Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp,

Greetings and peace in our Savior Jesus Christ. Time goes by and seasons change: Here we are at the beginning of November. For Catholics and citizens of this beautiful country, November is a special month in which we have three big celebrations. The first is the Solemnity of All Saints, which falls on November 01; the second is the Feast of All Souls, which falls on November 02; and the third Thanksgiving, which falls on November 27.

One may ask: What is so special about these three celebrations? The answer is: It has to do with who we are in relation to God. The greatest joy of being a human person is to go to heaven, or to be with God eternally.

The Solemnity of All Saints directs us to join in celebration with those who have gone before us and are now in heaven with God. These are the saints, the holy ones of God who have been washed clean in and through the person of Jesus Christ. The saints could be either religious figures or lay people, who lived their lives according to the Gospel values or the Christian values, such Theresa de Lisieux, Pope John Paul II, Augustine, Mary Magdalene. Among the saints, some are martyrs, such as our patron Saint Polycarp. Recently, Pope Leo XIV just canonized two young saints: they are Carlos Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. Saints are role models for us to live our life according to Jesus, and they tell us that heaven is not out of reach.

The Feast of All Souls directs our thoughts to our beloved ones who also have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. Their passing from us does not mean that they are forgotten and completely gone. In fact, they need our prayers of communion to help them to receive the final reward of heaven. Their passing and our communion in prayers signify that the visible and invisible world are not two realities; they are one reality in the Lord. Their passing tells us that this is our destiny. Death is inescapable and unavoidable, but it is a reality to return to the Lord, who is our loving Creator and Savior.

Thanksgiving, even though it is a national celebration, its historical nature is about thanking God. The Catholic Church in the United States “canonized” this national celebration because we recognize that everything we have is from God. As a refugee-migrant, Thanksgiving reminds me to be grateful for the gift of freedom to worship, to speak with respect, and to live my life without fear of coercion or repression. Being grateful is a virtue, and an appreciation that we are not alone or isolated in life.

Lastly, joining my brother priests, I keep all of you in my prayers. Know also that all the names of your deceased loved ones, which you inscribed in the parish Book of Life, will be remembered at all daily Masses throughout this month of November. May God bless you always.

Fr. Viet Peter Ho
Pastor