The point about intersecting with the vigil I suppose is well-taken, but the points related to the substantive content of Halloween as such are less so. I think Halloween’s history and cultural meaning are varied and amorphous enough to accommodate a virtuous and jovial celebration thereof. I think the “Halloween season”, so to speak, is at least worthwhile. In my view, it’s helpful and healthy for society to have a period to reflect on the liminal, the uncanny, the paranormal, and of course death itself. This is especially true in a society such as our own that for so many has become disenchanted. Can these subjects be engaged with in an unhelpful or harmful way? Of course, but misuse doesn’t negate right use. There are many great and poignant horror movies and books, for example, and trick-or-treating is a simply wonderful experience I wish didn’t seem to be dwindling in recent years. Q.E.D.
Thanks for reading, Ben! Good to hear from you. I admittedly do not see what you thought I was mistaken about. It sounds like you grant, at least for the sake of argument, the reason about liturgy. Is it the first reason? Or is it that neither reason justifies my not allowing my family to trick-or-treat? Everything you said appears consistent with (if not explicitly affirmed in) my piece. E.g.,
>I think the “Halloween season”, so to speak, is at least worthwhile. In my view, it’s helpful and healthy for society to have a period to reflect on the liminal, the uncanny, the paranormal, and of course death itself.
I agree! That's why I said:
>These days [Allhallowtide or Halloween season as you've called it] carry profound liturgical and theological meaning in the Catholic Church calendar and in Catholic theology generally. The emphasis and symbolism of death are supposed to bring to mind the reality of the last things—of judgment, Heaven, and hell.
So I explicitly acknowledge the importance of those themes.
"Halloween in America has long been overtaken by themes and practices that are both unsightly and aligned with intrinsic evil." I think this is partially true, and why I concluded by saying we should reclaim it in Catholic (Christian) terms to recognize the true meaning, the vigil, and the actual feast day.
I agree also that misuse doesn’t negate right use-- abusus non tollit usum--but I don't think I said or implied otherwise.
My sincere apologies if I was unclear or if I've not understood your point!
Perhaps I just read too much into what you were saying, then. I took you to be implying that the Halloween season should only be centered around explicitly Catholic/liturgical themes and reflections, with no room for the more general cultural manifestations and meanings of the season (spookiness, trick or treat, ghosts, goblins, etc.). But if you weren't meaning to exclude any of the latter, then I reckon we're in agreement!
Also, let's have that long overdue call sometime soon. Hope you've been well!
I think we're pretty closely aligned. On my view there are some cultural manifestations (as you call them) that are pertinent and worth participating in, but most are not--that's the first point I raised. But even if all of them were great, it would still be an issue if engaging on our culture's terms meant that we lose the meaning of the feast day and the vigil, which I think has happened. That was the second reason.
And yes, we're long over due on the call! I'll send an email and we can get on that.
My folks being British and well-versed in the lore taught me that the ghoulishness of Halloween is a sort of confident taunt of things evil, rather like the boldness in daring death: "O death, where is your sting?" Again, a now little-used expression in English is "the devil do his worst" : a defiance of the horrors of evil knowing that Christ is the victor. Or if you're moving on with courage against all and sundry enemies you say "the devil take the hindmost:" a bit like urging all to move with you, or the straggler will be lost.
The fact that non-Christian elements have tried to subvert or subsume or set aside the deeper spiritual realities of a Christian highpoint - as at Christmas with commercialism even through Advent, and at Easter with chocolate, easter bunnies and groundhogs is no reason whatsoever to stop witnessing to these realities or retreating to the lights-off house.
Speaking for the child, I've always liked many of the Marvel comic-book series that conjure the unearthly likes of Thor or the Hulk, or DC comics with demons like The Joker, precisely because they give a farcical take on what various cultures have taken seriously as gods, avatars, demiurges and overlords. This fun-poking at the weird supernatural or the macabre is what I was taught lay behind the theatre of All-Hallows Eve. Our family would always get industrious making costumes including heavy cardboard shields and Viking helmets or a pinned on starched carpet for Aladdin's genie. Even to dress as a pirate or pirate's nemesis: the kraken was a share in the one time when youth get to give a healthy outlet to their inner thespian.
That said, I and mine do oppose the showing of films like Beetlejuice whether at Halloween or anytime, as opposed to the fine Mexican film 'Day of the Dead' -- precisely because Beetlejuice makes warm fuzzy friends with the 'devil character,' , however farcical he may seem. Far better to depict the devil in full evil regalia, as in the third of the Star Wars trilogy, for he will be overthrown by the Force (code for the Victory of Christ).
On another point, not all vigils begin in a sombre and penitent mood: indeed liturgies - including Sunday itself - begin at sundown or the vesper star. Two examples of joyous vigil are Christmas Eve and Holy Saturday night. Christmas eve where we easily picture the angels on high against a star-lit night announcing the Birth; and Easter eve where already the Exultet sings of the most blessed night in which Christ rose resplendent.
