A Message from Father Nathan
My dearest people who are all close to my heart
Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.
Understanding Purgatory
+ Praying for the deceased
When someone dies, we usually have flowers or candles to remember their passing. We do it to honor their memory, perhaps even as a way of offering a prayer for them.
TraDITION OF Praying for the dead
We all want to find a fitting way to remember those who have left us. Let us understand why we pray for the dead. There is a longstanding tradition in the Catholic Church to pray for the souls of the deceased. How did this tradition come about and why is it still important today?
The Reality of Purgatory
The custom of praying for the dead is rooted in the very nature of heaven. The Bible indicates that there can be nothing imperfect in heaven. When describing the vision of the New Jerusalem, God’s eternal kingdom, revelation 21:27 states,
“nothing unclean will enter it.”
Unfortunately, many people who have died have not lived as perfect humans, and do not die in the state of perfection. They are not yet prepared to enter heaven and behold God’s face. At the same time, they have not chosen to separate themselves from God. They may have expressed regret for their sins and been forgiven, but their love of God at the time of their death may not have been as profound and perfect as it should have been.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but are still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. (CC 1030).
God’s Mercy Endures after Death
The souls of these individuals have not yet been completely purified of their sins. They must undergo purification after death, a fact which demonstrates that God’s mercy does not stop after that moment of death.
Instead, divine mercy continues even after the moment to prepare a soul to receive God’s loving embrace in heaven. Hence, let us pray for the dead.
May our prayers rise up to them. Let them in turn be our intercessors.
God bless you all.
With lots of love and blessings,
Ever wanting to be faithful to your service,
— Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan
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Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 21, 2021
This is the year of Saint Joseph December 8, 2020, is the 15th anniversary of the Declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter entitled Patris corde (“With a Father’s Heart”).
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 14, 2021
What is Holy Mass?
What we do and why do we do this?
Vatican II, bulletin 1324 said the following: – The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” 136 ‘the other sacraments and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented towards it.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 7, 2021
What is the Sacrament of Confession? Why do we need confession? What are the benefits of going to confession? The Sacrament of Confession is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of Catholicism. Jesus Christ, in His abundant love and mercy, established the Sacrament of Confession so that we as sinners can obtain forgiveness for our sins and reconcile with God, our neighbors, and the Church.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | February 28, 2021
The Mysteries of our Faith. As the Lenten Season has started please make all the efforts possible to participate in the liturgy and other pious activities of the church. These are the ways and means we are able to understand the mystery of Christ…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | February 21, 2021
We have just started the Lenten season. It’s one of the most precious and holiest seasons of the year… Let us try to know Christ and let us try to understand him. Please, make an effort to talk to Him and with Him through the readings of the scripture, praying the rosary as a family,
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | February 14, 2021
Ash Wednesday | The Beginning of Lent
“Repent and believe in the Gospel” is the captivating sentence as we begin the holy season of Lent. For any Roman Catholic Church, the suffering the death of Christ is the mystery of our faith. Our faith revolves around this.