All Saints Day - Pope Francis

"We need saints without cassocks, without veils - we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes. We need saints that go to the movies that listen to music, that hang out with their friends. We need saints that place God in first place ahead of succeeding in any career. We need saints that look for time to pray every day and who know how to be in love with purity, chastity and all good things.

We need saints - saints for the 21st century with a spirituality appropriate to our new time. We need saints that have a commitment to helping the poor and to make the needed social change.

We need saints to live in the world, to sanctify the world and to not be afraid of living in the world by their presence in it. We need saints that drink Coca-Cola, that eat hot dogs, that surf the internet and that listen to their iPods. We need saints that love the Eucharist, that are not afraid or embarrassed to eat a pizza or drink a beer with their friends. We need saints who love the movies, dance, sports, theater. We need saints that are open sociable normal happy companions. we need saints who are in this world and who know how to enjoy the best in this world without being callous or mundane. We need saints."

- Pope Francis (World Youth Day 2013)

All Saints Day!

Today, we celebrate the triumph of the souls in heaven, our saints.  All Saints Day honors those women and men who have joined the heavenly chorus of praise for God in the Heavens!  We celebrate those women and men who have triumphed over the curse of sin and have entered into everlasting life in the Beatific Vision of God!  We celebrate the sinners turned into saints by the grace of God.  We celebrate the souls who have been cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb.  Known or unknown, the souls we celebrate are visions of beauty and love in the light of God!  They run with joy through heaven past the rivers and streams of living waters, souls filled with the Spirit of God!  Yes, the saints have passed through the fire and were cleansed.  They triumph in the light of heaven!  They praise God and intercede for us.  We praise God and thank Him for the graces He gives us so that we might join Him in heaven.

Praise God!
Praise the Father!
Praise the Son!
Praise the Holy Spirit!
Glory Be for now and all eternity!
Amen!