Hallowe'en greetings (ignore if you're Catholic)

Mr. and Mrs. Whiteman extend Hallowe'en greetings to all Walt's readers. Except maybe for traditional Catholics, as explained below. To the rest of you, then...

Note to Catholic readers: You realize of course that Hallowe'en is a celebration of paganism and the occult. It promotes diabolical behaviour and strictly observant Catholics shouldn't observe it. That (and only that) is the reason why Walt's log cabin is and will remain dark and undecorated. Don't come to me looking for teeth-rotting candies, razorblade-concealing apples or (especially) a donation for UNICEF.

I'm serious about the first part, though. So is Most Rev. Andrzej Dziega, Archbishop of Szczecin, Poland, who wrote in a letter to the faithful that under the appearance of innocent fun, Hallowe'en can be "destroying the spiritual life." Hallowe'en "tricks" hide "diabolical attitudes", the prelate said, by encouraging readiness to harm the others.

And the Archbishop of Warsaw, Most Rev. Kazimierz Nycz, said in a website message that Hallowe'en goes against the teaching of the Church by promoting the "occult and magic".

So, good Catholics, please keep in mind that "Hallowe'en" is derived from "All Hallows' Eve", the eve of All Saints' Day, which is a national holiday in predominantly Catholic Poland, and still a holy day of obligation throughout the Universal Church. See you in church.