Keeping the “Holy” in Halloween
Can I celebrate Halloween? Yes…as long as you keep the “holy” in “All Hallow’s Eve.”
Halloween has significant Catholic roots. In a Vatican News article, Dr. Marcell Brown, of the Alcuin Institute for Catholic Culture in Tulsa, explained that Halloween is celebrated on the eve of a great solemnity. The word “hallows” comes from an older English word meaning “holy.” It is a time when Catholics celebrate the triumph of the Church in heaven and the lives of the saints on earth. Now, that’s a reason to celebrate!
All Hallow’s Eve is the vigil of All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1st. On this day, Catholics remember the saints who are now in heaven with our Lord. On November 2nd, we remember and pray for the faithful departed on All Souls’ Day, especially those undergoing purification in purgatory. Remembering the dead is not about ghosts and goblins. It is a reminder to respect the dead, pray for those who have gone before us, and recognize that how we live today matters for eternity.
In the World, but Not of the World
Like many Christian holidays, Halloween has become popularized by secular culture in ways that do not always reflect its true meaning. But does that mean we should simply avoid celebrating? Or is this an opportunity to bring our Catholic faith into the culture around us?
We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to live differently because we were created for something more. We were made for holiness, for communion with God, and to be His light in the world.
This is where the integration of faith and life becomes so important.
What We Believe Must Become What We Live
The goal of catechesis is to form disciples of Jesus Christ. Catechesis is not simply another subject to be taught in a classroom or a collection of doctrines to be memorized. The truths of our faith are meant to serve every area of human life. What we pray is what we believe, but it must also be what we live. This is what the Church calls lex vivendi, a life in Christ.
As catechists, parents, and teachers, we have a responsibility to help young people recognize that their faith is not something reserved for Sunday Mass, Theology class, or prayer before meals. Our faith should influence how we treat others, the choices we make, the entertainment we enjoy, and even the way we celebrate holidays.
St. John Paul II taught about the importance of bringing the Gospel into the cultures in which we live. This does not mean simply accepting everything that culture offers. Rather, we are called to meet people where they are and allow Christ to bring renewal and transformation. We do not have to separate ourselves from the world to live holy lives. We are called to bring Christ into the world through the way that we live.
Halloween provides a simple example of this.
The custom of dressing up can become an opportunity to celebrate the saints who offer their lives as real examples of the imitation of Christ. We can enjoy the festivities and traditions while remembering the deeper meaning of the celebration. At the same time, we should be mindful of things that are contrary to our Catholic faith, particularly those that glamorize superstition, witchcraft, sorcery, divination, magic, and the occult (CCC 2110–2117).
The point is not to take away the fun of Halloween. It is to remember who we are and what we are called to become.
Made for More: Our Call to Holiness
Jesus is our model Teacher. He prayed with His disciples, showed them how to live and love, and gave them a mission to form other disciples. As catechists, we are called to do the same. Teaching the doctrines of our faith is essential, but we must also teach others how to live in Christ. We cannot simply tell our students to be holy. We must model a life deeply rooted in faith and accompany them as they learn to make Christ part of their everyday lives.
Our participation in the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Eucharist, gives us the grace to live this calling. What we celebrate in the liturgy should transform how we live outside the walls of the Church. Our faith becomes visible through prayer, works of charity and justice, Christian virtue, and the love and peace we bring to the world around us.
As we celebrate Halloween and prepare for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, perhaps we can look beyond the costumes and candy and consider what these celebrations reveal about our own call to holiness.
We were not created simply to fit into the world. We were created to become saints.
And that is a reason to celebrate!
