It is a double-edged sword that surrounds Halloween

This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column.

Michael Commane

I can well see myself getting into trouble about this column. On that note, there are often issues I would like to write about and don’t because I am simply afraid. I’m not a courageous person. And in spite of that I am forever getting into trouble, it’s been the story of my life.

 

Halloween is over, Alleluia. I think it’s fair to say that many parents of young children are acutely aware of how polluted our world is and of the impending disaster of climate change. The scientists are screaming at us that it is at our doorstep. Spain has seen it first hand in recent days.

And yet this Halloween just gone Ireland spent €71.5 million on junk food, junk clothes and junk decorations. I’ve glanced through some of the literature explaining the tradition behind Halloween but all I have spotted is bizarre, gaudy and tawdry decorations. How many times did I walk into shops to be greeted by silly skeletal figures that frightened the life out of me. All the plastic material that has been thrown away adds to our pollution problems, which is damaging our planet.

And then the trick or treat procession of children dressed up in scary clothing going from house to house. I can’t imagine it’s apples and oranges they expect. I heard one child count the number of chocolate bars he received. Maybe the next day some of their parents appeared on radio or in print advising us what are the healthy foods we should be eating.

The trouble with all this is if you don’t conform you are considered a crank. I can well imagine if I had grandchildren I too would have them out tricking and treating. Isn’t it strange how easy it is to conform, indeed seductive.

That’s all bad enough but in the days surrounding Halloween I picked up The Irish Catholic newspaper of October 31. Article after article suggesting that the growing popularity of Halloween is a sign of our return to paganism. Having read many of the articles I found myself clapping the backs of the parents who are duped into all the trick or treat banality.

Am I just a naysayer? I hope not. I’m tired and weary of the growing conservatism in the Irish Catholic Church. In The Irish Times I read a columnist admiring aspects of a growing hope in the Catholic Church in Ireland. I kept saying to myself the author simply does not know what they are talking about. And they say it with such apparent authority.

The far-right worldwide phenomenon is sowing its seed across Ireland in so many different areas, and that includes the Catholic Church.

Maybe it is, that for some reason or other, I am always finding myself walking in the opposite direction to the crowd.

 

But guess what, I’m happy with it. Yes, I am confused, but again, I think I’d prefer to be confused rather than trying to make sense to tricking and treating and saying we are heading for paganism.