October 30, 2009
Parishes try new treats for families on Halloween
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
With Halloween on Saturday, All Saints Day on Sunday and All Souls Day on Monday, some parishes in the Diocese of Evansville have been making plans for new ways to call attention to Church teaching and having fun.
At Corpus Christi Church in Evansville, Sunday, Nov. 1 is the day for a “Feast-ival,” according to Kathryn Curtis, director of religious education.
“We have a ministry fair every year, so this year we decided to do a Feast-ival on Nov. 1.” All parish organizations are involved.
The Corpus Christi Men’s Club will prepare breakfast, and conduct a raffle. Each parish commission will have a display showing the clubs they represent. Each organization is adopting a saint and will have information about that saint at their booth.
Saints cards and holy cards will be provided for children and adults. Some of the children have made posters depicting saints, to be used as decorations for the event. Activities will be scheduled for the children while their parents can go to the booths and learn more about the saint and the parish activities.
A “Saints Parade” is planned at noon, with emphasis on participation instead of competition, Curtis said. “It’s a combination of religious ed and having a good time.”
At Petersburg, after the All Saints’ Mass on Halloween at 5:30 p.m., “We are having a procession,” said Father Ryan Hilderbrand. “The people will be bringing images and statues of saints from their homes and we will process around the church. It will end with Benediction.”
St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight is having an All Saints Day Celebration on Nov. 1 at the 9:30 a.m. Mass, according to Leah Haley, coordinator of religioius education. “The Religious Ed students will be dressing as saints to process into Mass, while the choir sings the Litany of the Saints.”
On Sunday afternoon, in observance of the Vigil of All Souls, “we will meet at St. John Cemetery at 5 p.m., to light candles on the graves,” Haley said. “Following the prayers at the cemetery, we will return to St. John Church for chili, hotdogs and movie night. Everyone is invited to join us in praying for the Holy Souls in purgatory.”