The images of 50 recently deceased persons in the Diocese of Peoria, provided by their loved ones to The Catholic Post, appear in this new music video produced by the diocesan newspaper in conjunction with the church’s Nov. 2 Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.

The four-minute video features an original song, “No More Goodbyes,” composed and sung by Tom Dermody, editor of The Catholic Post.

“As the Year of Faith nears an end, we hope this video helps share the most wonderful news ever ? Christ risen from the dead,” said Dermody. “Our salvation in Christ has ultimately defeated death.”

Dermody invited Catholics to share the video via social media and email lists on All Souls’ Day as a way to evangelize and to invite prayers for those who have died, their families and friends.

“Many of the families who shared these photos also told us stories of their loved ones, and how much they miss them,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough. We developed a spiritual kinship with them as we produced the video, and we prayed for them often.”

The people pictured are representative of all who died in the last year throughout the diocese, said Dermody. They are old and young, rural and city dwellers, military veterans, mothers, priests, religious, and lay people.

After seeing the video, one family member wrote: “It is nice to see the faces of the many special souls who are going through the wonderful process of taking their homeplace in God’s Eternal Kingdom along with our dad. No doubt they are kindling great friendships.”

The musical accompaniment features LJ Alexandre-Strong, a 16-year-old member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish and a senior at Richwood High School in Peoria, on violin. Gary Nabors of East Peoria plays keyboard and was the audio engineer.

The video was produced by Daryl Wilson Photography. Wilson is a member of St. Jude Parish, Peoria.

The video’s closing credits end with the following quote from the 2008 Festival Letter by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, entitled “Praying for the Dead:”

“Both our hope in the resurrection and our love for one another should oblige us to pray constantly for all those who have died and gone before us,” Bishop Jenky wrote.