Remembering the Church Suffering: All Souls' Day and the Call to Prayer
All Souls' Day, officially known as The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (November 2nd), holds a profound place in the heart of Catholic tradition. It is a day dedicated to praying for the souls of those who, having died in God's grace and friendship, are still undergoing purification before entering the perfect joy of heaven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this final cleansing, calling it Purgatory , which is "entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1030-1031). It is a necessary mercy for those "still imperfectly purified" to achieve the holiness required to gaze upon God, as nothing unclean can enter Heaven. This purification is not a punishment in the sense of condemnation, but a loving act of God to remove every remaining attachment to sin, preparing the soul for eternal beatitude. The reason Catholics pray for these souls—often called the "Church Suffering"—is rooted in the fundamental belief in the ...