| “Christian hope is never something merely individual; it’s always a hope for
others. Our lives are deeply linked, one to another, and the good and bad
each one does always impact the rest. So the prayer of a pilgrim soul in this
world can help another soul that continues purifying itself after death.” - Pope Francis
Dear Friend,
Have you lost someone who meant the world to you?
Maybe, in your sadness, you still wish you could reach out to that dear person. To hold their hand…share a pleasant memory…show your love.
As Pope Francis says, “Our lives are deeply linked, one to another….and the good one does always impact the rest.” While you can no longer do anything for their physical being, you can give your loved one a wonderful gift – something incredibly important to help ensure their eternal happiness. You can help usher your loved one out of purgatory and into Heaven, a journey’s end they yearned for and prayed for during their time on earth.
The powerful prayer of a pilgrim soul in this world…
Your thoughtful gesture of requesting a Mass for a loved one is a genuine spiritual act of continued love and devotion, an act of goodness that will help not only your loved one, but, as the Holy Father says, have a profound impact on others. That is because, when you request a Mass in memory of your loved one on All Souls Day, you will also be helping one of the many poor priests Aid to the Church in Need assists around the world.
A priest like Father Richard in  Kathmandu, Nepal, who relies on Mass Stipends to carry on his pastoral duties to the small, impoverished Catholic community in this mountainous nation. Your Mass Offering, while celebrating a Mass for the special person in your life, allows these fellow faithful to be visited by priests and have the Holy Sacraments administered.
“We help them as best we can,” says Father Richard, from the Church of the Resurrection. “Without the Mass Stipends, it would be impossible. We priests can now go from family to family and bring blessings.”
“Without the Stipends, we could also not afford to buy medicine for our priests,” continues Father Richard. This grateful priest says that his tiny Catholic community is so thankful for the sacrifices that are being made for them.
A Mass Celebrated for Your Loved One. A Mass Stipend for a Priest in Need.
Whether it is Father Richard tending to his small, impoverished flock; Father Aurelio celebrating Mass amidst gunfire in the Central African Republic; or Father Aysar in Iraq keeping a parish together despite the killing of 45 of its congregants, the priests we help with Stipends do their jobs joyfully. As Fr. Stephano in Egypt says, “It can be difficult…but we are called to carry the cross.”
When you have a Mass celebrated on All Souls Day, you are making a precious, spiritual gift to a loved one while bringing the gift of hope to priests and their faithful who are burdened by poverty, persecution, or violence. It is an immense gift of faith that brings so much to so many in need around the world. Thank you for helping these priests “carry the cross.”
And thank you for letting Aid to the Church in Need be a part in remembering your loved ones this All Souls Day. Simply click here and fill in the names of your beloved friends and family who are no longer with us, and we will remember them in our prayers for the entire month of November.
God bless you and the souls of your loved ones always.
P.S. As the Holy Father says, “the prayer of a pilgrim soul in this world can help another soul that continues purifying itself after death.” Your Mass Offering this All Souls Day will provide that spiritual solace. May your loved one forever rest in peace.
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