata faith that fosters a deep, personal, growing, and loving relationship with Jesus Christ te

are and about the God to whom we belong. .

We PrayThis prayer is often prLeader:

s tt. ese prayersese pra

Keith J

in a call and response format. r e m ..ternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord.rn g an n ,

All: And let perpetual light shine ull: e i s i

Leader: May their souls, anr lthrough thth t

All:

other offive. Dr. Donovans career includes unive

elite Institute; Adjunct Professor of Theology, University o

ead

ho mourn.

Order of Chri

an person, widow andm s ry.itor, n, PhD, is President of the CarmChai eritus, St. Mar s Colle e.

Christs B ri

Catholic parishes invite members and

s to write the names of loved ones

have died in a special book, sometimes

the Book of the Dead or the Boo

mes, during the month of

simple ritual remi

to pr for

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aypersontorsthe ministry o minist

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Donovan, theologian and laheo giaus, and hospice mius, ospi mKeith J. EKeith J. Er

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2009 by ave maria press, inc. Notre Dame, Indiana www.avemariapress.com Ph: 1-800-282-1865 A Ministry of the Indiana Province of Holy CroScripture texts in this series are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Psalms 1991, 1986, 1970, confraternity of Christian Doc

Washington, D.C. All rights reserved.Nihil Obstat: Reverend Michael Heintz, PhD, Censor liborum

Imprimatur: Most Reverend John M. DArcy, Bishop of Fort WayneSouth Bend, May 29, 2009 WOF

We Believe

Catholic Christians believe in eternal life. We are born

into that life at baptism and at the end of our earth-

ly life we move through death into the fullness of

Gods glory in heaven. We believe, as our funeral rites and

our prayer show, that death is not the end. Made in the image

of God and born anew in the waters of baptism, we are linked

forever to the holy ones both in heaven and on earth. This

communion of saints surrounds us always. They pray for us

and we for them.

When a Christian dies, we understand that he

or she is held accountable for the way they lived.

Judgment comes to all of us, yet we trust in Gods

mercy and forgiveness. And so we pray for those

ourneying through death. We pray at the hour of their death,

in the days immediately following, and we continue to do so

for many days and weeks and years to come. The one, holy,

catholic Church crosses time and eternity. The living and the

dead are united in faith and love. We pray for those who

have gone before us and they pray for us. We draw strengthand courage from our faith, trusting that in the end all sins

can be forgiven, that life is stronger than death, and that

perpetual lightthe vibrant peace and dynamic beauty of

Gods gloryawaits us in heaven.

We Live

The Church (or liturgical) year wraps up during November. We

begin the month with the feasts of All Saints (November 1) and

All Souls (November 2) when we call to mind our place within

the communion of saints and remember all those who have gone be-

fore us to rest in the peace of the Lord. The last Sundays of the year

point us toward the end times and the full flowering of the reign of

God, culminating with our celebration of the Feast of Christ the King

on the last Sunday of the Church year, just before Advent begins. In

the northern hemisphere, this waning of the year coincides with the

end of the growing season, with shorter days and longer nights. This

is no random alignment, but a purposeful commemoration of the har-

vesting of the faithful into our heavenly home even as we harvest the

fruits of the earth.

As autumn deepens, we sometimes feel the heaviness of life.

Loneliness can set in as we remember with heightened sorrow what

we once shared with loved ones who have died. And so the Church,in ancient wisdom, nudges us to pray for our beloved dead, to keep

them close in prayer and memory. Doing so can strengthen us to re-

dedicate ourselves to the life of faith, continued in the loving presence

of those who have gone before us. We are not alone; we come together

in the holy communion of saints to share each others burdens and

find our way in life.

Offer to help with funeral lunches or another ministry of cons

tion in your parish.

Reach out to others who are grieving and share your own burd

with them.

Pray for and to your deceased loved ones, and know that they p

for you.

With Children

Light a candle in church and say together the Eternal Rest pra

The symbol of light and constancy is easy for children to grasp

they will draw comfort knowing that someone they love is

close to them.

For the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, create a simple ho

shrine honoring loved ones who have died. Tell stories of these p

ple, help children learn to pray to them in heaven, think of act

ties you can do together to help keep memories alive. For examprepare a grandparents favorite recipe or plant a small garden

a deceased neighbor used to do.

Research together the origins of Halloween and various other

toms surrounding the feasts of All Saints and All Souls. Incorpo

some of what you learn into your family life.

A BIT OF HISTORYThe journey of Christianity is a long and winding road, crossing c

turies, continents, and cultures. Our ancestors in faith left a rich h

tage chronicling their lives and struggles, dreams and beliefs. W

we learn their stories, we find people just like us trying to be faith

followers of Christ.

Saint Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, died in AD 397. In him we fi

an excellent example of how to honor the dead with profound gr

tude and deep resolve to make good use of the gift of life. We kn

he mourned the death of his brother, Satyrus, beca

Ambroses sermons on the topic still remain for

inspiration.

Nothing among things of earth, dearest brethren, wasmore precious to me, nothing more worthy of love,nothing more dear than such a brother . . . to this itmust be added that I cannot be ungrateful to God;for I must rather rejoice that I had such a brother togrieve than that I had lost a brother, for the former isa gift, the latter a debt to be paid. And so, as long as

I might, I enjoyed the loan entrusted to me, now hewho deposited the pledge has taken it back.

St. Ambrose (d. 397)

ar

he reign of

u east of Christ the King

e ar, just before Advent begins. In

c es or anot

.

o others who are grieving and

th them.

Pray for and to your deceased loved ones,

for you.

With Children

fe is stronger than death, and that

rant peace and dynamic beauty of

in heaven.

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