Father Joy Tajonera, a Maryknoll priest in Taiwan, shared how they guide children and reinforce godly values amid the Halloween season.

During the Daily Tribune’s Usapang OFW interview on 28 October, Fr. Joy explained that despite the criticisms directed at Christians who celebrate Halloween, they encourage children to dress holy while still having fun during their celebration at the Ugnayan Migrant Center in Taichung, Taiwan.

“They will be dressed up as their favorite cartoon characters or whatever they watch on television. I told them they need to wear something inspirational or aspirational,” he said.

“You know, the saints, the sisters, the priests. The famous saints, dress up like St. Francis of Assisi, dress up like Mother Teresa of Calcutta because the celebration is really about the holy souls, the holy saints, not just Halloween per se,” he added.

For Catholics, Undas or All Souls’ Day holds great significance, as many Filipinos travel back to their provinces to honor their departed loved ones. Fr. Joy highlighted the Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints, a central element of the Sunday Mass.

“It’s really a liturgy, not just a service, a liturgy of communion. The communion of the living and the communion of those who have gone before us,” he explained, highlighting why believers pray for the intercession of the saints in the lives of the living.

With this, he pointed out that remembrance is not just an Undas tradition. The memories of loved ones, especially for Filipinos, last forever. For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who wish to go home this season despite heavy traffic, crowded cemeteries, and pricey flowers, Fr. Joy reminded everyone that it is not a sin to remember their loved ones wherever they are.