Many aspects of life in Scotland have made her largely migrant Polish population feel ‘at home’ and welcome. At the same time, certain traditions have appeared more incomprehensible. Halloween, with its recent even stronger American overtones seems to be a step too far.
Halloween would have be difficult enough, but it is followed closely with the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, with its now seemingly faded connection to the years of unspoken Catholic genocide in Britain. Time has come to redress the balance in a society where many different values were becoming acceptable except those of the Catholic faith! On Sunday 29th October, our Polish Community gathered for a celebration which captivated the true meaning of Halloween.
Fr Bogdan Palka invited all families to join in an All Saints’ Ball. Says Fr Bogdan, “We invited the children to dress up as either their holy namesake or their favourite saint. It was the evening of before the season of All Saints, so All Hallows ‘E’en’. There was a great festival of traditional song and dance. The youngest ‘angels’ attending the party were just one year old!”
Mgr Matin Drysdale also joined in the celebrations which were led, in part, by members of the Polish Scout group from the our neighbours at Our Lady’s parish.
Said Mgr Martin, “It was a really special occasion to have so many saints visit us at one time. St Pope John Paul II looked really good and among others we had a St Teresa of Calcutta, St Francis and several Our Lady’s!”
