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 17, 2024
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Tuesday, March 19th, we will celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 10, 2024
Ministry Sundays March 9 & 10 + March 16 & 17 following each mass. St. Gabriel extends the invitation to get involved in parish activities.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 03, 2024
The First Fridays Devotion also called the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is a Catholic devotion to offer reparations for sins, which had its origin in the apparitions of Christ at Paray-leMonial, France, reported by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | February 25, 2024
The 40 days of Holy Lent began with Ash Wednesday and is a time of repentance and preparation but also a time of love and grace. Fast. Give.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | February 18, 2024
The 40 days of Lent began with Ash Wednesday and is a time for repentance and spiritual preparation. Pray. Fast. Give.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | February 11, 2024
This week we are also going into the holy season of Lent, our Christian season of spiritual preparation before Easter. During the six weeks of self-examination and reflection, Christian who observe Lent typically make a commitment…