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The True Meaning of Memorial Day
First, it’s essential to understand what Memorial Day is actually about. It’s not just the unofficial start of summer, or a day for barbecues and mattress sales. Memorial Day is a solemn national day of remembrance for those who have died in military service to our country.
As Catholics, we’re especially equipped to understand the weight of sacrifice. After all, our faith is centered on the Cross—the ultimate act of self-sacrifice. So we can and should pause to reflect on the meaning of giving one’s life in service to others. As Our Lord Himself said, "Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
But here’s where the Catholic lens deepens the meaning: we’re not just grateful in a vague patriotic way—we also see it as our duty to pray for the souls of the fallen.
The Spiritual Duty: Praying for the Dead
In the traditional Catholic worldview, remembering the dead isn’t just about memory—it’s about intercession.
Whether a soldier died in the 1860s or in the 2000s, their soul may still be in Purgatory. And if that’s the case, they need our prayers. Offering up our prayers, sacrifices, and Masses for them is one of the greatest works of mercy we can do.
So on Memorial Day, don’t just wave a flag—kneel down and pray.
Some suggestions:
- Pray the Rosary for the repose of the souls of all deceased veterans. The Sorrowful Mysteries are particularly appropriate.
- Offer a decade for unknown soldiers, those with no one to pray for them.
- Pray the traditional Requiem prayers such as: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
If you can attend the Traditional Latin Mass, do so—and offer it for the souls of the fallen. You might even request a Requiem Mass from your priest, if it’s liturgically permissible.
The Church’s Teaching on Just War
As Catholics, we honor those who served—but we also recognize that war is not inherently noble. The Church has always taught that war is a last resort, and only just under certain strict conditions.
The Just War doctrine, developed by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, reminds us that not all wars are equal in morality. But even in unjust wars, soldiers may have acted in good faith—and still deserve our prayers.
It’s important to honor the individual sacrifice without glorifying warfare itself. In fact, Memorial Day can be a day not only to pray for the fallen, but to pray for peace. True peace, rooted in justice and charity—not mere political stability.
You might consider adding to your prayers: O God, who bringest wars to naught and shieldest by Thy power all who hope in Thee, overthrowing those who assail us; help Thy servants who implore Thy mercy; so that the fierce might of their enemies may be brought low, and we may never cease to praise and thank Thee. (From the Roman Missal)
Traditional Practices: Visiting Cemeteries
Another very Catholic way to observe Memorial Day is by visiting Catholic cemeteries, particularly those where veterans are buried.
On Memorial Day, make it a point to:
- Visit the grave of a loved one who served.
- If none are nearby, choose a grave of a soldier and pray for him by name.
- Sprinkle holy water on the grave.
- Say the De Profundis (Psalm 129 in the Vulgate) or pray a Chaplet for the Dead.
These acts, while simple, are deeply traditional and spiritually fruitful.
Sanctifying the Civic Calendar
While the liturgical year governs the spiritual life of the Church, we also live in civil society. That means the civic calendar has an impact on our daily lives.
There’s no conflict, necessarily, between being a faithful Catholic and a patriotic citizen—as long as God and Church come first.
So yes, fly the flag. Be thankful for the freedoms we still enjoy, and those who preserved them. But sanctify the day through Catholic action:
- Begin the day with prayer.
- Attend Mass if possible.
- Pray for the dead.
- Teach your children the meaning of sacrifice and intercession.
- Share stories of faithful Catholic soldiers or chaplains, like Fr. Emil Kapaun, a Medal of Honor recipient and Servant of God who died ministering to fellow prisoners of war in Korea.
Avoiding the Trap of Secularization
A quick word of caution. It’s easy to let Memorial Day slide into mere sentimental patriotism—or worse, distraction and gluttony.
While it’s not wrong to enjoy a family barbecue or a day off, we should never forget why we have the day off. Memorial Day is about death and sacrifice. That doesn’t mean we must mourn—but it does mean we must remember.
In the words of Pope Pius XII: "The Lord has loved us unto death. And it is not right that we should love Him only in our spare time."
So yes, spend time with family—but lead them in prayer first. Teach them why we honor this day. And give the fallen what they need most: prayers for their souls.
An Eternal Perspective
Ultimately, Memorial Day invites us to think beyond this life.
Our prayers remind us that this life is passing—that death awaits us all—and that only what we do for Christ will last.
The fallen soldiers we honor are not gone forever, nor are they statistics. They are souls—immortal souls—many of whom made an act of sacrificial love.
Our job is to remember them not with mere nostalgia, but with Catholic action. And to prepare for our own death with the same seriousness, praying that we, too, might die in a state of grace, having lived a life of service to God and neighbor.
