Priest: Catholics SHOULD Celebrate Hallowe’en
Editor writes…
There are a number of comments thanking Father for his “guidance” and praising his talk. Here are some, though, from viewers who disagree…
From the YouTube Platform…
He’s so….. wrong
I think Halloween is a good opportunity to go against the tide. If you do not put a costume in Halloween, you will test your faith. You will test what hard is to follow Jesus. Your kids will learn to be brave.
I’m Catholic and I’m so embarrassed of this kind of “fathers” they are more like new world order 😔 May God and our Holy Mary protect us from evil
I’m sorry but you are 100% wrong, when You celebrate Halloween, you are giving the devil [praise]. Please Fr. Do more research. We have to be mindful of what we do as you invite the devil into your life and home when you celebrate Halloween.
Anton LaVey, the founder of the church of Satan, himself declared that by dressing up, either by wearing a costume or by coloring oneself in celebration of Halloween, signifies that you allow Satan to own you. He further said that when you adopt the pagan practices, you subconsciously dedicate yourself to the devil. He took joy in Christians who take part in the tradition, saying: I am glad that Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year. Welcome to Halloween.
Halloween is sheer witchcraft, period.
Wow completely wrong this is wrong. The explanation is completely wrong. Catholics don’t celebrate Halloween. Catholics celebrate all saints Day.
Then, finally, the most entertaining response of all…
Don’t listen to this priest… Pope will tell you the right thing.
Comments (16)
This seems to be a phenomenon that has taken a hold in my lifetime. I never remember hearing about Halloween when I was a child – but now, it’s everywhere. Neighbours have the fronts of their houses decked out in fake spider’s webs and those horrible pumpkin heads on display, and images of ghosts and ghouls. The local supermarket is stuffed with Halloween foods and paraphernalia. Local kids ring on your door ‘trick or treating’ (I never answer the front door on Halloween in the evening because of it). It’s so ingrained round here now. It must be very difficult for Catholic parents to keep their kids away from it. I suspect a lot of them go along with it, deeming it to be harmless. Kids being kids, a lot of them will want to do what they see their peers doing. I believe it to be demonic in origin, as it contributes to the paganising of society.
WF,
One of the (Summorum Pontificum) priests introduced an alternative to the ghosts and ghouls dressing up, which proved to be popular. On Halloween he held an Angels and Saints Party in his parish hall, where the young people (and over time, some of the parents, too) dressed up and were prepared to give a short account of the life of their chosen angel or saint. There was a prize for the best costume. There were also some simple games, food and sweets, and it was lots of fun – my Great-nephews and niece thoroughly enjoyed it. The evening began with Mass and thereafter the litany of the saints.
This would be something that ALL parishes could do, without too much effort, and it would be an invaluable teaching tool. Sanctity Versus Evil, with sanctity (food, sweets, games, prizes) clearly being the better choice 😀
What I find heartening, though, about the above video, is the fact that, on a quick skim of the comments, it seems to me that more viewers disagreed with Fr Leo than agreed with him. Deo gratias!
Editor,
This Canadian isn’t keen on Angels & Saints substitute Hallowe’en celebrations, although I’m not sure I agree with him. I think I’m open minded on this one.
https://angelsandsaints967927664.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/5-reasons-catholic-alternatives-halloween-wont-last-instead/
Fidelis,
I get what that Canadian man means, and it can look like extremism to not join in Halloween celebrations, but I don’t think it’s good to go along with the extremes of that, either – like dressing up as ghosts and vampires. I think he, and the priest in the video, are on shaky ground, to say the least.
Editor,
Our parish is doing exactly what you describe, though not in the same order (Rosary first, then Litany of the Saints, then procession to the Undercroft for the All Saints party). In fact, one year we had a parishioner dressed as St. Peter, sitting at the Undercroft door, asking every child to say something about the saint they were dressed as before they were allowed into the party.
RCA Victor,
I think, on reflection, that it was simply the Litany of the Saints, not Mass at the beginning of the party, held in a Glasgow parish. It strikes me that it would have been less than edifying to see all those (fake!) saints and angels in the congregation for Mass!
On another subject… in case you don’t realise it… you may have an email problem; I emailed you earlier today and it bounced back. Then, in the spirit of “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”, I sent the same message again and again until ultimately I stopped sending it, this time in the spirit of “when it’s obviously not going to work, chuck it!”
Nothing important. I was just letting you know that I’d won the lottery and asking for your bank details to send you a couple of million. It’ll keep 😀
Westminster Fly,
I don’t like the way Halloween is becoming more Americanised, with the decking out of the front of houses and gardens, I agree with you there. I’ve never seen that where I live, but I’ve seen the photos. I also very much agree that it’s contributing to the paganising of society.
Josephine,
Yes – Americanised, that’s it. You’ve hit the nail on the head. I think this stuff was very popular in the USA probably as far back as the ’50’s, and as usual, the UK blindly follows their lead – which would explain why I never heard of it when I was a child in the late ’60’s/early 70’s. I think what helped to gain it popularity over here was a horror film about a psychopath murderer from the USA called Halloween, which spawned a series of sequels – I think it first came out in the late 70’s. It all seemed to kick off over here after that. There’s a lot of house decorating going on round here. My next door neighbours have already got Halloween stickers of bats, spiders’ webs etc in one of their windows – which wouldn’t be quite so weird except they’re in their 30’s and have no kids! Bizarre.
