As Fr. Chris Alar explains, the evening we now call Halloween began not as a pagan ritual, but as a sacred Christian vigil—All Hallows’ Eve, the holy night before the solemnity of All Saints’ Day. This feast, instituted in the 700s, has always been a time to honor the saints and pray for the faithful departed. The Church’s ancient practice of vigils reflected the truth that holy days begin at sundown, anticipating the joy of what is to come.

To exercise true freedom, you have to be able to say yes and no to both the bad and the good, not just to what is sinful. When you fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, you are being obedient to the Church and share in the sacrifice of Christ. In fact, some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. Father Chris Alar, MIC, explains.

Learn from these life changing stories of Divine Mercy.