The Sacred Heart Church provided a warm respite from the cold November weather on the evening of Saturday, November 7th, as we lit up the night with our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, always beautifully touching tribute to the memory of loved ones who have gone before us in the Lord’s eternal embrace.
Hundreds of you braced the elements to journey to the Western Road, and we were delighted to welcome a full church of local mission friends and parishioners for a very special evening of music, remembrance, and prayer in honour of our dearly departed. Over 1,000 people also joined us on the day via our live stream, to remember and pray with us, from Ireland, the UK, and Europe, as well as Canada, America, Australia, South Africa, and more.
This year, we were especially privileged to have the music for the ceremony provided by the magnificent Island of Ireland Peace Choir, with special guest Irish Tenor Declan Kelly. They also treated us to the most wonderful recital after the Mass, the perfect way to end a very special evening.
“There is nothing to fear, at all.”
Fr John Fitzgerald, director of the MSC Missions Office, celebrated this year’s Mass with Fr Seamus and Fr Alex, and opened with a warm welcome to everybody praying together, in person and on the live stream. “Every Mass is special, but tonight we put aside a Light Up a Memory Mass as we move into the middle of November,” he said. “We remember our dead, we remember ourselves, we pray to and for them, and we just let them in the hands of our Lord.”
“The Mass tonight is for yourself alone, not the person next to you, or anyone else – it’s a night for yourself. And for tonight, we stand before the Lord and we ask the Lord for healing in our own hearts… We know that we’re not perfect, but we know that there’s a lot of beauty in our hearts as well.”
“Despite some of us being in mourning tonight, or whatever troubles we may have, we can be very relaxed here tonight as we come before the Lord, and just know that there is nothing to fear at all – and let us in some way, despite the fog in our minds or the haze in our hearts, as it were, give glory to the Lord.”
“We bless them all tonight.”
On a night of remembering, there was peace and hope, as we called to mind all who have gone before us to their heavenly rest.
“We put aside a night where we are challenged by a different reality – it is what goes on in our hearts, and we are simply lighting a light for the dead, from our own heart,” Fr John prayed. “It doesn’t matter how they were called by the Lord, we are praying for them all.”
“Let us pray, and let us have a sacred hush. Let us pray for people who passed away many years ago. Let us pray for people we never saw or knew. ‘The faithful departed’, we call them – they might not have a name now, or it might be washing away on their headstone; they too were men and women of their day… We bless them all tonight.”
A prayer for peace and comfort
Fr John read a selection of poems and prayers throughout the Mass, reminding us of the power of faith and love everlasting. As the Mass came to an end, he offered a final prayer for our dead, and prayed for peace, comfort, and strength for those of us who remain on this earthly plain. “We give you thanks, heavenly Father, for where would we be without you on this night? We ask you for peace and comfort in our hearts, help us to feel your loving presence and may we be strengthened always by your grace, through the Eucharist, through the word and the people around us, that we might find healing in your promise of eternal life, and that they may be at peace with you. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to and took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. Grief is such an inevitable part of life, and love never comes without loss. Each November, our Light Up a Memory Mass is always a particularly special way for us to remember and to celebrate treasured memories, while also praying for healing and hope in the face of loss and grief. Sincere thanks to all who took part in a very moving evening of prayer and fond remembrance as we continue to keep our loved ones in our hearts and in our minds, on this night and always.
