All Souls service full of prayer, rememberance

The Sisters of the Precious Blood living in Dayton remembered the nine Sisters who have died in the last year with prayer and song during a memorial service on All Souls Day at Salem Heights Chapel.

About two dozen Sisters attended.

The evening service included the Lord’s Prayer, intercessions and Psalms 130 and 116:1-9. Sisters Patty Kremer and Nancy Kinross read the well-known verses from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which talks of an appointed time for everything under heaven. The selection set the tone for the service.

In her reflection, Sister Joyce Lehman, said that despite death we take comfort in the fact and our Savior is waiting for us.

“It is the one who has conquered death who greets us from the other side,” Sister Joyce said. “Hold in mind those Sisters and loved ones who died this past year, recognizing that it is Jesus who welcomed each one of them.”

She also explained the she once heard purgatory likened to the foyer of a house. A place where one can take off coat and boots, set down the luggage and be free to enter the fullness of life.

“Hold that image of the Sisters entering into that fullness of life,” she said. “We’ll think about those Sisters and our loved ones and we’ll hold them close to us and we’ll share their peace and joy in the Lord.”

As the name of each deceased Sister was read, a chime sounded and a candle was taken from the altar and held by a Sister. Deceased members of Precious Blood families and communities, victims of violence, war and natural disasters, and all departed family members and friends were also remembered.

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Story, photo and video by Dave Eck

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