As the leaves done warmer colors and we pull out our crockpots, an autumnal question that many Catholics consider is regarding the observation (or avoidance) of Halloween.
I understand both sides of this debate, and regardless of where you land, I think it's important to understand the Catholic roots of Halloween.
Halloween is Catholic
October 31st, culturally known as "Halloween," is actually a part of a Catholic three-day celebration called Hallowtide.
October 31st is the vigil of the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st. All Saints' Day is one of the biggest feasts in the Church, and Catholics have long celebrated its eve.
On November 2nd, the Church celebrates All Souls' Day, in which we remember the faithful departed who are being purified in Purgatory. We remember our beloved dead and pray for the souls in Purgatory to soon enjoy the Beatific Vision.
"Halloween" is traditionally called "All Hallows' Eve" (the eve of All Saints' Day). Linguistically, this has morphed from All-Hallows'-Eve to Hallow-een.
Is Halloween Evil?
Unfortunately, like all things good, true, and beautiful, the enemy hates these feasts that are central to our Church year. So he seeks to distort. And that's certainly happened with Halloween!
Secularly, it's become a celebration of darkness and mockery of what is holy. There are certainly stores and streets we avoid that blatantly display items and images that are meant to inspire horror rather than hope.
However, Catholics have an opportunity to reclaim for Christ what rightfully belongs to Him! By reeducating ourselves and our families about Hallowtide, and bringing those observations and celebrations into our homes, we can present a more life-giving witness to our community.
How to Celebrate a Catholic Halloween
If you want to reclaim Hallowtide in your home, we have a guide for your entire family! Our packet for Hallowtide covers the three days of All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. It's a simple, reusable guide including prayers, hymns, art, nature study, and activities to pick and choose from depending on your season of life.
Let these small celebrations become a huge part of your family culture!
Ready to dive deeper?
Here are 4 ways to fill your nets...
1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses
2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how.
3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you.
4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!
