Reclaiming Halloween: A Triduum of Holiness

by Fr. John Granato  |  10/26/2025  |  Words from Fr. John

My Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that this week we celebrate Halloween on Friday. It is the beginning of an important Triduum beginning with Halloween, followed by All Saints and then on next Sunday, All Souls. Halloween, as you know, is a Catholic holiday that was hijacked by the secular world, along with St. Valentine and St. Patrick. When you pray the Our Father, you begin, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Hallowed means holy. The second part of Halloween is an abbreviation of evening.

It is the evening before All Saints' Day, the saints being the holy ones who have been given their eternal reward in heaven. The Church has celebrated All Saints' Day for centuries, and important days, like All Saints', have a vigil Mass the night before. Many of the customs of Halloween, including carving pumpkins, dressing up in costumes, and giving of candy/treats began as a way to honor the saints and to ask for their intercession. Once it was hijacked by secularism and other sordid spiritual forces, Halloween was degraded into a celebration of the macabre and became a holiday for witches and evil spirits.

Catholics can reclaim the holiday just as we can reclaim St. Valentine and St. Patrick. All Saints' Day prepares us also for the next day, which is All Souls' Day. On this day, we pray for the souls in Purgatory. In fact, beginning on November 1st (All Saints) and for the next eight days, you can fulfill the requirements for a plenary indulgence on each day just by visiting a cemetery and saying prayers for the deceased. The three days are a way where the Catholic Church focuses on the Church Militant (Halloween - asking for the help of the saints), the Church Triumphant (All Saints) and the Church Suffering (All Souls).

It is this communion of the Body of Christ united to Christ as Head, which unites all of us not only with each other in the Catholic Church today, but also unites us with all the Catholics since the Church was founded by Christ in 33 AD. Have a Blessed and safe Halloween.

God bless!