Today, on All Saints’ Day, we gather to remember, honor, and celebrate all saints and blessed who have graced our faith with their holiness, courage, and dedication. This feast day invites us to reflect on their lives and to recommit ourselves to our Christian calling, as members of the Knights of Columbus, inspired by the example of the countless souls who followed the path of holiness.
All Saints’ Day, observed on November 1st, is a solemn holy day in the Catholic Church that celebrates all saints, both known and unknown. It is a tradition dating back to the 4th century when the Eastern Church dedicated a day to honor all martyrs who had died in witness to Christ. Later, in the 9th century, Pope Gregory IV extended the feast to honor not only martyrs but also all those whose sanctity may not have been formally recognized but who have attained heaven.
This day reminds us that the Church is far broader and more profound than we may experience in our individual lives. The Church encompasses all generations and all places, a “communion of saints” that unites us with believers past, present, and future. The saints are our brothers and sisters who have already reached the promised reward of heaven, and they intercede for us as we strive toward that same goal.
The saints embody Christ’s teaching in a myriad of unique and beautiful ways. From martyrs like St. Stephen and St. Joan of Arc to contemplatives like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and activists like St. Oscar Romero, each saint provides a distinct vision of how to live in Christ. Their lives serve as blueprints for holiness in different walks of life—be it in solitude, community, or through acts of charity and social justice. For the Knights of Columbus, saints like St. John Paul II, St. Thomas More, and St. Joseph, our patron, are powerful models of faith, integrity, and service to both God and humanity.
On All Saints’ Day, we are called not only to honor these saints but also to ask for their intercession and guidance. In our vocations as knights, we can look to the saints for inspiration on how to live out the principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism that our order upholds. The saints remind us that holiness is accessible to all, and that through small daily acts of love, sacrifice, and faith, we can grow closer to Christ.
To date, the Catholic Church has officially canonized over 10,000 saints. However, this number represents only a fraction of those who have reached heaven. The “blessed,” those who have been beatified but not canonized, also number in the thousands, though the exact figure is difficult to determine as it continues to grow. While each saint has undergone a formal process of recognition by the Church, All Saints’ Day reminds us of countless holy men and women whose lives may never be publicly acknowledged but who now rest in God’s eternal love.
This includes those whom we may have known personally—our grandparents, parents, friends, or community members—who have quietly lived lives of faith and have reached the joys of heaven. As knights, we might reflect on the example of Blessed Michael McGivney, our founder, who demonstrated the values of fraternity, charity, and steadfast faith. Though not yet canonized, he is a powerful figure of holiness within our order, interceding for us and inspiring our work.
As we commemorate All Saints’ Day, let us take to heart the legacy of these holy men and women. We are each called to “be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), a command that may feel daunting but is made achievable by the grace of God and the example of the saints. They show us that sanctity is not reserved for a select few but is a journey each of us can undertake with courage and faith.
Let us strive to embody the virtues the saints exemplified in our own lives. Through our commitment to service, charity, and support of the Church, we, too, participate in the work of sanctification. Let us ask the saints to pray for us, that we may live lives worthy of our calling as Catholic men and that we may continue to build a world reflecting the love of Christ.
As Knights of Columbus, may we continually be inspired by the example of the saints, and may their prayers sustain us as we serve God, our families, our Church, and our communities.
Reprinted with permission of the original author:
SK Christopher M. Hess
Deputy Grand Knight, Faith Director – Father Jacob Post Council #14464
Faithful Scribe – Cathedral Assembly #3298