Dear Parishioners,

      A few years ago I read a book about monks and death. The cover of the book was very intriguing; it had a painting of St. Francis looking down at a skull held reverently in his hands. The book, entitled “A Time To Die,” is a very powerful reflection about suffering and death, but also ultimately about hope.

      I think of it again as this week we begin November, the month in which we Catholics reflect upon those things concerning the end of life and what awaits us in life after death. In particular we look to the “four last things” as they are known; death, judgment, heaven and hell. Hopefully in the coming weeks we can reflect on the four last things, but for now I’d like to point out something more simple that I picked up from reading A Time To Die.

      In the book, the author went to various monasteries throughout Europe, interviewing monks about death in their monastic communities. What became clear is that monks intentionally keep death in their view every day of their lives. While that may sound morbid, it’s actually very deeply Christian and it is very deeply hopeful.

      Recently an American religious sister from the Daughters of St. Paul has tried to resurrect this ancient monastic practice of keeping death in our daily view. She points us to the ancient tradition of “memento mori” which is Latin for “remember your death.”  November is the month that the Church exhorts us to “memento mori.”

      Now to be clear, this is not some sort of morbid and sad practice, but rather a very useful and hopeful practice, especially in our modern times. It seems that in our times, we as a culture seek to hide from the reality of death. Ever on a quest for the fountain of youth, we will seemingly do anything to prolong our sense of youth and invincibility, even hiding our sick and dying out of view.

      When our loved ones die, we feel the need to “celebrate life,” which is good, but often at the expense of healthy mourning and grief. Death is a reality and the monks teach us not to avoid it or run from it out of fear, but hoping in Christ to face it with courage. Intentionally remembering that I will die and that I know not when helps to put everything else in life into the proper perspective. The things that don’t really matter, those things over which we stew and fret day in and day out, will fall by the wayside if we remember that all things pass away.

      When we remember that life is short, we don’t sweat the small stuff, but rather we become free to focus on what and Who really matters. Ultimately we realize that faith in Christ Jesus is what matters the most, and we can then put Him first in our daily actions with the unknown amount of time we have left on this earth. In this way, all things for us can be focused on Christ, done with Christ, offered to Christ and death becomes an enemy no longer but a sort of friend reminding us to focus on God eventually becoming the moment when we will meet Him face to face. This is the monastic, Christian attitude about death, and it’s why it is so important for us to “memento mori.”

      So, as we begin the month of November, perhaps one simple way to remember death would be to slowly and intentionally pray the Hail Mary in which we ask her intercession “now and at the hour of our death.” Another would simply be to pray before a crucifix each morning and evening. However we do it, courageously remembering that we will die can help make us more hopeful and grateful disciples of Jesus Christ in this life and prepare us to meet Him in the next.
      On another note, about a month ago we had a great parish festival at St. Charles Borromeo, and this coming Sunday we will have our annual Sausage Dinner at St. Peter. Just as so many of you came out for the festival, I’d invite all of you to come to St. Peter for the Sausage Dinner. It will be a great time for fellowship and of course, a great meal.

      Finally, here at St. Peter, we have an important announcement. We finally have a new music director! Please welcome Kate Winker to St. Peter. She is going to be a great addition to our parish and she has already begun planning some exciting things for music in our parish.

      I would like to ask all of you to also show Donna Owen our gratitude for stepping in as interim music director during an uncertain time. She humbly served the parish and probably stretched herself too thin in the process, so a big “thank you” goes out to Donna.

Have a blessed week!

Fr. Jim Theby