In November, the commemoration of all the faithful departed fills our minds and hearts with many beloved faces and memories. Perhaps never as much as in this month, as we think of those who went before us, with the strength faith gives, do we repeat that death does not sever the bonds between us and our departed loved ones: they have not disappeared; they are in Him, in his love, in his providence, and in his mercy. This is why we want to remember them; this is why we want to pray for those who are still in Purgatory. We feel that they are not absent, but invisible; they are still bound to us by their affection and their feelings in the communion of saints.

We are all made for eternity

Death does not erase our loved ones from life; it merely transfers them to a dimension that is still unknown to us. The bond of love between us who are alive and the dead loses only its visibility, physical closeness, and the possibility of sensory contact. Saint Augustine states that “those who have left us are not absent; they are only invisible: they keep their eyes full of glory fixed on ours, full of tears”; only faith can give us a glimpse of these “invisible” ones, whom we will see tangibly again at the time of the beatific vision, when we too will be given the same dimension of glory.
In faith, we can nurture the certainty that our loved ones have reached or are about to reach endless joy: “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up” (Jn 6:40). This is the will of the Father who revealed Jesus to us; this is the sure hope of all who believe in him.
Death does not have the final word, because Jesus conquered it on the cross and, starting from this certainty, death itself takes on a new face: it is not disappearing, but being present in a new way. The loved ones who have already crossed the threshold of the afterlife, therefore, are only “one step beyond” on the journey of life.
The commemoration of the dead, then, besides being a living remembrance of those who are no longer physically present, is a reminder to think that we are all made for eternity: “We are all fellow travelers toward eternity” (Father Raniero Cantalamessa).

Let us pray for the dead

Instead, the Church invites us to look toward and pray for those who have died and await our prayers of suffrage so that, through that mystery of communion between us who are living and them, our dear departed, purified of every stain of sin through our prayers, may enter into communion with heavenly life and enjoy the vision of eternal bliss.
«The Church - said Pope Francis during the general audience of November 30, 2016 - prays for the deceased in a particular way during Holy Mass. The priest says: “Remember, Lord, your faithful who have gone before us with the sign of faith and sleep the sleep of peace. Grant them, Lord, and all who rest in Christ, blessedness, light and peace” (Roman Canon).

A simple, effective remembrance, full of meaning, because it entrusts our loved ones to God's mercy. Let us pray with Christian hope that they may be with Him in paradise, awaiting our reunion in that mystery of love that we do not understand but know to be true because it is a promise Jesus made. We will all rise again, and we will all remain with Jesus forever, with Him».
Let us consider the power of our prayer, the power of the Eucharist celebrated and offered for our deceased: to contribute to that passage commonly called from Purgatory to Paradise.
Therefore, especially during this month of November, we cannot fail to dedicate a prayer to our deceased loved ones, from whom we have been temporarily separated but whom we will see again one day.

Plenary indulgence for the deceased

The Church also proposes the practice of a plenary indulgence for the deceased, which can be obtained from noon on November 1 through November 2.
How? To obtain it, these 4 conditions must be fulfilled:

1. Complete detachment from sin, even venial sin.
2.  Sacramental Confession: this condition may be fulfilled several days before or afterward. Through one Confession, several plenary indulgences may be gained, provided that we remain free from any attachment to sin, even venial sin.
3.  Receive Eucharistic Communion (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass; but for the indulgence, only Holy Communion is necessary). This condition may be fulfilled several days before or afterward.
4. Prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff (you may recite an Our Father and a Hail Mary or another prayer).

In addition, the indulgenced work must be performed, in this case visiting a parish church and reciting the Our Father and the Creed.
Another opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence for the deceased under the conditions mentioned above (Confession, Communion, prayers for the Holy Father) is available from November 1 to 8 by visiting a cemetery and praying, even silently, for the deceased.
A plenary indulgence can be gained once a day and can be applied to the deceased.
November is a month of deep communion and solidarity between heaven and earth! We pray for the souls of our loved ones, so that God may welcome them among the saints in Paradise, and our loved ones pray and intercede for us: they accompany us on our journey through life.