Halloween and Catholicism

uCatholic.com ^ | 10-31-13 | Fr. Steve Grunow

[mlizzy]

I 'think' we've finally found a good article on Halloween and Catholicism. See what you think!

There is a lot that is unsavory about the contemporary celebration of Halloween. What does the singular focus on violence, horror and death have to say about our culture? The traditional, Catholic Halloween placed these realities within the context of Christ’s victory over sin, death and the devil. The current secularized version of the festival has no salvific content and has been loosed from its theological moorings. It looks very much like a festival of death for a culture of death and for that reason I can see why parents might be concerned.

But what is the proper response to a culture of death? To lock the Church behind closed doors or to let her out into the world? I think it is time for Catholics to accept the religious liberties that this culture claims to afford them and go public with their own festivals- and to do so dramatically and with a great deal of public fervor. What is holding us back? What are we afraid will happen? The reticence and fear that characterizes Catholics is costing the Church its unique culture and it is allowing the culture of death to flourish.

[napscoordinator]

If we continue to complain about every holiday, we soon will not have any to celebrate. Christmas has been attacked, Easter for sure, and the Christians are not happy about it. So what do the Christians do? Complain about Halloween. Since when is it a pick and chose. You will not have too many people supporting your goal of keeping Christmas as it originally intended if you become hypocrites. Enjoy ALL HOLIDAYS while we still have them. Soon we might be regretting the complaining.

[A CA Guy]

It is more in this culture about candy and dressing up as scary stuff. Part of the American culture more than the Catholic church IMO.

I never see it promoted in a church.

[tumblindice]

You know how some people are afraid of clowns? With me it’s nuns.
Whenever I saw one I wanted to run the other way.

OK, this drunk staggers out of a bar on Halloween, and he sees a nun standing by a bus stop bench.

He walks over to her, slowly and as carefully as he can, managing not fall down. Then he hits her right in the face with a haymaker. She falls to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

He stands over and yells, “Not so tough now, are you Batman!”

[mlizzy]

It is more in this culture about candy and dressing up as scary stuff. Part of the American culture more than the Catholic church IMO...I never see it promoted in a church.

Our "kids" are in their 20s now, but when they were young, our church did have a celebration (indoor carnival) for the kids, but it was loud and obnoxious, and I always came home with a headache, however, they liked it. We passed on the walking around for candy (under my concern it was greedy, I didn't know all the homeowners, and the candy was not good for their health or mine anyway), but I never had a good grasp on how to make it holy. I applaud those parents who are doing so.

[Jack Hydrazine]

“So what do the Christians do?”

Hmmm... Well the deified rabbi worshiped by Christians celebrated Jewish holidays. If Christians really wanted to follow the example of their rabbi they’d probably celebrate Sukkot (Festival of Booths), Chanukah (this year it’ll be Thanksgivikah because it and T-day run together; next one in 79,000 years.), and at least all of the other major ones, but probably not the minors.

[Resolute Conservative]

Since when did Halloween become a holiday? I have never gotten it off in observance.

[mlizzy]

Okay, another nun story, but not a lot to do with Halloween, except for the month. In October, 1990, I was 8-1/2 months pregnant and suffering very poor health, so bad, that I couldn’t sit inside a church for mass, so I was standing/pacing outside praying the rosary, which I pretty much did all day long. A woman walks up to me (remember I’m 8-1/2 months pregnant), and says, “I always see you praying; are you a nun?” :)

[trisham]

LOL!

[Claud]

What do you think of the trend of parents boycotting Halloween on account of it being evil?...

I would say that those parents are acting like good Puritans.

LOL...very good Father!

Up until the 19th century in England, it was a custom to go "souling". You'd go begging for "soul cakes", and whoever gave you one, you'd say a prayer for their departed souls in Purgatory.

Why boycott when Halloween is so EASILY returned to its Catholic roots? Just go out trick or treating as usual. Count up the number of houses you visit. Then when you get home, or on All Souls Day, say that many "Eternal Rest" prayers for all the souls of those families who gave you candy.

[driftless2]

Not to be a nitpicker, but Halloween is not a holiday. Like Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Ogre’s Gathering, and a few others it’s an observance.

[A CA Guy]

I can understand the indoor carnival for the kids there because it is a safer environment that can be controlled.

Things changed in the 70s when nuts put razor blades into candy and poison as well.

[al_c]

Why boycott when Halloween is so EASILY returned to its Catholic roots? Just go out trick or treating as usual. Count up the number of houses you visit. Then when you get home, or on All Souls Day, say that many "Eternal Rest" prayers for all the souls of those families who gave you candy.

Excellent idea! I will have my kids do just that.

[miss marmelstein]

Excellent post, Naps.

As someone who has been researching the liturgical calendar of Medieval England, I mourn the loss of so many beautiful Catholic festivals, holidays and feast days. All uniquely English right down to special foods and clothing. At least the Southern European Catholics keep up some really wonderful Catholic holidays. Beauty is truth, truth is beauty.

[mlizzy]

Things changed in the 70s when nuts put razor blades into candy and poison as well.

I know; that was a concern of ours too.

[A CA Guy]

We are going to a place west of us called the West Side Pavillion, an indoor mall for Haloween.

[GreyFriar]

Happy Halloween and/or Reformation Day.

H’mmm — Name the 95 types of candy that Martin Luther nail to the door of the Wittenberg Church for the trick
or treaters?

And remembering All Saints Day tomorrow.

[mlizzy]

We are going to a place west of us called the West Side Pavillion, an indoor mall for Haloween.

Is this one of those "headache" places. -LOL-

Kidding aside, enjoy!

[mlizzy]

I like hearing about the "soul cakes." Here's a link for other parents should they like to read more about them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_cake

A soul cake is a small round cake which is traditionally made for All Saints Day or All Souls' Day to celebrate the dead.[1] The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Halloween singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory.

If only this was practiced widely today! It would be a grand holiday/observance indeed!

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Halloween for Catholics is the smallest part of Hallowmas, which basically means that it is the eve of All Saints’ Day followed by All Souls’ Day.

In this way it is similar to Holy Saturday before Easter and Christmas eve before Christmas.

However, in context to All Saints’ Day, what are people trying to do?

On New Years’ eve, people traditionally blew up fireworks and made noise with the idea of driving darkness, winter and death away. As such, it is the final act of Christmas.

Halloween isn’t trying to drive death away, but embracing those who have died, perhaps “waking them up” so that they may attend the saints the next day.

Even cultures far removed from Christianity have similar events, days to honor the respected dead. To show them that love remains.