As autumn sweeps through Quebec, schools and streets bloom with Halloween’s spiders, ghosts, pumpkins, and witches. As a Catholic living in a secular culture, I feel a deep unease about this holiday. Many see it as harmless fun—treats for kids, playful costumes—but its implications stir my heart.
Costumes, whether superheroes or darker figures, seem to flirt with shadows. In a world where evil often moves unveiled, I wonder: are we normalizing darkness? Scripture calls us to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, RSVCE). Halloween’s imagery feels at odds with the light of Christ, who shines “in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5, RSVCE). Yet, I hold hope, trusting we can choose what lifts our souls toward God.
My unease deepens with All Saints’ Day, now set in autumn near Halloween, a shift from its earlier summer observance in some ancient traditions. This change, rooted in the Church’s history—likely formalized in the 8th century under Pope Gregory III to align with cultural harvest festivals—feels overshadowed by Halloween’s secular tide. All Saints’ Day should be a radiant celebration of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1, RSVCE), whose lives point us to Christ, the “way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, RSVCE). Instead, its sacredness is often drowned in costumes and candy, diluting its call to holiness.
Am I wrong to step back from Halloween and long for a purer All Saints’ Day? In a secular world, I feel called to live counter-culturally, anchoring my life in Gospel truth. By sharing the saints’ stories of love and courage, we can inspire each other to seek God’s light over worldly shadows.
Lord, grant me discernment to navigate this culture and hope to embrace Your truth. May the saints guide us to Your heart. Amen.
Be Inspired! 
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