In the Christian tradition November is a month of reflection and ritual, the month in which we particularly remember and pray for loved ones who have passed away. This is echoed in nature as leaves fall to ground, dusk gathers in and the earth itself sleeps until the regeneration of spring. The November Messenger carries articles on how we experience and process bereavement and how spending time in our natural environment can be a deeply spiritual experience.  We celebrate the work of Pope Francis in this tenth year of his pontificate and how, despite his high profile and muti-layered international role, he is still shepherd to his flock with ‘the smell of the sheep’ about him.

In this month of the Feast of All Saints, we look at some specific and some everyday examples of true sainthood; we read of the struggles faced by the poorest among us, with an eye to World Day of the Poor on 23 November and our popular regular features include prayer, reflections, recipes, with RE:LINK this month taking a look at rituals and rites of passage. A varied and engaging read!