T
texaspanda
Guest
Our church is having a big NoC party for everyone. We have to be at church anyway so we are going to the party. I suppose better to spend the night at church than anywhere else. Sounds like fine fun to me!
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K
kage_ar
Guest
It must be Halloween - someone raised an old thread from the dead 
J
Jennifer_J
Guest
LOLIt must be Halloween - someone raised an old thread from the dead
On another note, how powerful is the Catholic Eucharist that satanists would want to steal it!!! I mean, you don’t hear about the local protestant church having this issue, huh?
All Hallow’s Eve blessings!
Jennifer
O
OutinChgoburbs
Guest
My thoughts exactly.It must be Halloween - someone raised an old thread from the dead
Maybe Robert Goulet couldn’t mess with stuff in people’s offices because he’s dead and the Emerald Nuts no longer effect him……No, that wouldn’t be good Catholic practice!
J
Jay2
Guest
Excerpts from a letter I sent to my kids’ school about Halloween (all from Internet research)
The history of this celebration or holiday is based on the ancient Celtic celebration marking the beginning of the cold months to come, or the Celtic New Year. Crops were finally harvested, flocks brought in for winter shelter, some slaughtered and meat preserved for winter food. This time was celebrated with many festivals. In addition, October 31st lies exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice (remember Stonehenge?), and was considered to be a very powerful day for communication with the “spirits”. The barrier “between the worlds” was thought to be at it’s weakest during this day, so the dead were welcomed to return and enjoy the harvest with their loved ones. Also this night, all cooking fires in the homes would be extinguished. The priests would light bonfires in sacred groves of oak trees, offer sacrifices of crops or animals, and dance to the passing of the season. The following morning, embers from these fires would be given to the families, to light new cooking fires that were free of “evil spirits” for the New Year.
The Romans invaded the Celtic lands (Britain) in the first century. The Roman festival of Pomona Day, after hundreds of years of Roman rule, eventually got mixed with the ancient Celtic customs, resulting in a more diverse holiday. Pomona Day was in honor of the Roman goddess Pomona, guardian of fruits and gardens.
With the spread of the new “Christian” religion throughout Europe and Britain, the Roman Catholic Church in 835 AD made November 1st a holiday to honor all the Saints. It was called All Saint’s Day, or Hallowmas (hallow meaning “sanctify”), or All Hallows. A subsequent holiday was decreed, All Souls Day, to honor the dead. It was also celebrated with bonfires, parades, and people dressed in costumes of saints, angels and demons.
The carved pumpkin, or “Jack O Lantern”, is an Old Irish folktale. It ties to the days when the fires where extinguished. Lanterns carved from turnips or pumpkins were made to provide light while the cooking fires were cold. “Jack of the Lantern” was a man who couldn’t pass to heaven or hell, and was condemned to wander the night with a candle in a hollow turnip to guide his way. The flickering flame may have been associated with “spirits” tickling the fire, and resulting in scary faces being carved on the pumpkin or turnip.
Just an FYI - take it or leave it.
The history of this celebration or holiday is based on the ancient Celtic celebration marking the beginning of the cold months to come, or the Celtic New Year. Crops were finally harvested, flocks brought in for winter shelter, some slaughtered and meat preserved for winter food. This time was celebrated with many festivals. In addition, October 31st lies exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice (remember Stonehenge?), and was considered to be a very powerful day for communication with the “spirits”. The barrier “between the worlds” was thought to be at it’s weakest during this day, so the dead were welcomed to return and enjoy the harvest with their loved ones. Also this night, all cooking fires in the homes would be extinguished. The priests would light bonfires in sacred groves of oak trees, offer sacrifices of crops or animals, and dance to the passing of the season. The following morning, embers from these fires would be given to the families, to light new cooking fires that were free of “evil spirits” for the New Year.
The Romans invaded the Celtic lands (Britain) in the first century. The Roman festival of Pomona Day, after hundreds of years of Roman rule, eventually got mixed with the ancient Celtic customs, resulting in a more diverse holiday. Pomona Day was in honor of the Roman goddess Pomona, guardian of fruits and gardens.
With the spread of the new “Christian” religion throughout Europe and Britain, the Roman Catholic Church in 835 AD made November 1st a holiday to honor all the Saints. It was called All Saint’s Day, or Hallowmas (hallow meaning “sanctify”), or All Hallows. A subsequent holiday was decreed, All Souls Day, to honor the dead. It was also celebrated with bonfires, parades, and people dressed in costumes of saints, angels and demons.
The carved pumpkin, or “Jack O Lantern”, is an Old Irish folktale. It ties to the days when the fires where extinguished. Lanterns carved from turnips or pumpkins were made to provide light while the cooking fires were cold. “Jack of the Lantern” was a man who couldn’t pass to heaven or hell, and was condemned to wander the night with a candle in a hollow turnip to guide his way. The flickering flame may have been associated with “spirits” tickling the fire, and resulting in scary faces being carved on the pumpkin or turnip.
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“Trick or Treat” is another adaptation of Old Irish folklore, but this common name didn’t evolve until the 1930’s. The tradition is based on going door to door, asking for donations of money or food for the (ancient Celtic) New Year. A curse would be invoked upon those who did give generously, while those who did would be blessed and praised. This “Beggar’s Night” has unfortunately evolved into an evening of malicious vandalism and cruelty, instead of harmless “tricks”.
With the passage of time, all of these celebrations were commingled. October 31st eventually became All Hallow Even, All Hallow’s Eve, Hallowe’en, and then Halloween.
Our neighbors in Mexico celebrate Los Dias De Los Muertos, or The Days of the Dead. It is tied to the return of the Monarch butterfly to Mexico. It is believed that the returning butterflies carry the spirits of the departed. This holiday is celebrated at the same time as Halloween and the Christian holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. This has ties to the Aztec Empire, before European conquest or influence. Los Dias De Los Muertos is a day of remembrance and rejoicing. Citizens dress in costumes of ghosts and skeletons, and carry an open coffin throughout the town. The “corpse” within smiles and catches flowers, fruits, candies, and other treats as he/she is carried through the village. In the homes, the families arrange ofrenda’s, and in the afternoon, light candles honoring departed family, these candles will burn through the night. The following day the families will travel to the cemetery, spend the day tending to the graves of their loved ones, picnic, celebrate, and spend the night in the cemetery.- Status