DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - COMMUNITY & CULTURE 

Reflecting on Halloween and the Spirit of St Mary MacKillop

As October draws to a close, many of our young people are eagerly anticipating Halloween — a celebration that has, in recent years, become increasingly popular across Australia. Supermarkets fill with decorations, children plan costumes, and neighbourhoods prepare for trick-or-treaters. While this festivity has largely taken on a light-hearted and commercial tone, it also presents an opportunity for us as a Catholic community to pause and reflect on its deeper roots and meaning.

Originally, All Hallows’ Eve — now known as Halloween — was the vigil of All Saints’ Day, a time to remember the holy men and women who have gone before us, those who lived lives of faith, compassion, and courage. The following day, All Souls’ Day, offers a chance to pray for our loved ones who have died, remembering that our faith teaches us to live in hope of the resurrection. These days remind us of the great communion of saints — the unseen connection that binds the living and the dead in the love of Christ.

Amid costumes and lollies, it can be easy to lose sight of this deeper, sacred significance. But perhaps this moment also invites us to reimagine how we mark this time of year. What if we used Halloween as an opportunity to celebrate goodness, kindness, and faith — qualities embodied so powerfully in our own Australian saint, St Mary MacKillop?

Mary MacKillop lived her life with an unwavering commitment to seeing God in all things and all people. Her famous words, “Never see a need without doing something about it,” continue to inspire generations of Australians to live lives of service and compassion. Where Halloween often focuses on images of darkness or fear, Mary’s life reminds us that the light of faith is stronger than any shadow.

So, as families prepare for Halloween this year, I encourage you to take a moment to talk with your children about its Christian origins — a time to honour the saints and remember those who have died. Perhaps you might light a candle together, pray for loved ones who have passed, or share stories of people whose goodness has inspired you. In doing so, we continue the work of St Mary MacKillop: nurturing faith, hope, and love in the heart of our community.

May this season remind us that holiness is not found in the extraordinary, but in our everyday acts of kindness and care — the very spirit of St Mary MacKillop alive in our homes, our classrooms, and our hearts.

With blessings and gratitude,

Kath Jones

Deputy Principal Community & Culture