NOVEMBER AND THE DEAD

As a Catholic, from the age of 3 or 4, I have celebrated November as the month for remembering and indeed praying for the dead.

At the end of October every year we would fill out the Dead List form that had been provided to us by our parish and priests and put the envelopes in a basket in front of the altar before Mass.

When I was doing it as a young person it was a family envelope and the tradition was that you also had to include money in the envelope as an offering to the priests.

When I was a curate in St. Peter's Cathedral in Belfast the administrator Father Vincent McKinley called the practice "The November Stakes" because the money was divided among the priests and it was always a very healthy bonus on the clerical income.

At the time there were no priests' salary and my income at the time was my "keep" and £75 per month.

The "November Stakes" brought each priest in something like £300.

But this situation was accepted by people and priests and the extra money helped.


I still keep to the November Dead List and here at The Oratory all the envelopes contained and contain are the list of the deceased - no money or offerings.

Because I have deceased family members who are still most dear to me I like the opportunity to remember them, especially in November Mass - although they are in my mind most days as I deliberately keep photos of them on the walls in my home.

My most treasured deceased in my mother JoJo. She lived with me for the 16 years before she died. She was the mother of 17 children and the most loving and caring human being I have ever met.

Jojo having a cig in a cafe near Notre Dame in Paris on a trip we made (1929 - 2006)

I was the oldest of the 17 and next to me was Margaret who died recently enough. We were lifelong mates. She had a very hard life - poor marriage and her oldest Christopher took his own life.

Margaret when I brought her on the holiday of her lifetime in Venice

My Dad, Jim, of course, who began life in absolute poverty and who made his way from factory worker, to trade union official to personnel manager and eventually barrister.

My little sister Sandra who was disabled and who we were told would die before 12 and who made it to 39

Sandra on my lap on her First Holy Communion Day - she was not pleased

Mr brother Seamus who died or alcohol-related illness

And there are so many others no blog would hold and name the details.

I know everybody reading this Blog today will be moved by their own m, memories, and griefs.

Death is a part of like - and in many ways a sad part of life.

Some of us hold on to our faith that says that all these are in a better place and that we will meet them again.

Others have no such beliefs.

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD

God our Father, 
Your power brings us to birth, 
Your providence guides our lives, 
and by Your command we return to dust.

Lord, those who die still live in Your presence, 
their lives change but do not end. 
I pray in hope for my family, 
relatives and friends, 
and for all the dead known to You alone. 

In company with Christ, 
Who died and now lives, 
may they rejoice in Your kingdom, 
where all our tears are wiped away. 
Unite us together again in one family, 
to sing Your praise forever and ever.

Amen.

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If you wish to email or post the list of your deceased we will remember them all during our November Masses

bishopbuckley1@outlook.com

6 Princes Gardens, Larne, Co. Antrim. N. Ireland. BT40 1RQ

THE ORATORY - NOVEMBER
 DEAD LIST

THE ORATORY

N O V E M B E R   L I S T

“Remember, Lord, your servants who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.  Grant to them and to all who sleep in Christ,

a place of light and peace.”

Please return this list to The Oratory

 It will be placed before the altar and those whose names are written here

will be remembered before God each day.