[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!”

[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.

[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.

[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.

[NYer]

Catholic ping!

[SevenofNine]

It really start a pagan holiday then Vatican realize that just Celts become Christians they try Christiize call it All Hallov eve would be all Saint EVE Then November 1 all Saint Day

Then Latino culture in SO CAL has Day of the Dead festival to pray for souls of people who dies in last year

[rwa265]

The practice of a festival day to honor the whole communion of Saints, rather than that just a single saint

---

We had an all school Mass this morning at our parish, and the 5th grade students each dressed as a different saint. In place of the homily, each student came up to the lectern and talked about the saint they were representing. By way of introduction, the first student talked about how individual saints are honored on different days in the liturgical year, but this day was in honor of the whole communion of saints. Then she mentioned that the church has several requirements for someone to become a saint, but God makes it easier for the rest of us; if we try to act in a way that is pleasing to God and we love other people, we can all be included in the communion of saints. When they finished, the pastor told them about when he was their age, he dressed as St. Peter and still remembers how he held the key to the kingdom. He said that in 60 years, he hoped they would be telling their kids about what they remembered from today.

[Salvation]

Halloween and Catholicism
Traditional Catholic Sacrifice of the Holy Latin Mass on Halloween Night
Faith Facts: All Hallows' Eve
Be Not Afraid: The Surprisingly Holy Origins of Halloween

Hallowe'en (with facts and recipes)
How Halloween Can Be Redeemed (from Catholic Update)
History of Halloween
Bishops’ Halloween Advice: Dress Children Up as Saints, Not Witches
Halloween (CNA Video)
All Hallows' Eve
Celebrating 'All Hallows Eve' and the 'Feast of All Saints' in a Pre-Christian West
Halloween Prayers: Prayers and Collects for All Hallows Eve
Holiday Hysteria (a Christian defense of Halloween)
Hallowe'en - Eve of All Saints - Suggestions for Reclaiming this Christian Feast