I’ve always loved Halloween and now enjoy seeing the excited children trick-or-treating for their candies.
Driving around these days I see so many houses decorated for All Hallow’s Eve and have to say there has been a significant shift in the choice of displays. I grew up with playful paper decorations of pumpkins, black cats, spiders and bats, if any decorations were present. Today most decorations, intended to scare the children, are inflatable devils, huge skeletons, flashing lights, smoke, ghosts, ghoulish clown, loud noises and tombstones. It’s making me think.
In Christianity, All Hallow’s Eve was originally the vigil of All Saint’s Day, a day to honour ALL saints, known & unknown. Traditionally, as Catholics, we honour them by attending Mass, reflecting on their lives and visiting the graves of our loved ones for All Souls Day.
Is the move to demonic decoration something I should attend to? Have I a responsibility to reconsider my own vigil preparation and witness to its original purpose? I think so.
Maybe in addition to giving out treats I will send each child/family away with a smile, a Happy All Saints Day greeting and a God Bless you. I look forward to the reactions!
And to you, Happy All Saints Day!
-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate
Image: Neven Krcmarek/K. Mitch Hodge/Unsplash