Halloween and All Saints’ Day

In less than two weeks from now, people all over the world will celebrate Halloween. To me, this is a really interesting phenomenon; I don’t think that these people believe in ghosts or ghouls or monsters. Nor that they would say there is any particular reason to dress up as one of them on the 31^st.

Halloween is the commercialised hybrid of All-Souls Day and the Celtic feast of Samhain – it isn’t a feast of importance to any existing people or faith. There’s no reason for Halloween to be celebrated. Yet, despite Halloween’s lack of meaning and relevance it is adored, and fortunes are spent on it each year.

People love Halloween because it is fun, not because they believe in it. They enjoy dressing up, eating sweets and decorations. It is meaningless spooky fun.

Now, rather than an empty show of frivolity, wouldn’t it be better to celebrate something we actually believe in?

If there was a day to celebrate soon, surely All Saints’ Day is the best. The feast of All Saints is a celebration like no other:

• We celebrate the victory of goodness over evil.
• We give thanks to God for the thousands of named and officially recognised saints as well as for the millions of unrecognised saints,
• By celebrating the saints, we celebrate and honour our own histories,
• We celebrate our own hope of heaven,
• We encourage each other to do good, and to be our true best,
  and most important of all we celebrate the never ending joy of heaven.

So rather than dressing up as imaginary monsters, why not dress as a real hero? Why celebrate imaginary fear, when we can celebrate true love?

Come and join the Cathedral Parish as we celebrate the never-ending joy of the saints. This Sunday, October 29^th 2023, in the Haydon Hall, 55 Franklin Street Forrest after the 11am Mass.

All are welcome to join the All Saints’ Day party!

Children and adults are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite saints, entertainment and activities have been planned, and food has been generously provided.

Come and celebrate the real and true joy of all the Saints.