While faithful Catholics in the Diocese of Orange, California, can get in a lot of trouble for kneeling to receive Communion or wanting to show greater reverence for the Eucharist, Gerald notices that holding a Halloween Mass and encouraging everyone to come in costume is just fine. From the church bulletin of Corpus Christi “Catholic-Christian community” in Aliso Viejo:
In anticipation of All Hallows Eve parishioners are invited to come to Mass in costume (yep…that means adults AND kids). In addition, families/individuals are invited to carve a family Fred- O’Lantern (related to Jack but a lot more fun) for placement around the altar. Special treats (and very few tricks) will be available to the young and young at heart at all the Masses. In addition, let the wondering and guessing begin as to who or what FKB (Fred K. Bailey, the pastor) will become at the end of Mass; final clue: I love you, you love me. While some church communities scare their members with silly talk of Halloween being devil worship and other such nonsense, we Catholic-Christians understand that All Hallows Eve is the EVE of All Saint’s Day, an autumn celebration that honors our spiritual heritage.
And what, pray tell, does dressing up as Barney the Dinosaur and pumpkin carving and other trappings of the secular event have to do with All Saints’ Day? If you want to have a Halloween party in the parish hall after Mass, I have no problem with that. But the Eucharist is a solemn celebration of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
I wonder if “FKB” would show up for jury duty in his Barney costume. I doubt it. Yet if he would show such honor and respect to a secular institution, how much more honor and respect should we show to our Lord and Savior?
Technorati Tags:Catholic, Halloween, liturgical abuse, Mass, Orange
“All Saint’s Day, an autumn celebration that honors our spiritual heritage.”
Yeah, they took the words right out of my mouth. That’s exactly how I would describe All Saint’s Day.
Looks like those supermarket or office supply store programs where a percentage of your purchase can be designated for your kids’ school or the like.
Some years ago our parish had an saints party after church, IE kids were asked only to wear costumes that reflected saints… and could wear them to mass since the gathering was afterwards. I think the goal was to try to encourage kids in choosing heroic saints instead of lesser hero images…
I can imagine the crossed wires among some kids. They might think Barney died for their sins.
I don’t know who this person is who keeps posting poems in the comment boxes, but I consider it off-topic.
If you want to engage in a conversation, use the comments. Otherwise your original creative work should go on your own web site. Or at least ask permission first.
That would be the polite thing.
I would love to have a party after the vigil Mass on Hallowe’en, but I am pretty sure the question of wearing costumes to Mass would come up. And even dressed as saints, that doesn’t seem quite right to me.
NJ Dad,
Do you believe everything you read in comboxes?
People have accused Dom of all sorts of untrue things in these comment boxes. And guess what, he deletes slanderous posts!
Unless you have verifiable proof, you shouldn’t repeat such accusations.
NJDad:
No it doesn’t. I’ve seen the listing you’re referring to and it does not such thing. You are a liar and have offered no real evidence. On top of that you are putting an invalid email address in your comment. That will result in you being banned. And since your use of certain words will attract spammers and other unsavory elements, I am removing your last post.