2014-10-31 19:23:00

Families invited to All Saints prayer vigil


(Vatican Radio) As children prepare for their neighbourhood Halloween trick-or-treating on Friday evening, the Archdiocese of Quebec in Canada has organized a church activity, aimed at helping families incorporate their faith in the festivities – an all-night prayer vigil in preparation for the Solemnity of All Saints, November 1.  The vigil will conclude with Mass for the Feast of All Saints, Saturday morning, at 9 a.m.

The archdiocese has invited families to dress up as saints or biblical characters and, after their usual trick-or-treating, to gather at Saint-Mathieu church, as of 6 p.m. (local time), where a rally and prayers were planned, followed by adoration throughout the night and into the morning. The event is open to everyone and families are invited to stay for as long as they can. Auxiliary Bishop Denis Grondin was also expected to attend.

Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre, communications director for the Archdiocese of Quebec, told Vatican Radio the intention of organizers was not to discount the usual North American Halloween festivities but to offer families and children a moment “to prepare their hearts for All Saints Day” and to learn about  holiness and the important Catholic feast the following day.

As well, this November 1 will be the first All Saints Day with Quebecers Saint François de Laval and Saint Marie de l’Incarnation in the the canon of saints, Lemieux-Lefebvre noted. The first bishop of Quebec and the foundress of the Ursulines there were canonized by Pope Francis in April; a Mass of Thanksgiving was held in Rome two weeks ago.

Listen to the interview:

Report and interview by Laura Ieraci








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