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Original poster

Halloween and catholic school. What is the deal?

119 replies

TittyBoneGhoul · 31/10/2018 17:31

My child came home from school in floods of tears because apparently he asked his teacher why she had told them to stop discussing Halloween during their free time, and why the school don’t do anything at Halloween. Her reaction was to shout at him (he says) very loud , telling him not to be ridiculous and that if he wants to celebrate Satan he should do so at home and not in school. He then asked me, what is Satan.
For god sake I had no idea catholic people could be so against Halloween? They aren’t even allowed to draw a pumpkin picture..

Can anyone shed any light? We are not catholic but I didn’t know Halloween was meant to be to do
With satan?! Just a bit of fun at our end

OP posts:
Notacluewhatthisis · 31/10/2018 17:36

For god sake I had no idea catholic people could be so against Halloween?

Goady much? You think one teacher or one school speaks for us all?

Personally, I think if you pick a religious school you sign up to celebrating or not celebrating what fits in with the religion.

She shouldn't have shouted. I would maybe speak to the school about that.

But, as an Irish Catholic living in England I can tell you that 'Catholic people's aren't all against Halloween. I have just spent 2 hours doing my son's, nieces and nephews make up for them to go trick or treating.

We always did Halloween growing up.

The Catholic church doesn't like Halloween. However, just like every other religion we all follow our own path. It's not shocking that a Catholic school won't celebrate it though.

ScarlettDarling · 31/10/2018 17:36

I teach in a catholic school and we have lots of Halloween fun. We have a Halloween disco, carve lanterns etc etc. Halloween has nothing to do with celebrating Satan...it's All Hallows' eve.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 31/10/2018 17:39

I’m Catholic and my home is currently decorated accordingly and I have buckets of fun size and haribos to give out BUT it certainly isn’t a suitable thing for ANY school to celebrate. Some religious types do see it as an occult thing but it’s actually All Hallows’ Eve as tomorrow is All Saints Day in the Catholic Church.
I would not be happy if it was “celebrated” by school.

Petalflowers · 31/10/2018 17:39

Traditionally, people dressed up as witches , wizards, ghosts and the devil. Obviously Christianity doesn’t want to promote the devil.

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 31/10/2018 17:39

I had a catholic mother and we played games and apple bobbed on Halloween

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 31/10/2018 17:40

Should have said... it’s the night that demons, ghosts etc walk the earth as the Saints get their day tomorrow (a very loose explanation).

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 31/10/2018 17:40

Oh sorry,

Should say id have no problem with the school not 'doing Halloween ' i would have a problem with the teacher yelling at my child and calling them ridiculous

WhyDidIEatThat · 31/10/2018 17:41

I had/have Catholic parents - one pro Halloween one anti. Guy Fawkes night a whole different story, obviously.

DanielRicciardosSmile · 31/10/2018 17:41

I went to Catholic schools from the age of 5 to 18, we did Halloween activities/lessons/discos etc. every year. But I know someone who teaches in a non-church school in an area where all schools are banned from doing Halloween. Not necessarily a religious thing at all.

FekkoThePenguin · 31/10/2018 17:41

I'm cofe and school and church growing up always had Halloween parties. I worked for a vicar at o e point and he always hosted spooky film night on Halloween for the teen groups. He always came as Elvis.

Bestseller · 31/10/2018 17:42

You send your child to a Catholic school but have no idea what they believe/teach?

IME most schools are "careful" about celebrating Halloween anyway

blackteasplease · 31/10/2018 17:43

That's not normal for anyone, Catholic school or Catholics in general. They may not go big on Halloween but only a complete dick could say the current festival of sweets and dressing up in clothes made of firelighters is about Satan.

Halloween is the eve of all saints day in the Catholic church (all Hallows e'en) so in some ways a Catholic festival.

Athena51 · 31/10/2018 17:43

I'm a Catholic from an Irish Catholic background and when I was little I remember having Halloween parties, dressing up as witches, trick or treating,apple bobbing all that fun stuff and this was back in the 1970s.

To be honest although we used to go to firework displays we were a bit more conflicted about Bonfire Night Grin

blue25 · 31/10/2018 17:44

You should probably have learnt a bit more about Catholicism before sending your child to a catholic school. Surely you can work out why the part of Halloween that focuses on devils, witches etc may not be liked by the Catholic Church.

Poodles1980 · 31/10/2018 17:44

Erm Halloween is an Irish Celtic festival and the whole of Ireland are out tonight celebrating and we are mostly catholic. It’s a very hardline catholic view to take, Halloween is all about the souls of the dead walking the earth one last time so some hardline catholic clearics believe that it’s akin to worshiping spirits or satan but not the vast majority.

blackteasplease · 31/10/2018 17:44

Yes bonfire night was more of an issue at my Catholic school too a

LaurieMarlow · 31/10/2018 17:45

There's obviously a lot of divergence here. I'm in Ireland where the Catholic Church has a lot of sway in education (lots of catholic schools) and Halloween is huge here. Every school will do something to celebrate the day.

toweldramas · 31/10/2018 17:45

Halloween is a much bigger thing in Ireland, half of my family are from the Republic & trick or treating was great over there. I went to catholic schools here and we had activities etc.

DoItForTheDucks · 31/10/2018 17:48

We had big Halloween parties at my Scottish Catholic schools. It was a big event for us and even the teachers dressed up.

LaurieMarlow · 31/10/2018 17:48

He always came as Elvis.

Grin

Spooky

Nassau · 31/10/2018 17:48

My kids go to a Catholic school (Ireland). Their classrooms are decorated with pumpkins, ghosts etc so I wouldn't say all Carholic schools are like that. Maybe the teacher herself is a bit over-religious?

All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is the one night where the veil between the living world and the dead grows thin and the dead (ghosts) are able to pass through easier. People dress up to confuse the dead so they don't drag them back with them (ie that scene in Hocus Pocus where the witches are confused).
Tomorrow is All Saints Day.

Always had good fun in school at Hallowe'en.

Original poster
TittyBoneGhoul · 31/10/2018 17:51

notaclue I wasn’t being goady . Not intentionally. Maybe worded wrong. What I mean is it’s obviously for religious reasons that she was against Halloween.
I have catholic family who happily take their children trick or treating.And catholic families who invited us to Halloween party’s last year. Hence the confusion.

OP posts:
Notacluewhatthisis · 31/10/2018 17:52

You were being goady. You clearly know that Catholic people aren't against Halloween.

This teacher is. This school is choosing not to celebrate.

Original poster
TittyBoneGhoul · 31/10/2018 17:56

No I wasn’t . Goady for what reason?

OP posts:
AamdC · 31/10/2018 17:56

My son has always gonr to catholic schools and his primary used to have halloween parties and let the kids come dressed up.in halloween costumes for school, i wad brought up catholic, halloween wasent such a big thing than but we did apple bobbing etc and had witches costumes

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