Photo credit: Carlos Oda
MANILA, Oct. 7, 2013—Put back the ‘holy’ in Halloween by encouraging children and young people to dress up as saints and martyrs on the eve of All Saints’ Day, instead of the usual zombie and Dracula costumes, a religious group said.
“Dressing up children as zombies, devils and the like for Halloween gives them the impression that evil spirits are fun and friendly and that there is nothing wrong with keeping their company or imitating them,” said Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo, spiritual director of Prayer Warriors of the Holy Souls (PWHS), in an interview.
Real people, real stories
Zerrudo, who helps promote PWHS’s “March of Saints”, a campaign to promote the practice of having children and young people dress up as saints and martyrs during Halloween, explained that saints, on the other hand, are “real people with real stories” who could serve as models to young people and kids.
“These are persons – not fictitious characters like the superheroes – who are worth emulating because these are men, women and children who have struggled against the world in order to be faithful to the Lord,” he explained further.
According to Zerrudo, young people need to be reminded more than ever, following Christ’s teachings is possible and within our reach.
“The saints tell us that holiness does not demand superhuman strength and powers,” he added, saying young people can begin living out holiness in everyday life – at home, in school, in the work place.
Parishes adopt “March of Saints”
Photo credit: Carlos Oda
Several parishes have began the “March of Saints” practice like St. John the Evangelist Parish, Sta. Maria, Bagbaguin in the Diocese of Malolos through the support of Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II; St. James the Great Parish, Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa through the efforts of its parish priest, Msgr. Albert A. Venus; and the Holy Family Parish, Roces District, Quezon City where Fr. Zerrudo serves.
Zerrudo also promotes the “March of Saints” during his Radio Veritas talk show and also gives talks specifically about it when invited by organized groups.
The PWHS, an apostolate of the Monfort Foundation, has been communicating with the different dioceses in the country to formally adopt the “March of Saints” as a regular event.
For more details and for copies of the “March of Saints” kit, interested groups and parishes may contact the PWHS through email, info@pwhs.ph. [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]
