Dear Fellow Parishioners,

Within the next few days, we will celebrate what is really a triduum – i.e., a “three-dayer” – of Hallowe’en, the Solemnity of All Saints, and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. Traditionally, this three-day observance was known as “Allhallowtide.” Unfortunately, the connection between these three days is getting lost. “Hallow” is the archaic word for “saint” or “holy,” yet still familiar to anyone who prays the “Our Father”.

“Hallowe’en” is a contraction of “Hallows’ Eve,” the evening before the celebration of the saints. Even the apostrophe denoting the contraction of “Hallows’ Eve” is disappearing, but the history and custom remain. As with a number of cultural Christian celebrations, Hallowe’en is a mixture of Christian and pagan elements, which are even further rooted in human nature and development.

Even babies can play “peek-a-boo.” Often their first experience of humor is playing peek-a-boo with a parent, knowing the difference between “fake-scary” (which is fun) and “real-scary” (which isn’t). This is continued by older children who want to dress up as witches, monsters, ghouls, ghosts, whatever. Then there are sub-categories of super-heroes and princesses which are other kinds of archetypes. Taken together, they evince a subtle but powerful awareness of the forces of good and evil already forming their young consciences even before the age of reason. Like nearly all good fairy tales, they are children’s stories relaying adult themes.

All Souls’ Day has now largely been coopted by “Day of the Dead” which has taken on a distinctly more pagan character – so much so that it is celebrated in public schools and by civic groups as a month-long Hallowe’en carnival. It’s like popular myths about heaven – God is nowhere to be found. It is my intention moving forward to regain a Christian and Christ-centered focus on these feasts which go back to the early Church.

Two final points about All Souls’ Day: praying for the dead is a practice which goes back to the catacombs of the early Church, and even pre-dates them, (2 Maccabees 12:14-16,). All Souls is also one of the most ecumenical observances of the year, as so many Christian faith communities – from the Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans and Lutherans, to the Methodists and Baptists and other Protestant communities – all celebrate it in one way or another. The sadness of death, the resurrection of the body, and the promise of immortality are the great challenges and hopes we share.

Blessings, Fr. Bill Donahue