Fr. Chris reminds us that today — the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed — is one of the most important days of the Church year. Though it’s not a solemnity or feast, its spiritual weight is immense. Following the glory of All Saints Day, we now turn to the souls who still await their full union with God — the holy souls in Purgatory. Together, these three days — All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls — form what the Church calls Allhallowtide, or the “Triduum of Death.” It is not dark, but deeply merciful, because it reveals God’s justice and His love.

The loss of a loves one (suicide or any cause of death) is perhaps the most difficult of all topics to talk about. Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, shares, based on personal and pastoral experience, a fact we know to be true: Even in the midst of such darkness, God’s mercy is present. There is hope for the soul of the departed and there is hope for those left behind.

There may be no medieval figure whose life is better documented than that of St. Joan of Arc, whose feast day we celebrate on May 30. Father Chris Alar, MIC, reveals how God worked through a mere teenager, a real battlefield commander, to change the tide of history – and how she courageously accepted martyrdom rather than compromise her faith. Then hear the inspiring story of Project CURE, working tirelessly in Ukraine to bring vital supplies and medical assistance to those in need.