By Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins

“O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia, Alleluia!” 

Those words by William W. How will ring out in many churches on the first Sunday in November. November 1 is All Saints’ Day on the Christian calendar, and November 2 is All Souls’ Day. On these days, we remember the heroes of our faith tradition and also our departed loved ones, perhaps less well-known to the world but always dear and important to us.

At Sunshine Cathedral, we pray a Litany of the Saints at this time and focus on LGBTQ+ heroes and healers, or as we call them, “saints.”

This year, for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Sunday, we’ll again remember in prayer: Adele Starr and Jeanne Manford, who started PFLAG; Alan Turing, a gay World War II hero; and Bayard Rustin, the gay man who worked closely with Dr. King to organize the March on Washington. We’ll recall those killed at Pulse in Orlando. We’ll remember Ugandan gay activist and martyr David Kato, pioneering gay politician Harvey Milk, gender role-defying Joan of Arc, transgender activist and Stonewall warrior Marsha P. Johnson, and gay priest Mychal Judge, who was the first recorded first responder to die on 9/11, among many others. Let us bless and be blessed by the memory of our saints.