Halloween night brought celebration, costumes and a spirit of community to Sacred Heart Major Seminary as seminarians welcomed neighborhood children and families to campus for the annual Halloween candy giveaway.
The event offered an opportunity for seminarians to share the joy of the season, connect with their Detroit neighbors and put their call to serve others into action. This year’s celebration marked the first Halloween outreach for Fr. Kevin Creagh, CM, as rector, with Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger also joining the seminary community for the festivities.
Behind the scenes, Detroit seminarian Tom Pfaffenbach (Discipleship I) helped coordinate the event, organizing communication, volunteers and supplies to prepare for the evening. This year, parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit demonstrated their generosity by donating more than 12,000 pounds of candy for the giveaway.
The contributions made the event possible on such a large scale, Pfaffenbach said, noting that a majority of the archdiocese’s parishes participated in supporting the outreach.
For Pfaffenbach, the annual tradition is about more than providing children with a safe and enjoyable Halloween. It is also an opportunity for Sacred Heart Major Seminary to strengthen its relationship with the surrounding Detroit community.
The event, which has been part of the seminary’s life for many years, invites neighborhood families onto campus and offers them an opportunity to experience the Church in a welcoming and joyful setting.
“Oftentimes, it can be easy to close ourselves off, especially in this place where we've got fences all around,” Pfaffenbach said. “But this is a time where we can invite the people around us to come into our community and to experience the Church.”
Through the simple act of handing out candy and welcoming families, seminarians have an opportunity to share something greater than the treats themselves.
“They can experience the love of God and get some candy while they're doing it,” Pfaffenbach said.
The celebration also provided an opportunity to welcome Fr. Creagh as rector and Archbishop Weisenburger as they joined seminarians in the festivities. Pfaffenbach reflected on the leadership both have brought to their respective communities, emphasizing their care for those entrusted to them.
He said he was excited for Fr. Creagh to experience the tradition for the first time and see the joy the event brings to neighborhood families. Archbishop Weisenburger, attending his second Halloween celebration at the seminary, also returned to join in the evening’s festivities.
As seminarians worked together to prepare for the event and welcome families through the seminary’s gates, the annual tradition served as a reminder that the Church’s mission extends beyond its walls. Through hospitality, generosity and service, Sacred Heart Major Seminary continues to build relationships with its neighbors while sharing the love of Christ with the Detroit community.