Among the Christian cultural aspects of Halloween is recollection of the risen dead seen on the eve when Jesus expired and during the time when He descended to Hell to 'let captivity free'. Those apparitions must have caused great alarm to the haunted denizens of Judea, so that all the more inexplicable peace would call on them (they who would repent) first at the Resurrection of the Lord the next night - corresponding to All Souls, who indeed will share in the Resurrection either to glory or to shame - and second (for confirmation) at Pentecost, which corresponds to the ending of the shortest day on Dec. 20, coming 50 days after Halloween.
As children leave our door on Halloween, behind which they see a statue of St. Joseph in full light, we say "the peace of All Saints be with you all." To this we never get boos, but yays.
Thanks for the comment! Obviously, I agree with a lot of what you've said. But it's worthing noting that I do not want to "stop witnessing to these realities" and in fact in my article I said we must bear witness to them; it's just that we witness best by returning to the traditional way of celebrating the vigil and solemnity. I don't see that as a retreat but rather as a reclamation of the true holiday. I did not (and do not) recommend that people shut out their neighbors or rudely isolate themselves.
You can find this curious, if dubious, piece of folklore under the Wikipedia entry for "Allhallowtide" :
"It has been thought that the first three days of Allhallowtide may have originated as a ritualistic remembrance of the deluge in which the first night, All Hallows' Eve remembers the wickedness of the world before the flood. The second night then celebrates the saved who survived the deluge and the third night celebrates those who would repopulate the Earth.[31]"
Obviously, this sounds like folklore and not a true history of the season. The citation [31] links to a 1911 book of lore on the constellations by one William Tyler Olcott, which I hadn't the time to pick through and find the place where this is supposedly being referenced. But the point is, that this is quite interesting. It fits; if All Hallow's Eve bears associations with remembering the evil of the corrupt antediluvian world, then a worldly subversion of this day towards anti-Christian ends would be to make this day into a *celebration* of the corrupt time before the flood. "Trick-or-treat" is, if you give it any thought, a threat: give me your goods or I'll make you regret it; that's the "trick" The scary costumes enhance the intimidation factor of the threat and protect the anonymity of the ones making the threat. It's like baby's first stick-up. Crazy, right?
Thanks for reading and engaging! That is indeed fascinating and it does fit, even if (as you say) it's merely folklore and not true history. And I think it is consistent with what I said. I acknowledged already the theological and liturgical importance of the last things--death, hell, judgment--as well as the reality of evil. We should have times to reflect on those things--momenot mori--though reflecting is not the same as celebrating intrinsic evil, which is what I criticized. And we should let the vigil serve its purpose instead of subverting it.
On the meaning of "Trick-or-treat" as a threat, I think you're right, and the origins of that phrase are likely to be more sinister than we're comfortable with.
The point about intersecting with the vigil I suppose is well-taken, but the points related to the substantive content of Halloween as such are less so. I think Halloween’s history and cultural meaning are varied and amorphous enough to accommodate a virtuous and jovial celebration thereof. I think the “Halloween season”, so to speak, is at least worthwhile. In my view, it’s helpful and healthy for society to have a period to reflect on the liminal, the uncanny, the paranormal, and of course death itself. This is especially true in a society such as our own that for so many has become disenchanted. Can these subjects be engaged with in an unhelpful or harmful way? Of course, but misuse doesn’t negate right use. There are many great and poignant horror movies and books, for example, and trick-or-treating is a simply wonderful experience I wish didn’t seem to be dwindling in recent years. Q.E.D.
Thanks for reading, Ben! Good to hear from you. I admittedly do not see what you thought I was mistaken about. It sounds like you grant, at least for the sake of argument, the reason about liturgy. Is it the first reason? Or is it that neither reason justifies my not allowing my family to trick-or-treat? Everything you said appears consistent with (if not explicitly affirmed in) my piece. E.g.,
>I think the “Halloween season”, so to speak, is at least worthwhile. In my view, it’s helpful and healthy for society to have a period to reflect on the liminal, the uncanny, the paranormal, and of course death itself.
I agree! That's why I said:
>These days [Allhallowtide or Halloween season as you've called it] carry profound liturgical and theological meaning in the Catholic Church calendar and in Catholic theology generally. The emphasis and symbolism of death are supposed to bring to mind the reality of the last things—of judgment, Heaven, and hell.
So I explicitly acknowledge the importance of those themes.
"Halloween in America has long been overtaken by themes and practices that are both unsightly and aligned with intrinsic evil." I think this is partially true, and why I concluded by saying we should reclaim it in Catholic (Christian) terms to recognize the true meaning, the vigil, and the actual feast day.
I agree also that misuse doesn’t negate right use-- abusus non tollit usum--but I don't think I said or implied otherwise.
My sincere apologies if I was unclear or if I've not understood your point!
Perhaps I just read too much into what you were saying, then. I took you to be implying that the Halloween season should only be centered around explicitly Catholic/liturgical themes and reflections, with no room for the more general cultural manifestations and meanings of the season (spookiness, trick or treat, ghosts, goblins, etc.). But if you weren't meaning to exclude any of the latter, then I reckon we're in agreement!
Also, let's have that long overdue call sometime soon. Hope you've been well!
