....increase each year.
Friday's Daily Telegraph carried a report that the multi national stores and major employers are censoring (good word that) all Halloween costumery that might cause offence.
We all know what that means. No more wild eyed arab masks, no more "gay" outfits and no more butch gear for the....you know who types.
But, believe me, that censorship will not include any mad monk outfits or saucy nun habits.
Commercial censorship is only concerned with giving offence to Muslims, Homosexuals and Lesbians (and the in-betweeners).
I know of one parish where the priest has made valiant efforts to encourage parents to revive Halloween as a Catholic event where the children dress up as their favourite saints.
No interest from the parish.
Not ghoulish enough, not zombie enough, too "holy" and we mustn't have that!
But, if you do wish to hold a Halloween party, and why not? you can do it with a Catholic (and original) theme.
Here is how one commentator and friend (Mommymayhem) and her family celebrate All Saints' Eve......
Thank you GM.
Friday's Daily Telegraph carried a report that the multi national stores and major employers are censoring (good word that) all Halloween costumery that might cause offence.
We all know what that means. No more wild eyed arab masks, no more "gay" outfits and no more butch gear for the....you know who types.
 |
| Standard Halloween costume.... .....who cares about offending Catholics? |
But, believe me, that censorship will not include any mad monk outfits or saucy nun habits.
Commercial censorship is only concerned with giving offence to Muslims, Homosexuals and Lesbians (and the in-betweeners).
I know of one parish where the priest has made valiant efforts to encourage parents to revive Halloween as a Catholic event where the children dress up as their favourite saints.
No interest from the parish.
Not ghoulish enough, not zombie enough, too "holy" and we mustn't have that!
But, if you do wish to hold a Halloween party, and why not? you can do it with a Catholic (and original) theme.
Here is how one commentator and friend (Mommymayhem) and her family celebrate All Saints' Eve......
Thank you GM.
I'm with you all the way on this, and with 5th November and Guy Fawkes, who is one of my heroes. (You are welcome to delete this comment if it is too strong.)
ReplyDeleteI would like to be able to be sure both of the precise existance and extent of the following , also whether all or some Canadian catholic customs jerked Satan into pushing US noncatholic worthies into organizing the Halloween which we know and abhor today. certainly before USA protestants dressedup little kids. Canadian Scots probabaly "guised."that seems to be on record everywhere.
DeleteFor all that public-spirited local worthies among our non catholic cousins nearly a century ago were apalled at the licence given young men on the 31st after dark stateside for rowdiness and mayhem, their solution created a counterfeast- Luther in condemning prayers for the dead , leading to all saints' banning left even the best of our fellow-baptised with a blindspot and a prejudice.
Anyhow
I understand that a touch over a hundred years ago , when they were the only ones who would be at mass on the morrow, unlike Christmas or Easter, well despised Catholics , at least some in Canada, did the following, with varaitions:
I like the idea for kids, neighbours barn, church hall, school hall , similar, not just saints, MARTYRS.
Not just dressed up, All Acted, by kids, On stage
With blood and death , papiermache heads etc for eg Thomas (More) (before his canonization).Plenty of tomato or other juice for blood. Beheadings, executions, ...papiermache axes, swords...
Tempting devil for saint and whispers into persecutors ears. , triumphant martyrs entry into heaven , devil stomped on.Guardian angels.THE WORKS.
The four last things with a bang, not dumbed down for little ones.
Some playlets of Saints who died naturally? the kids there's own baptismal names saints lives presented - sure .
But please, meat , meat meat, not pap pap pap .
Ok , cakes and buns, how about pizza ? Applebobbing, why not, fruit juice, ok , and something stronger for mum and Dad.Anything wrong with beginning and ending with a prayer.?
And mass the following day
My worry is that if its not strongly and definitely catholic enough, it may instil the idea of dressing up on the 31st and too little else.
I think one needs to pray through the evening of halloween with one's family , and watch out for Catholic schools getting fully into it as they have stateside.
Halloween needs prayer and resistance to its spread and influence.
Chris, your comments are always cherished and are not to be deleted. And I agree about Guy Fawkes.
DeleteI grew up in Communist Poland. Week before All Souls Day, and All Saints Day, our Public School........ year after year, organized school trip to the cemetery. The children together with their teachers, were cleaning abandoned graves, collecting change money (we were all poor), to buy candles, to buy 'chrysanthemums'. The weather then, by this time was freezing, but the cemeteries were busy as 'bee hives'. There was a great excitement in the air, our Churches were full everyday, candles for the dead lit all over the Church.
ReplyDeleteThe Vigil of All Souls Day, and All Saints Day Feasts........was the most 'holy', most 'majestic' and most glorious nights........(we had NO Halloween). Day and night, bells were ringing.......days and nights spent in Church and in the cemetery......nobody slept. The cemeteries looked like a 'wonderland' a foretaste of heaven.......all lit in candles, flowers everywhere, people everywhere kneeling, praying Litany to the Souls in Purgatory, Litany to the Saints.........individual, or in groups.......Love and holy hope was in All hearts. Catholicism at it's best. Priests, nuns in their habits everywhere.......One in Faith!
At the end of 1971 as a sixteen year old girl, I came with my mother to this country..........to the Protestant country of Halloween, where all Catholic children, and adults were, and many still are....... participants.
Today, children in once Catholic Poland are celebrating Halloween........how quickly 'errors' spread, if there's nobody to guard holy Catholic Tradition. When the 'Shepherds' are asleep, almost in lethargy.........or maybe, just simply corrupted themselves.
BUT, who am I to judge!
.....All ye, who would honor The saints and their Head......Remember, remember........To pray for the dead; And they, in return, from their misery freed......To you will be friends in the hour of need. Amen.
As we gaze upon your glory Saints of God, in heaven's own light, teach us how we, too, may join you, how to win those drowns so bright.
Ah! we shrink from pain and sorrow, we are frightened when we hear;
We must live in constant struggles, We must die to all that's dear.
If the path be rough and thorny, at the end all pain shall cease; If the battle be a fierce one, There shall be eternal peace. Amen
I think my town has decided to ignore Halloween as the Christmas decorations went up last week and were even lit up when I went past!
ReplyDeletePelerin - I want to move there!
ReplyDeletehttp://againstthetide-cat.blogspot.co.uk/
ReplyDeleteWe had a Saint themed party tea.
Sorry, Mummymayhem, I've been reading too many American blogs - you are not Mommymayhem!
ReplyDeleteAha Richard, It was sent by Momangelica and was one of her daughters', Lauren, 'who made it. This year, all but two family members were with us on the weekend, eleven adults,six grandchildren had a 'night of light' with a good old fireworks display. The hollowed out Pumpkins was turned into a delicious spicy soup accompanied by crusty bread. It was "mayham" of the best kind.I was able to show my mother Lauren's pumpkin thanks to your blog. (take a look at facebook snap of her 10 month saying pumpkin- so cute)
ReplyDeleteDrat! I am getting my Mummys/Mommys all mixed up....happens more and more these days :(
Delete