The Sacred Heart Church stood aglow on the evening of Saturday, November 1st, as we opened the Month of the Holy Souls with our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, a beautifully poignant tribute to the memory of loved ones who have gone before us.
The candlelit church provided a warm and welcome respite from the bleak November weather, and it is with the most grateful hearts that we welcomed 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.
The enduring power of love
Fr John Fitzgerald, director of the MSC Missions Office, opened this year’s Mass with a beautiful reflection on love and its enduring power.
“Tonight, it is very clear that we are here because the Word of God endures, and the Word of God is that there is the promise of everlasting life,” he said. “And when we hear that word, ‘endure’, it sticks with us for a long time. So tonight is a beautiful reminder of the enduring power of love, and the importance of honouring the memories of those we have lost. It is a chance not only to revisit the memories, but to remember people and pray for them, those who have died, and it is a chance as well to look into our own hearts.”
A night of hope
Speaking of the nature of loss and grief, and the need to find peace in the midst of sorrow, Fr John prayed for all who are remembering their dead in different ways, whether we might have unfinished business, or are striving to find forgiveness, or are simply just saying hello or goodbye to someone we have loved deeply. “We pray for our dead here tonight, in the presence of each other and in the presence of God,” he said. “It is a very, very natural thing. And that means that tonight is a night of hope.”
“We ask you, Lord, to make us understand that you are a healing Lord and that you are compassionate,” prayed Fr John, “that we deserve to have a light where there is forgiveness and healing and newness and hope.”
“Our loved ones are in our hearts and souls on this night.”
Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy once again provided beautiful music to accompany this year’s ceremony, and during the lighting of the candles, Fr John read a selection of poems and prayers, reminding us of the salvation of faith, and the power of love everlasting as he prayed for those we have loved who have left this life, and for those who have nobody to remember them at all.
Coming towards the end of the Mass, Fr John paused to ask everybody to look into their candles, and to reflect on the enduring nature of that light in the darkness. “Just take a moment to look into the flame of your candle, then close your eyes, and you will see the flame that still glows when you close your eyes – and so it is with our memories.”
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. None of us are untouched by grief in some form, and our annual Light Up a Memory Mass is always a very moving way for us 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 this truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance as we continue to carry generations of memories with love in our hearts. “We will not leave this place without saluting the people that have passed before us on this sacred night,” Fr John reminded us. “Our loved ones are in our hearts and souls on this night.”
Please click here to watch a recording of our 2025 Light Up a Memory Mass