So for this Month of Remembrance, when we observe the Feast of All Saints and the Commemoration of All Souls, The Monitor Magazine has dedicated its IN FOCUS section to how we remember, honor and pray for our beloved departed. 

In these days of COVID-19, we are reminded daily of the reality of death.  Regardless of the cause of death, the grief experienced when a family member or close friend died during these past eight months has been further burdened by public health restrictions that curtailed such comforts as bedside vigils and funeral Masses.  That very necessary, human need to connect with the dying, and to honor and remember our beloved departed has not been achieved, and the solace that we seek has been hard to come by.

But we are also called to remember the dead as an act of charity.  In his message for this issue, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., describes the theological tenet of Purgatory and reminds us that the souls in Purgatory are aided by the prayers of the living.  When we offer prayers for the eternal repose of the dead, we are connecting with them and giving witness to our belief in everlasting life.

In this spirit of remembrance, this issue includes the full list of the Diocese of Trenton’s deceased bishops, priests and deacons.  These names were listed as a regular feature in our newspaper format, but were moved to our website when we started the magazine. Some of our readers who used the list to pray for the departed clergy asked to have it reinstated in print. The Monitor commits to printing the IN REMEMBRANCE list once each year in the magazine, and will continue to keep it maintained on our website throughout the year at TrentonMonitor.com>NEWS>OBITUARIES. 

The Monitor team joins our readers in prayer for the souls of the departed, and for all who are struggling with their grief and loss.  May God bring you comfort and peace.