NO TO HALLOWEEN

"You can't dress your children up as demons and then ask God to protect them": Angel Salguero

The Word of God clearly teaches that God's children must flee from every appearance of evil:

"Abstain from every form of evil."

(1 Thessalonians 5:22)

And also:

"Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

(Ephesians 5:11)

From childhood, Christians are called to identify with the light, not with the darkness. In the Bible, death, demons, evil spirits, and ghosts are not games or neutral symbols: they represent spiritual realities contrary to God, which deceive, frighten, or confuse.

"The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

"The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  (1 Peter 5:8)

Therefore, even if the costume seems "just for fun," what is depicted has a spiritual significance. Jesus never took the devil's doings lightly; he always confronted them with authority and truth (cf. Mark 1:23-27).

* DOCTRINE 🇻🇦

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2116-2117) teaches that anything that seeks to familiarize or sympathize with the occult, the demonic, death, or divination is contrary to the Christian faith.

Although a costume is not in itself sinful, the intention and the message matter: what are we teaching a child when we dress them up as a demon, a skull, or a spirit?

The Magisterium reminds us that we must form consciences from a young age, educating them in goodness, purity, beauty, and light. If we accustom children to trivializing evil, we deprive them of spiritual sensitivity to real evil.

From the earliest centuries, the Church celebrated November 1st as All Saints' Day, precisely to counter the ancient pagan festivals that venerated the dead or spirits.

Christians dressed their children as saints, angels, or heroes of the faith, to teach them that true triumph lies not in fear or darkness, but in Christ's victory over death:

"Death has been conquered by victory."

(1 Corinthians 15:54)

Clothing children as saints is to teach them the path of holiness; clothing them with darkness, even for fun, is spiritual confusion.

* EXORCISTICS ✍️

Catholic exorcists warn that evil often uses the seemingly innocent to incite curiosity or sympathy for the occult.

Father Amorth said:

"The devil does not need to be invoked, only to be imitated with pleasure."

* EXORCIST ✍️

When a child dresses up as a demon or spirit, even without intending to invoke anything, they open themselves up to an influence contrary to their spiritual innocence, especially if there is an atmosphere of fear, games with the dead, black candles, rituals, or scary pranks.

For this reason, exorcists recommend reclaiming the feast for Christ, teaching children to celebrate life, holiness, light, and heaven, not darkness or death.

* RECOMMENDATIONS ✅

It's not about condemning or scaring, but about spiritual education with discernment.

You can tell parents and catechists:

“Let's not deprive children of joy, but let's protect them from that which distorts their faith.”

Instead, let's organize ‘Saints' Day Celebrations,’ where children dress up as their favorite saint, pray, play games, and learn about eternal life.

Let's explain that fear doesn't come from God, but from the enemy who seeks to steal our peace.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”

(2 Timothy 1:7)

No, it's not appropriate for children to dress up as the dead, demons, or ghosts, because even if it seems harmless, it educates the imagination in ways contrary to the Gospel.

Christians don't glorify death or play with evil: they proclaim life, light, and holiness.

The best costume a Catholic child can wear is that of purity and grace, remembering that heaven is full of heroes dressed in white.

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

(Revelation 7:14)