November is a month of the Holy Souls. Throughout this month, we will be exploring Catholic funeral rites. These are not just traditions. They are sacred acts that honor the dead, comfort the living, and commend souls to God. We'll also be exploring each part of these funeral rites.

In this first episode, I'm joined by Archbishop Shawn McKnight and Father Agustín Martínez, and we're exploring a topic that touches every family at some point. Why Catholic Funeral Rites Matter.

We'll talk about why they're an essential part of our faith, and how they offer comfort and hope in these times of loss. We'll also discuss why praying for our departed loved ones is not just tradition, it's a powerful act of love and mercy.

Whether you've recently experienced loss or simply want to understand this beautiful aspect of Catholic life, this conversation will help you see how these rites connect us to God, to the church, and to eternal life.

Timestamps:

0:00 - 01:37 Introduction

1:40 - 02:37 (Archbishop) Funeral rites help us grieve

2:41 - 3:30 (Fr. Agustín) It's all about the Resurrection

3:30 - 5:10 What's lost when these rites are skipped?

5:11 - 6:09 Archbishop shares a personal story

6:10 - 7:21 Meaghan Miller shares a personal story

7:31 - 10:39 Fr. Agustín discusses the loss of his Father

10:40 - 11:42 (Archbishop) Why we shouldn't canonize the deceased

11:42 - 12:50 Fr. Agustin talks about grief in the Hispanic Culture

12:50 - 14:06 Both discuss the importance of grieving together now vs. pushing it away

14:06 - 15:22 Offering Masses, praying for the dead, Funerals as Parish ministry

15:23 - 18:05 What is the Month of the Holy Souls?

18:06 - 18:34 Closing Prayer

18:35 - 19:30 Spiritual challenge for listeners, coming up on Episode 2