Reporters notebook Why adults love Halloween

More adults are enjoying Halloween, whether it's getting dressed up in costumes or decorating their homes, because there's been a rise in interest in magic and paganism and imagination in general, said Carol Nemeroff, who teaches Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston Auburn.

“There's a real cultural shift since I was a kid toward interest in magic and paganism,” she said. Paganism is the root of Halloween, said Nemeroff, who has researched magical thinking, and used to teach “The Psychology of Magical Beliefs” when she lived in Arizona and Pennsylvania. 

In the Pagan world Halloween is a major holiday called Samhain. The holiday observes the end of the growing season, the beginning of winter, and a time when there's “a thinning of the veils between the world of the living and the world of the dead.”

Usually those worlds are separated, but on Samhain the boundary becomes open, 'so spirits can be out and about,” Nemeroff said. “In order to make contact with them, or not be harmed by them, we dress up.”

That has evolved into dressing for fun on Halloween.

More adults with lots of imagination is evidenced by pop culture. "When I was a kid we played “Dungeons and Dragons. We're still playing them,” Nemeroff said.

The imaginative trend for grownups is likely to grow stronger with the new virtual reality technologies, Nemeroff predicted. — Bonnie Washuk

Catholic churches taking H1N1 prevention

In the name of stopping the spread of the regular seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu, Bishop Richard Malone is implementing a number of directives to all Maine Catholic parishes, beginning today.

Topping the list is stay home from church if you're at risk for complications from chronic health issues, including a lung or heart disease, or you have cold or flu-like symptoms.

Others include:

* Tasting wine from the shared cup is suspended.

* Church goers will be urged to receive communion in their hand rather than their tongue, and communion ministers must sanitize their hands before and after distributing the hosts.

* Parishioners should not shake hands during the "Sign of Peace," and instead should offer a verbal greeting, smile or bow their head to greet those sitting around them.

* Parishioners should not hold hands during the "Our Father" prayer.

The above protocols are in effect until further notice. The bishop's office will stay in contact with the Maine Center for Disease Control. Last April, similar protocols were enforced for five weeks because of the flu outbreak. - Bonnie Washuk

More adults enjoy Halloween, whether it's getting dressed up in costumes or decorating their homes, because there has been a rise in interest in magic and paganism and imagination in general, said Carol Nemeroff, who teaches social and behavioral sciences at the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn College.

"There's a real cultural shift, since I was a kid, toward interest in magic and paganism," she said. Paganism is the root of Halloween, said Nemeroff, who has researched magical thinking, and taught "The Psychology of Magical Beliefs" when she lived in Arizona and Pennsylvania.

In the Pagan world Halloween is a major holiday called Samhain. The holiday observes the end of the growing season, the beginning of winter, and a time when there's "a thinning of the veils between the world of the living and the world of the dead."

Usually those worlds are separated, but on Samhain the boundary becomes open, 'so spirits can be out and about," Nemeroff said. "In order to make contact with them, or not be harmed by them, we dress up."

That has evolved into dressing for fun on Halloween.

More adults with lots of imagination is evidenced by pop culture. "When I was a kid we played Dungeons and Dragons. We're still playing them," Nemeroff said. "Harry Potter," "Lord of the Rings" books and movies are hits, as are shows and movies about vampires, including "Twilight."

The imaginative trend for grownups is likely to grow stronger with the new virtual reality technologies, Nemeroff predicted.

- Bonnie Washuk

Catholic churches taking H1N1 prevention

In the name of stopping the spread of the regular seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu, Bishop Richard Malone is implementing a number of directives to all Maine Catholic parishes, beginning Saturday.

Topping the list is stay home from church if you're at risk for complications from chronic health issues, including a lung or heart disease, or you have cold or flu-like symptoms.

Others include:

• Tasting wine from the shared cup is suspended.

• Church-goers will be urged to receive communion in their hand rather than their tongue, and communion ministers must sanitize their hands before and after distributing the hosts.

• Parishioners should not shake hands during the "Sign of Peace," and instead should offer a verbal greeting, smile or bow their head to greet those sitting around them.

• Parishioners should not hold hands during the "Our Father" prayer.

The above protocols are in effect until further notice. The bishop's office will stay in contact with the Maine Center for Disease Control. Last April, similar protocols were enforced for five weeks because of the flu outbreak.

- Bonnie Washuk