Next year is a significant milestone for the biggest gathering of Catholic youth and young adults from all over the world - for 2 significant reasons.

1. It would mark the 30th year after the very first World Youth Day (WYD) in 1986.

2. It was started by His Holiness John Paul II (JPII), the then Pope, and next year the venue for WYD is in JPII's hometown of Krakow, Poland!



If you have been to a WYD, this is one not to be missed!

And if you have not, this would make a great start!

So come journey with us (Malaysian Contingent)!

You may download the forms here:
(just right click + 'save image as')




You may also refer to the official WYD website: http://www.krakow2016.com/en/

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’ (Mt 5:7).
Today is All Souls Day.


All Souls Day is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead. The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and a few other denominations of Christianity. The Anglican church is the largest protestant church to celebrate the holy day. Most protestant denominations do not recognize the holiday and disagree with the theology behind it.
According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choice. The intermediate option is purgatory, which is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go.
Consistent with these teachings and traditions, Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins so they may enter into heaven. (Source: Catholic Online)







The Litany of the Saints (LatinLitaniƦ Sanctorum) is a formal prayer of the Roman Catholic Church and Western Rite Orthodox communities. It is a prayer to the Triune God, which also includes invocations for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels and all the martyrs and saints upon whom Christianity was founded, and those recognised as saints through the subsequent history of the church. Following the invocation of the saints, the Litany concludes with a series of supplications to God to hear the prayers of the worshippers. It is most prominently sung during the Easter VigilAll Saints' Day, and in the liturgy for conferring Holy Orders. (Source: Wikipedia)

"It is most prominently sung during the Easter VigilAll Saints' Day, and in the liturgy for conferring Holy Orders."

Here is where it gets interesting:
There is no provision for the use of the Litany of the Saints within the Mass of All Saints. (It is not included as part of the All Saints Day mass in the Missal.)

The Litany was not used during the anticipated All Saints' Day mass on Saturday - yet it was used by some other parishes/in other countries. Which led me to wonder: 

Why is the Litany of Saints optional?

One reason afforded to me was that All Saints' Day is for ALL SAINTS known and unknown. If the Litany is used during this Solemnity, there may be some misconception that All Saints' Day is reserved for the well-known saints (named in the Litany) whereas those other saints (ie. all the other saints in heaven) not-named are forgotten.

But there is one part in the Litany that invokes "All you holy men and women, pray for us", which would include all the unknown saints so rightfully, there should not be any misconception.

Given the validity of both arguments, that might be why it is left optional...

Know of any other reason why it is optional? Do share in the comments.