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The Busted Halo Question Box
Ask our spiritual experts virtually anything!
This is the place where you can ask all of those burning questions that you wouldn't dare ask in person. We will post questions here (using your byline only with permission); we guarantee an answer to everyone.

Have your own question? Then pitch it to us!

Fr. Tom Ryan
Ecumenical and interfaith
Neela Kale
Culture, ethics and Catholic basics
Mike Hayes
General
Ann Naffziger, M.A., M.Div.
Scripture
Charles C. Camosy, PhD
Medical ethics
Caitlin Kennell Kim
Mary
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Our readers asked:

Can Catholics Celebrate Halloween?

Mike Hayes Answers:

Photo: Kevin Dooley

Of course they can! The name Halloween comes from All Hallow’s Eve, meaning the day before All Saints Day — those we call hallowed or holy as we hear in the Our Father.

However, we obviously want to steer people away from things like dabbling with the occult, or seances, or other kinds of “black magic” that would be contrary to our beliefs.

By the same token, if we are dressing up for Halloween we indeed should notice our style of dress and check to make sure that we are chaste in manner.

But dressing up children and sending them trick or treating is fine (and fun!) to do and is not contrary to our Catholic principles.

Check out this fine video by Fr. James Martin, SJ, that was produced here at Busted Halo.

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The Author : Mike Hayes
Mike Hayes is the senior editor for the Googling God section at BustedHalo.com.
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