LINCOLNTON — All Saints Day is beloved by Catholics all over the diocese, but at St. Dorothy Parish in Lincolnton, the All Saints Day March and Festival has become their largest annual tradition.
About 400 saints came out Nov. 1 to experience comradery, the faith-based games, the candy and the fun.
Longtime parishioner Kim Kostner, who managed the facepainting booth with the help of her son dressed as Saint Carlo Acutis, said it is something parishioners look forward to each year.
Her favorite part?
“The march,” she said. “I love walking around and dancing with the kids. It is like one big family.”
With the Louis Armstrong song, “When the Saints Go Marching In,” blaring from outside speakers, hundreds of saints, including a baby Saint Michael the Archangel, a pregnant Virgin Mary, and even a young Saint Dorothy, processed through the parking lot.
Amongst them, Father Michael Carlson, the pastor, dressed like his Confirmation saint, Saint Olaf, the Norwegian Viking.
“This is a good chance for us to get together but also to learn about various saints. I mean, every year I learn about a new saint myself,” Father Carlson said. “The kids also have a lot of fun with it. It is a good chance for them to learn to serve one another.”
Cars for the Trunk-or-Treat circled the parking lot and were filled not only with candy but also with lessons on faith. One trailer had a Day of the Dead shrine, while others dedicated their trunks to their favorite saints.
The eighth-grade confirmation class hosted the saintly games, such as “Fill Dorothy’s Basket” and “St. Patrick Drives Out the Snake,” and were required to keep the theme by dressing up too.
Organizer Meg Barrett even dressed up as Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Though she retired as the Faith Formation director years ago, she still takes time every year to put on this event she started 20 years ago.
Barrett’s drive is “seeing all the families out here and the people that actually take their time to dress their kids up as saints.”
— Lisa M. Geraci
