Holy Souls Sodality

"God allows souls to suffer here so that they may be purified to share in His holiness."

What is Purgatory?

"Correct!"

Whoops. Please excuse the odd locution. I'm still saddened by the death on Nov. 8 of Alex Trebek, the longtime host of the television game show "Jeopardy!" where contestants were given the answers and then tasked with coming up with the questions.

A well-mannered, no-nonsense fixture in American living rooms for 37 years, Mr. Trebek succumbed to pancreatic cancer. I miss him. My mother misses him. Many of us miss him.

We Can Put a Face to Them

They are calling to us, these fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters from throughout the ages.

They built nations. They built our roads, our town halls, schools, libraries, churches, and civic organizations.

They created medicines to cure deadly illnesses. They developed technologies that made life a little less cruel for the suffering.

They produced art — paintings, music, literature, films — that redirected our affections toward the anointed realms of truth, beauty, and goodness.