Halloween and catholic school. What is the deal?

[TittyBoneGhoul]

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

This is what I mean, and maybe should have said. I had no idea that some people would view it so differently , to others , when they are both of the same religion.

My kids go to Catholic primary school (NI) Halloween is a big celebration in the school - disco, dressing up, prizes for costumes etc. Always has been and it's been over 30 years since I was at primary school.

I also went to a convent (primary) school several teachers were nuns we also made spooky stuff.

Weird. DD goes to Catholic School (Dane one I went to). They've had 3 days of celebrations this week including a party and a parade. We always had a Hallowe'en disco when I was there 30 years ago too

I went to a very strict catholic school from age 5 to 14, church five days a week (Monday’s off!). And we celebrated Halloween. We were taught about the origins and that was that. We were also taught about festivals like Diwali. It’s just part of education. And most of my teachers were nuns, the convent was on site, so I don’t think ours was a relaxed catholic school.

I don't agree with the shouting (assuming it happened) but applaud the non-celebrating of an event that has become an aping of US culture.

The positive thing would have been to remind the OPs child of the meaning of the religious events of this week, All Saints and All Souls.

I've not heard of Catholics making such a big deal out of Halloween but do know that many evangelical Christians are very strongly against it.
I know it's only a bit of fun for most people but do think a great pity that it's caught on so much in recent years. Luckily nobody appears to celebrate Halloween around where I live.

Your child's teacher's choice of words were not suitable but that was just one teacher, not all.

I don’t expect them to celebrate as such. Just surprised they weren’t even allowed to discuss trick or treating or do drawings etc on Halloween. Other local schools throw party’s

The teacher was a bit over the top but our school (catholic) has stopped any Halloween celebrations after a parent complained.
Most parents are fine about it, me included I'm currently dressed as a zombie mummy.
However you do need to respect it if you chose to send them to a catholic school.
The next two days are a big deal, saints tomorrow, souls on Friday.
The school has a saints mass I will go to and I always go to souls mass.

Halloween (oíche shamhna ) was a celtic festival celebrating Samhain. It was a harvest festival. The celts believed that for one day of the year, the souls and fairies etc from the other world were free to roam this earthly world. They dressed up so the fairies wouldn't catch them.
Then along came the Christians and they couldn't get the people to give up this festival so they 'christianised' it by making November 1st All Souls Day.

It’s not a Catholic thing, it’s a general Christian thing.

I grew up Protestant (Methodist), and every year had to go the the ‘Light Party’ at the church that the minister and his wife through as an antidote to the darkness of Halloween.

*threw

My son went to catholic primary and secondary schools and did halloween. We have half a dozen groups of children in tonight - all from local catholic primary schools

@BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou I'm surprised you don't think Halloween should be celebrated by school- which festivals should and any others that shouldn't?

DS''s very multicultural school has a spooky school evening with classrooms set up for child to go to one by one trick or treating a pumpkin decoration competition and a disco. I thought it was great much better for community than kids knocking on doors and we have never celebrated Halloween.

Church of England School here...we don’t do Halloween. The kids do it at home but not at School. It’s not a problem.

DH is Catholic and kids go to Catholic school. DH really doesn't like Halloween - it's really not something a Catholic school would be interested in celebrating. We do carve pumpkins and take kids trick or treating. However they will go to mass tomorrow for all saints day. Catholics hate bonfire night - read the history! Again we do go to bonfire night and have fireworks. I don't think school should celebrate everything. Surely that is family stuff? That said the teacher had no need to shout.

catholicexchange.com/the-origins-of-halloween-all-saints-day

“@BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou I'm surprised you don't think Halloween should be celebrated by school- which festivals should and any others that shouldn't? “

A lot of people / faiths / cultures find it upsetting and / or offensive. Some Christian faiths actually find any representation of ghosts etc very offensive. I know that Seventh Day Adventists see it as very much against their beliefs and teachings. Although it is the eve of All Saints Day (with All Souls’ Day following on 2nd November),Halloween is a festival not rooted in any major world religion.

Festivals that are taught and celebrated to some extent in all schools I’ve worked in include those of all major world faiths such as Eid, Diwali, Easter, Hanukkah etc.

My family are Irish catholic. My grandparents all hated Halloween. Couldn't understand why anybody would want to celebrate it. My DM's parents used to keep holy water by the door every Halloween just in case . My parents don't mind it though, and bought both my DC's little Halloween outfits.

I was brought up Catholic (very lapsed now) and as a child in a Catholic school Halloween was always celebrated. Witches, ghosts, party etc. I'm late thirties so either this is a very recent thing or else that particular school/teacher is being a bit OTT.

The name Halloween comes from the Name ' All Hallows eve' or in the early church All Saints Eve- the evening before the feast day of All Saints. As a Catholic who attended and has worked in several Catholic schools I have never heard that the church is against this. Please don't assume one persons comments reflect a whole religious group.

It was originally a end of harvest festival. The start of the darkness before the Earth shifts again. It has nothing to do with the 'Devil'