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This time of year, some people get spooked by Halloween. It can be confusing for people of faith when the uniformed insist that Halloween is a relic of pre-Christian paganism or some kind of satanic festival.
This couldn’t be further from the truth! Aside from being a holiday rooted in Catholic tradition, observing the eve of All Saints Day, aka All Hallows’ Eve, is an opportunity to live the Gospel and bring our Catholic values to the wider world.
Here are five wonderful things that Halloween can bring:
1
Hospitality can be fostered
One of the best modern Halloween traditions is trick-or-treating.
Trick-or-treating evolved from the Christian practice of going door-to-door begging for alms. During holy seasons, the poor could expect extra hospitality from wealthy parishioners, who reverenced the occasion by ramping up their corporal works of mercy.
During Hallowtide, people approached their neighbors and received soul cakes in exchange for prayers for the dead. This practice was called “souling.”
Today, it is children who benefit from seasonal generosity – and not only at Christmas! Halloween is one of the few occasions in modern society when people can approach a neighbor without invitation and expect joyful and spontaneous hospitality!
2
Community can be built
Halloween is the perfect opportunity to consider the needs of everyone in our community.
I have seen trick-or-treating stands set up in driveways, so that those with mobility impairment and disability don’t have to climb the porch steps or knock at the door.
My childhood neighbourhood had one house giving away water bottles to stay hydrated; another gave out treats of cool beverages for the grown-ups.
Trunk-or-treat is organised in parish parking lots to allow people who live in rural areas to join the festivities. Children and sensitive people can participate in daytime trick-or-treating, avoiding crowds, strobing lights, and triggering noises.
Treats like plastic spider rings or homemade felted acorns are a way to include those with allergies and food intolerances.
What are the needs of your community? Consider ways you can make Halloween and coming together accessible for everyone.
3
Creativity can be encouraged
People think outside the box to bring fun and originality to Halloween.
Creative costumes and decorations, especially homemade ones, give children an opportunity to use thrift and skills. My neighborhood growing up put on a family-friendly haunted house out of someone’s garage! Seeing how people use their God-given talents to enrich others’ lives is such a special part of the holiday.
4
Isolation can be overcome
Despite increasing technological advances, people are becoming more socially isolated.
Halloween gives us an excuse to bake cookies for our children’s classes; to throw a party; to invite someone in for a cup of hot apple cider or a spooky film. It brings children together to have something to look forward to, while practising gratitude and modelling generosity.
Even the arch symbol of the holiday, the jack-o-lantern, is a lamp set out in the night, to alert passers-by that there is someone inside who will answer the door.
5
Our departed can be remembered
A big part of Catholic devotion is remembering and praying for our dead.
Hallowtide ushers in the month of November, which is dedicated to the holy souls in Purgatory. In Mexico and eastern Europe, the deceased are invited to a meal with their loved ones in homes and graveyards. Candles are lit in remembrance.
As Catholics, we pray for the souls in Purgatory, who are not able to pray for themselves. This inclusion bears witness to our belief that death is only temporary, and that Christ has conquered it.
And today we celebrate...