October 25, 2026: Is Halloween Good or Bad?

Is Halloween Good or Bad?

Halloween is coming up! And lots of you are getting ready . . . either to be something sweet [show flower headpiece] or something scary [show ghost mask]. But why do we even have this holiday?

Well, it connects with what we celebrate on November 1st: All Saints Day. That’s a holy day. And the evening before a holy day was traditionally called its “holy eve,” or “All Hallows’ Eve.” Over time, that became Halloween. Get it? Holy eve, Hallow’s Eve, Halloween!

But Halloween also has some interesting connections with ancient traditions. Long before Christianity came to Ireland and other Celtic lands, people celebrated a festival called Samhain (pronounced SOW-in) around October 31st and November 1st. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Some people believed that at this time of year, the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead became thinner. They believed that spirits might return to visit the places and people they once knew.

Over time, some of these traditions included lighting bonfires, wearing disguises, and other customs meant to protect people from wandering spirits. As Christianity spread through these lands, Christian celebrations and older seasonal traditions gradually influenced one another. Later, Irish immigrants brought many of their Halloween customs to the United States, especially during the 1800s. Over time, those customs evolved into the Halloween we know today, with costumes, carved pumpkins, and, of course, candy!

And that idea of remembering the dead and the connection between the living and the dead shows up in other cultures, too. Some of you may have seen the Disney-Pixar movie Coco, which explores the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. It’s a beautiful story about remembering and honoring loved ones who have died.

Now, as Catholics, we believe in the communion of saints. We believe that death does not destroy our connection with those who belong to Christ. But that doesn't mean we have to believe every spooky story or every claim about communicating with the dead!

So today, people sometimes wonder: Is Halloween bad? Is all this spooky stuff bad? I say . . . it all depends!

I have a story that I shared a few years ago, but I want to repeat it, because it is so good. As many of you know, I have a younger brother, Guy, who has Down Syndrome, and he’s pretty high functioning. A few years ago, Guy and I went to a movie, and there was a preview for a scary movie that was opening soon. I started talking about how much I don't like scary movies. I was going on and on . . . blah, blah, blah. Finally, Guy turned to me and said, “Kevin, it’s pretend!”

And he’s considered the slow one! Guy has a point! Scary movies, scary costumes, and spooky stories aren't automatically evil. Hollywood really gets things messed up. They make it seem that the devil, or all evil, is on the same level as God. They are not. Think of it this way: God is the Varsity! The devil is on the Junior Varsity. The devil would be on the same level as angels. God and the devil are not equal opponents. God alone is the Creator. Everything else is a creation from God. Evil does not have the same power as God, and darkness will never overcome God's light.

It all comes down to being grounded in faith. If you are grounded, then all the trick-or-treating, or costumes, or spooky movies are fine. If you are not grounded, then be cautious. As the saying goes, “If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.”

So how do we stay grounded in God? Jesus gives us the answer in today's Gospel. When asked which commandment is the greatest, he says: Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

And love your neighbor as yourself.

That's our foundation. That's how we stay grounded. And the other readings today remind us of what that love looks like. We care for the stranger, the poor, and the vulnerable. We turn away from anything that takes the place of God in our lives. And we try to live in a way that makes God's love real to others.

You see, the best way to keep the darkness out is to let the light of Christ shine within us. So when Halloween comes around, enjoy the costumes. Enjoy the candy. Enjoy being something sweet or something scary! And remember what my brother Guy reminded me: “It’s pretend!”

But our faith isn't pretend. God's love isn't pretend. And the love we show one another is anything but pretend.

So stay grounded in God, keep our hearts open to our neighbors, and remember that no matter how dark or scary the world might seem, we belong to the God who is love—and that is nothing to be afraid of!