31/10 HALLOWEEN

There isn’t actually a feast of “Halloween”.

Despite there being lots of confusion to its origins, it is part of an authentically Catholic tradition. Despite the modern fascination with scary stuff, it’s actually a way of celebrating life, but by remembering and praying for the dead.

The name Halloween is a blending of the phrase ‘All-Hallows-Eve’. All Hallows Day is the olde English way of saying 'All Saints Day', the solemnity celebrated on November 1st. On this feast, we celebrate all those who lived a life of faith by loving God and their neighbour, making the world a better place.

This is followed by 'All Souls Day' on 2nd November. Here we remember and pray for all other Holy Souls, including our own friends and relatives who have died. We pray for them on their journey to God in Heaven, and we ask their prayers as Saints in Heaven to aid and support us.

The origin of trick-or-treating is that children would go door-to-door offering to pray for the family's dead in exchange for cake.

Take a moment to think of those in your own family who have died. Let us pray for them now as we say:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

May their souls

and the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God.

Rest in peace. Amen