UPDATE 14 July 2021:
When I posted about a new book from a priest friend I hadn’t yet gotten into it. Now I have. It is fascinating and some it pertains to the post, below.
The Trouble with Magic: Our Failed Search for More and Christ’s fulfillment of our Desires
by Fr. Cliff Ermatinger
US HERE – UK HERE (newly added!)
Originally Published on: Jul 13, 2021
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
my Italian mother in law told me she could put the evil eye on people to harm them. then a few years later, I got successful at work, she was very jealous, sick narcissist. she kept asking to look into my eyes bc she “loved the color” then she told me I was going to get into a car accident and I did, and got brain damage and couldn’t work anymore. Through God saving me, I got better but then a few years later, covid hit. she manipulated husband saying she was scared and lonely. he brought her to live in our house.
everyday she staring at me, asking to look into my eyes. I did wind up looking in her eyes and I could feel pure evil coming from her. then one day she was screaming and raging, made crazy hand gestures and screamed “I would be terrified” next thing I know, I. started feeling ill. went to the doctor and they told me I had a horrible disease, no one knew how I got it. I needed 2 surgeries. I’m not mad bc I see how God allowed this for my better. He made my faith stronger than ever. He brought me back to church. I am so happy now. God worked her evil to my good. I am healthier than ever, but I just wonder…how is she able to do this? how do people learn to do this witchcraft? how do you think she learned or is able to do this stuff? do you believe it’s real? how can I protect myself in the future? actually even more horrible stuff happened you wouldn’t believe while she was in our lives. Thank you for your help.
GUEST PRIEST RESPONSE: Fr. Anonymous Exorcist
How is she able to do this?
Demonic agency – like in all witchcraft.
How do people learn to do this witchcraft?
Every country has its own traditions and demonic rituals. According to the form used they have varying degrees of efficacy and even the manifestations of the oppressions or possession are proper to the type of witchcraft used; some countries have pretty beige rites with rather mundane manifestations, others have more intricate rituals effecting horrible manifestations. Italy is replete with witches and Satanists and the witchcraft used there is extremely potent.
How do you think she learned or is able to do this stuff?
Who am I to judge?
Do you believe it’s real?
Yes.
How can I protect myself?
Live the life of sacramental grace, deep mental prayer and adoration, have intimate and tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Joseph, St. Michael; forgive everyone who has ever done you wrong, live with purity of heart and mind and body, strive for perfection in virtue, do your duties according to your state in life with love and a sense of perfection, offering it up to the Sacred Heart and for the conversion of sinners.
If anything of an extraordinary sort does happen to you, it is allowed by God.
Remember, it is worse to commit a sin than it is to be possessed or oppressed.
Loading ...
“Remember, it is worse to commit a sin than it is to be possessed or oppressed.”
That’s a hard lesson but true.
Frs, thank you for taking the faithful seriously on this matter and not brushing it off.
The problem with witches, their craft, and the magic that they attempt, is that the practice can have an actual outcome but isn’t “real”, that is to say truly does what it says it does for the reasons it says that it does by the means that it says that it does. If one were to look at the structure of the rituals, they are a mishmash of violations of causality, the law of noncontradiction, false epistemology, bad metaphysics, all swirling around some superstitious attitude. What they primarily do is to detach the practitioner further from the order of reality, especially the hierarchy of the good, thereby making them susceptible to increasing vices and deeper superstitions. Their activity also destabilizes society around them and encourages others to fall into superstition, and the resulting idolatry and “magical” activity.
There are times that “magic” appears to work, but it is only appearing to work. Let’s look at a common “spell” that a lot of people do without realizing it. If one were to say something carelessly that tempts “the fates”, in order to mitigate the carelessly said misfortune from occurring, one is to knock three times on wood. This appeases the mischievous spirits (dryads who live in trees) who would have otherwise attempted to bring about the misfortune. This is magic, but it isn’t “real”, according to how I have defined “real” above.
Magic has the appearance of working because 1.) coincidence 2.) misunderstanding of the causality in the action (shamanistic medicine working because of the herbs involved, not the ritual involved.) 3.) God permitting demonic agency. When magic has the appearance of working, it is a strong temptation to fall into superstition, idolatry, and magical practice — especially for those that are the target of the magic. The only appropriate response is to turn towards God, give Him glory, and rely upon Him to sustaining you through any trials that He permitted to occur — with the realization that such trials are intended for your, or others, salvation and sanctification.
Pingback: Canon212 Update: Knuckle Under and Obey the Machine, You Trad Bastards! – The Stumbling Block
Utilize sacramentals. I imagine that the protection that comes through the Brown Scapular, the Miraculous Medal, and the St. Benedict Medal would have any trouble deflecting any sort of spell…provided that you are living a life a sacramental grace.
I wear a Brown Scapular with pockets built in to each piece of fabric. I keep a St. Benedict and Miraculous Medal in there at all times.
Say the St. Michael prayer often. I say it every time I pass a place with evil spirits, for example a Masonic lodge or a Democratic Party headquarters.
Hopefully the lady asking Fr. Z questions reads his comments. I’ve dealt with witches unbeknownst to me at the time at work. I wore a blessed rosary under my clothes. The person doing the “attack” called it out, touch it and was “sick” for two days. Merely a coincidence? Who knows? Lights would flicker on and off violently and I mean a whole room of lights. I would get static shocks randomly at work. The person who I believe was orchestrating the attack said when they went home and turned on the light switch the light bursted. The other person involved would avoid me like the plague. I was fearful I would lose my job. In the end all worked out and that person ended up leaving. But I know it was only through my prayers to the Blessed Mother through the rosary I was able to withstand the attacks.
My rosary had, still does, a pardon crucifix, a Miraculous Medal, and a St. Benedict medal blessed by an FSSP priest. I have holy water and Epiphany water. Blessed oil and exorcised salt, which I use liberally. You can buy incense from Autom dot com and get it blessed and burn it in your home. Get statues of Our Lady, Christ Crucified, St. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel blessed and put up in a prominent place in your home. If you are able to go to Eucharist adoration go and pray many rosaries. Due to my work schedule I was unable to attend daily mass but you bet I went to Eucharist adoration as often as I could. There are things the faithful can do to fight back against what they believe are witchcraft attacks, we are not sitting ducks. Stay in a state of grace and ask Our Lady to protect you with a sincere heart. She can not be out done.
I’ve heard that demons are con artists. That they will allow someone to believe that they have magical powers when it is the work of the demon. They do this to gain rights to the person who they are conning.
There are great prayers in Fr. Chad Ripperger’s book “Deliverance Prayers for Use by the Laity”. I say one daily before I leave the house. It gives me great peace.
Pingback: THVRSDAY EDITION – Big Pulpit
How can they do this?
God allows it.
Additionally, anyone can be attacked in spite of virtuous living. For instance, those who are cursed at birth or who suffer from generational spirits etc.
This is a reminder that those who are bedeviled or even possessed are not always at fault. Be kind to them and pray for them. Living virtuously, wearing medals and scapulars, frequenting the sacraments, avoiding risky situations and practices lessens the risk of bedevilment for sure. But this is not total assurance.
If God allows this suffering, it is for a greater good such as a way to suffer extraordinarily, or teach about the power of God and convert, or simply to give God great glory when He shows His power.
Pingback: RECENT POSTS and THANKS | Fr. Z's Blog