I think we're pretty closely aligned. On my view there are some cultural manifestations (as you call them) that are pertinent and worth participating in, but most are not--that's the first point I raised. But even if all of them were great, it would still be an issue if engaging on our culture's terms meant that we lose the meaning of the feast day and the vigil, which I think has happened. That was the second reason.
And yes, we're long over due on the call! I'll send an email and we can get on that.
My folks being British and well-versed in the lore taught me that the ghoulishness of Halloween is a sort of confident taunt of things evil, rather like the boldness in daring death: "O death, where is your sting?" Again, a now little-used expression in English is "the devil do his worst" : a defiance of the horrors of evil knowing that Christ is the victor. Or if you're moving on with courage against all and sundry enemies you say "the devil take the hindmost:" a bit like urging all to move with you, or the straggler will be lost.
The fact that non-Christian elements have tried to subvert or subsume or set aside the deeper spiritual realities of a Christian highpoint - as at Christmas with commercialism even through Advent, and at Easter with chocolate, easter bunnies and groundhogs is no reason whatsoever to stop witnessing to these realities or retreating to the lights-off house.
Speaking for the child, I've always liked many of the Marvel comic-book series that conjure the unearthly likes of Thor or the Hulk, or DC comics with demons like The Joker, precisely because they give a farcical take on what various cultures have taken seriously as gods, avatars, demiurges and overlords. This fun-poking at the weird supernatural or the macabre is what I was taught lay behind the theatre of All-Hallows Eve. Our family would always get industrious making costumes including heavy cardboard shields and Viking helmets or a pinned on starched carpet for Aladdin's genie. Even to dress as a pirate or pirate's nemesis: the kraken was a share in the one time when youth get to give a healthy outlet to their inner thespian.
That said, I and mine do oppose the showing of films like Beetlejuice whether at Halloween or anytime, as opposed to the fine Mexican film 'Day of the Dead' -- precisely because Beetlejuice makes warm fuzzy friends with the 'devil character,' , however farcical he may seem. Far better to depict the devil in full evil regalia, as in the third of the Star Wars trilogy, for he will be overthrown by the Force (code for the Victory of Christ).
On another point, not all vigils begin in a sombre and penitent mood: indeed liturgies - including Sunday itself - begin at sundown or the vesper star. Two examples of joyous vigil are Christmas Eve and Holy Saturday night. Christmas eve where we easily picture the angels on high against a star-lit night announcing the Birth; and Easter eve where already the Exultet sings of the most blessed night in which Christ rose resplendent.
Among the Christian cultural aspects of Halloween is recollection of the risen dead seen on the eve when Jesus expired and during the time when He descended to Hell to 'let captivity free'. Those apparitions must have caused great alarm to the haunted denizens of Judea, so that all the more inexplicable peace would call on them (they who would repent) first at the Resurrection of the Lord the next night - corresponding to All Souls, who indeed will share in the Resurrection either to glory or to shame - and second (for confirmation) at Pentecost, which corresponds to the ending of the shortest day on Dec. 20, coming 50 days after Halloween.
As children leave our door on Halloween, behind which they see a statue of St. Joseph in full light, we say "the peace of All Saints be with you all." To this we never get boos, but yays.
Thanks for the comment! Obviously, I agree with a lot of what you've said. But it's worthing noting that I do not want to "stop witnessing to these realities" and in fact in my article I said we must bear witness to them; it's just that we witness best by returning to the traditional way of celebrating the vigil and solemnity. I don't see that as a retreat but rather as a reclamation of the true holiday. I did not (and do not) recommend that people shut out their neighbors or rudely isolate themselves.
You can find this curious, if dubious, piece of folklore under the Wikipedia entry for "Allhallowtide" :
"It has been thought that the first three days of Allhallowtide may have originated as a ritualistic remembrance of the deluge in which the first night, All Hallows' Eve remembers the wickedness of the world before the flood. The second night then celebrates the saved who survived the deluge and the third night celebrates those who would repopulate the Earth.[31]"
Obviously, this sounds like folklore and not a true history of the season. The citation [31] links to a 1911 book of lore on the constellations by one William Tyler Olcott, which I hadn't the time to pick through and find the place where this is supposedly being referenced. But the point is, that this is quite interesting. It fits; if All Hallow's Eve bears associations with remembering the evil of the corrupt antediluvian world, then a worldly subversion of this day towards anti-Christian ends would be to make this day into a *celebration* of the corrupt time before the flood. "Trick-or-treat" is, if you give it any thought, a threat: give me your goods or I'll make you regret it; that's the "trick" The scary costumes enhance the intimidation factor of the threat and protect the anonymity of the ones making the threat. It's like baby's first stick-up. Crazy, right?
Thanks for reading and engaging! That is indeed fascinating and it does fit, even if (as you say) it's merely folklore and not true history. And I think it is consistent with what I said. I acknowledged already the theological and liturgical importance of the last things--death, hell, judgment--as well as the reality of evil. We should have times to reflect on those things--momenot mori--though reflecting is not the same as celebrating intrinsic evil, which is what I criticized. And we should let the vigil serve its purpose instead of subverting it.
On the meaning of "Trick-or-treat" as a threat, I think you're right, and the origins of that phrase are likely to be more sinister than we're comfortable with.