All Saints, the faithful do not just remember the named saints, but all of those who have lived lives by the principles of Christ in order to shed greater light into the world.

The Rev. John Wilmot of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Owatonna, Minnesota, shared with parishioners in the church bullletin the history and purpose of the feast which tracks back to the ninth century.

“One purpose was to venerate all of the saints and martyrs on this special feast. There simply were not enough days in the calendar year to honor all of the women and men who had been canonized saints by the Catholic Church,” Wilmot said, the bulletin reported. “The church also recognized that throughout the centuries, there also were many other holy women and men who had not formally been named a saint.”

In that spirit, Wilmot encouraged parishioners to reflect on those in their own lives and histories who have served as examples by living a good Christian life.