Fr. Wilson’s Weekly Address

Dear Parishioners,

I’m often asked by people if it’s appropriate for Catholics to celebrate Halloween—after all, it’s all about witches, ghosts and skeletons. Actually, it’s not! Halloween is a contraction of the phrase “All Hallows’ Eve”, meaning the day before All Hallows’ (Saints) Day. It was a day of celebration before the Solemn Feast of All Saints. For centuries, Catholics held joyful feasts in honor of the saints and in thanksgiving for their prayers and support as we struggle to join them in God’s kingdom. Unfortunately, pagan customs began to infiltrate our Catholic celebrations and All Hallows’ Eve devolved into our secular “Halloween”.

Does that mean we shouldn’t enjoy the day? Of course not! Halloween is good fun for children. However, we should steer clear of the occult (anything dealing with demons, devils, fortune tellers, séances, tarot cards, etc.), the macabre and the gruesome. Perhaps, you could encourage your children to choose a saint for a costume? That would be a wonderful tribute to Halloween’s true meaning. Of course, princesses, firefighters and cartoon characters are perfectly fine. Enjoy the evening with your children and grandchildren! And I’ll see you the next day to celebrate our great saints on All Saints Day!

God bless you in the week ahead.

Fr. Wilson

PS Our Final Marian Devotions will be celebrated this Tuesday at 7:00 PM. If you haven’t joined us as yet, you are missing some amazing graces! Please join us as we honor Jesus and Mary one last time this month—you’ll be happy you did!

PPS We will have a special Mass of Remembrance in honor of our beloved dead on All Souls Day, Monday, November 2nd at 7:00 PM. I will recite the names of those whose Funeral Masses were celebrated at our parish this past year and place a rose in a vase near the altar. Our Parish Choir and Bell Choir will join us as we pray for them and all our deceased family members and friends. Everyone is welcome to join us.