Westminsterfly,
LOL! In their 30’s and no kids! That really is bizarre. But if the Covid experience has taught us anything, it’s how easily people are led into doing what is the popular thing to do, no reasoning necessary.
The first point to be made here is that those who, in their ignorance, participate in modern Halloween practices, do not by any means, consciously or subconsciously, give themselves to the devil. There has to be a very deliberate and conscious assent to serve the devil, otherwise it’s not devil worship per se.
Having said that, we know that hidden forces, people who really do serve the devil, have deliberately turned a beautiful Christian practice, i.e., devotion to the saints of God, into a demonic practice of celebrating ugliness and evil. This is no accident, it is deliberate manipulation of the ignorant at a time when Churchmen are failing to teach and sanctify. That priest in the video is misleading souls, then, by his comments. The only way to counter this demonic ruse is, as editor suggests, for Catholic parents to dress their children for Halloween in costumes representing the saints.
Athanasius,
I totally agree with your very balanced view, and yes, that priest is misleading souls.
It strikes me as all part of the diabolical disorientation foretold at Fatima, where Catholics are celebrating evil, literally, even if they don’t do so knowingly. Obviously, that may not be a sin, although we’re supposed to make sure we know what pleases and displeases God, i.e. what is the law of God, surely. It’s no defence to say you didn’t know the speed limit when you get a ticket, you’re supposed to know and no judge will pay attention to that as a defence if you appeal your ticket.
Saying that, I was like most kids when I was young and did dress up and go out for Halloween, although we didn’t call lit trick or treating, we just said “anything for our Halloween” at the doors of our neighbours and in those days we’d be asked into the neighbours’ houses and we would be expected to sing or dance or say a poem. Then we’d be given some sweets or fruit. It was really innocent. I can’t even remember what I dressed up as so I hope it wasn’t a vampire, LOL!
I like the idea of the Angels and Saints parties though – yes, that’s something parishes could and should do, IMHO.
I like that last Phrase ( Don’t Worry The Pope will Tell You what to do ) I know not how many saw Bergoglios opening ( so called) Mass at the Sinnod on Sinnodality . My God it was as if Christopher Columbus was Entering into an Aztec Palace . With Guys Rattling Rattles and Havering in all kinds of Languages ,except of course Latin.
When you think of it though ,Bergoglio is now a Legend as far as these Sinnods are concerned. Just think of what His next one will be called.
The Sinnod on Sinnodality to Talk about Sinnods on Sinnodality. Then it will be .
The Sinnodality of Sinnods to End the Talks on the Sinnods of Sinnodality .
You have to give Bergoglio Credit ,the Mans a Genius .
I also see another good Priest has come out ,and Dare He Say It ,called Bergoglio a Bad Pope.
It was Fr Kirkby. I assume He will be joining the ranks of Cancelled Priests within the next
few Weeks . He’ll need to start packing his bags .
Halloween, for Catholics, is the vigil of All Saints Day (All Hallows Eve), but of course it has been co-opted by the profane and the occult.
I used to go trick or treating when I was a kid, back in the 50s (that’s 1950s, not 1850s, Ed…..). I had a leather jacket that made me look like a motorcycle gang member, and carried a little bucket or a pillowcase to store candy bars.
But back then there were no ghoulish yard decorations and dark overtones. It was just a child’s occasion to ring doorbells, greet the neighbors and get some candy (and back then no one knew Snickers bars were bad for you!). Now it’s a big retail business, and some people even put orange lights up on their houses or on their trees, as they would do for Christmas.
Interesting how profit always seems to grease the skids for evil to take over.
To sum up the Times we Live in now Victor.
Overhere a Parent usually goes along now with the Children, For Safety of course. Again back in the 50s here, everyone went out as Al Jolson ,although at the time we didn’t know it .
Pre St Greta Days . When we had Dare I say it , Coal Fires ,it was some Soot rubbed onto our Face and out we would go . But we usually went to a Door and said. ” Al Dance and Sing, if You let me in and give me my Halloween “. Most neighbors would let you in and you stood and sang a song.
Or maybe I should say we tried to sing a song.
Nowadays I wouldn’t let a Child into my Home , for obvious reasons of course.
RCA Victor,
I’ve just remembered something hilarious – well, I think it’s hilarious now, although I was mortified at the time.
It was at the end of my visit to Virginia, USA, and a friend (Veronica) was driving me to the airport to catch my return journey flight. I’d seen all the preparations going on for Halloween (it was October, in case you haven’t guessed) and it was amazing to see the extensive efforts to decorate the outside the houses.
Veronica had to make a stop, so parked in a small car park and asked me to wait in the car while she went into one of the shops. On our way out of the carpark I screeched to stop, I’d just seen a human arm hanging out of a car boot. It was SO lifelike, and I’d read so many murder stories that I was convinced I’d just uncovered a crime…
My chauffeur laughed heartily, explaining that it was part of a Halloween costume, adding that I must really think they’re callous, committing a murder and not even bothering to properly hide the body! I recovered my composure and joined in the laughter,
It was a relief to get back into the plane, get back home to (near) normal people… 😀
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