On a special feast day for the Church, families mix faith, fun and the communion of the saints
Sydney Catholics reclaimed All Hallows Eve this year – celebrating in a way both festive and faithful.
As the night before All Saints’ Day followed by All Souls’ Day, it’s a festival with deeply religious roots. Today it’s being resurrected as a time of remembering saints and departed souls once again.
Ditching ghost and ghoul costumes in favour of saints and holiness, young families celebrated an event embraced by the secular world – but with its foundations in Catholic tradition.
“People around the world responded in overwhelmingly favourable terms to Sydney’s mini martyrs and small saints, with more than 200,000 people viewing the Sydney Archdiocese Facebook page alone.”
Families agreed that by dressing up as those known for their holiness, it’s a great way of not only learning about the saints but also imagining how life can be lived following their example of Christian discipleship.
People around the world responded in overwhelmingly favourable terms to Sydney’s mini martyrs and small saints, with more than 200,000 people viewing the Sydney Archdiocese Facebook page alone.
“So glad to see, it should be encouraged every year in every Catholic school,” one wrote.
“Thank God for seeing the light and standing up for our faith, God bless all of the children participating,” wrote another.
“I totally abhor all this ignorance and making fun of the spirit world, having ministered to dying and grieving families for nearly 50 years, all this trick or treat rubbish confuses our young people about the reality that in death, life is changed, not ended,” commented another.
Three-year-old Joachime Narciso dressed up as a mini Mary and had so much fun her family are already looking towards next year.
Mum Joalyn said she and her husband read the Bible to their daughter every night. It’s a great opportunity for her to find out about holy people and how they lived, she said.
“It was such a lovely way for her to learn about the saints and in particular Mama Mary.”
“Last year we got more involved in the secular aspect of Halloween so when our parish priest suggested we dress our kids up as saints this year we couldn’t wait,” the parishioner of St Margaret Mary’s Church at Merrylands said.
“It was such a lovely way for her to learn about the saints and in particular Mama Mary, which she chose.
“We are hoping to make this a real family tradition and are already looking at which saints we’ll dress her up as next year.”
