Happy Hallowe’en

No, that’s not a typo. And here’s the real story of the celebration of this day, though we do it now in a mighty different way than it was originally observed. Which is why a lot of parents are concerned about what their kids get caught up in with the pop culture’s craze for creepiness on Halloween.

Can even innocent children’s parties, trick-or-treating, dressing up like witches and ghosts on October 31 — as almost all Americans have done for generations — be participating in a pagan religious celebration? Worse, is it a way of seducing our kids into the occult or devil worship?

Are we compromising our religious beliefs and principles by letting our children, even if innocently, dabble in something that has its origins in evil? As Catholic families, what is our obligation to be consistent and true to our faith?

As this annual event grows larger and more popular in what looks like a party with the dark side, those are legitimate questions. And more parents are asking them. But Women for Faith & Family has some good answers.

We think that Hallowe’en can be a real teaching moment. Despite what many people think — or what some modern-day “witches” may claim — Hallowe’en is and has always been a Christian holiday.

The word Hallowe’en itself is a contraction of “Hallowed evening”. Hallowed is an old English word for “holy” — as in “Hallowed be Thy Name”, in the Lord’s Prayer.

Why is this evening “hallowed”? Because is is the eve of the Feast of All Saints — which used to be called All Hallows. Like Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and the Easter Vigil, the Church’s celebration of her greatest feasts begins the evening before. (This follows the ancient Jewish practice of beginning the celebration of the Sabbath at sundown on Friday evening.)

We need to begin to re-Christianize or re-Catholicize Hallowe’en by repairing the broken link to its Christian meaning and significance. We need to reattach it to All Saints Day — and to All Souls Day, for it is only in relation to this that we can understand the original and true significance of the “hallowed eve”.

So there may be a lot of ugly creatures out there walking around today looking like the grim reaper, or worse. But tomorrow belongs to the saints.

If somebody shows up at your door dressed as a saint on this Eve of All Saints Day, give them an extra treat.