A brief overview of the historical and scriptural basis for All Saints and All Souls days. This video also briefly summarizes Church teaching on the reality of the Communion of Saints, which includes those in heaven, those on earth, and those “under the earth” (purgatory).

Learn even more about the Catholic origins of Halloween customs: http://www.ucatholic.com/blog/the-cat…

Works Cited

Garrod, Phil, Reed Hays, & Scott Schreer. Fox NFL Theme. Scott Schreer, NJJ Music, 1994. CD.

Howard Shore. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Rec. 2002. Reprise Records, 2002. MP3.

New Testament: A Full Cast Performance of the RSV-CE. Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible. Rec. 2010. Carl Amari and Raymond Arroyo, 2010. CD.

Read the related articles/ Videos click below:

Purgatory 101: Does the Church even still teach Purgatory & what exactly is the purpose is of Purgatory?

Video: Is Purgatory a physical place?

Padre Pio’s Mysterious Encounters with Souls from Purgatory

What is purgatory, and is it reasonable to believe?

The secret of the poor in Purgatory

The war for the soul of the Church (Video)

The souls of aborted/ unbaptized babies

How we are in communion with our dearly beloved?

7 Questions on the powers of the human soul compared to other souls

St. Augustine on caring for the dead: 6 exhortations

Commemoration of the faithful departed (All Souls Day – November 2)

Solemnity of All Saints Day – November 1

What is purgatory? Purgatory  is the state of those who die in God’s friendship, assured of their eternal salvation, but who still have need of purification to enter the happiness of heaven (CCC: 1030-1031, 1054).

How can we help the souls being purified in purgatory? Because of the communion of saints, the faithful who are still pilgrims on earth are able to help the souls in purgatory by offering prayers in suffrage for them, especially the Eucharistic sacrifice. They also help them by almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance (CCC: 1032).

In what does hell consist? Hell consists in the eternal damnation of those who die in mortal sin through their own free choice. The principal suffering of hell is eternal separation from God in whom alone we can have the life and happiness for which we were created and for which we long Christ proclaimed this reality with the words, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41; CCC: 1033-1035, 1056-1057).

Death does not put an end to life with loved ones in Christ. It actually enhances Life. “What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints? The communion of saints is the Church” (CCC: 945). “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness… They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus…. So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped” (CCC: 956). “In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins she offers her suffrages for them (2 Macc 12:45). Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective” (CCC: 958).