By Susan Brinkmann
CS&T Correspondent

There is a power in this world that does not come from God. It can tell the future or speak in voices from the past. Some are healed by it, others afflicted. Curses, hexes, amulets and charms are the trinkets it flashes before the eyes of the curious, the desperate, the vengeful, the fun-seeking. But beware. There is another kingdom, one of dark and deceiving powers, that seeks to mimic the Kingdom of God. It is the kingdom of Satan.
And it is a lie.
For this reason, Christians are warned in the strongest possible language never to attempt to obtain knowledge — even for fun — outside of God’s influence or the normal way human beings obtain knowledge. Not only is this dangerous, it is also forbidden.
Scripture is full of warnings against resorting to a “fortune-teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord.” (Deut. 18:9-13).
The Catholic Catechism repeats this warning, specifically forbidding recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to unveil the future, such as psychics, clairvoyants and the interpretation of lots and omens. Although we might not be aware of it, people often resort to them out of a secret desire “for power over time, history, and ... other human beings ... . They contradict the honor, respect and loving fear that we owe to God alone” (CCC2116).
Even practices as seemingly harmless as horoscopes and palm-reading are dangerous, because they are still contacts with evil forces. The fact that we might be doing it “just for fun” makes it that much easier for Satan to catch us unaware.
The Most Reverend Donald W. Montrose, the Bishop of Stockton, Calif., wrote a pastoral letter titled, “Spiritual Warfare: The Occult has Demonic Influence,” which is dedicated exclusively to this subject. In it, he gives clear Catholic teaching about some of the more prevalent forms of divination in our culture.

Seeking knowledge of the future
The most popular form of divination in our culture is seeking knowledge of the future through the use of fortune-tellers, playing cards, tarot cards, the crystal ball, horoscopes, the study of the hand, the Ouija board and other superstitious means.
What most of us don’t realize is that not all fortune-tellers are quacks. Some of them are for real, but they’re resorting to the powers of darkness. As Bishop Montrose explains, “A medium is a person who has immediate or secret knowledge either by some questionable power of his own or through the power of an evil spirit that works through him.”
These mediums may resort to the use of magical or occult powers that enable them to do all kinds of damage to the unsuspecting, particularly in the form of secret curses that direct diabolical powers to wreak havoc upon people’s lives, possessions or loved ones. We may go to a psychic for a “reading” and end up with a lot more than we bargained for.

Communicating with the dead
Known as necromancy, the most common form of this practice is the seance. A person will attempt to contact the dead by slipping into a trance-like state and allowing the spirit to “speak” through him. Although mostly empty theatrics, these rituals are open invitations to Satan. This can be a double tragedy for the grief-stricken, who often resort to seances for comfort after losing a loved one. Any attempt to communicate with the dead through a seance, or while in a trance, is extremely dangerous and therefore forbidden to Christians.

Witchcraft
“Witchcraft or superstitious magic is used to produce effects that are beyond the power of man,” Bishop Montrose writes. “These effects may be good or bad and are brought about by the use of magical words or gestures, or the use of magical herbs, powders, liquids or similar things. There is often a specific invocation of the devil.
“We have all heard about sticking pins in dolls, the evil eye, the eating of cursed food or drinking a liquid that, through the power of darkness, is to cause harm, sickness, or death. This is witchcraft. Today, witches can be found almost everywhere, and often they are presented in a positive light.”
Even when the use of these spells and incantations appear to be for good purposes, they are evil and must be avoided. He strongly recommends that all such objects be destroyed and that anyone involved in witchcraft should renounce the devil, renounce all witchcraft in which they have been involved, and confess this sin to a priest.

Charms and amulets
Carrying an object because it is believed to have some of kind of power is a form of magic. These objects can be any kind of “good luck charm” or something given us by a fortune-teller or spiritualist. Using garlic to ward off spirits, hanging horseshoes over a door for good luck and even wearing jewelry such as zodiac signs, crescents, “mood” stones, etc. are all forms of superstitious magic. Resorting to these objects opens us to the kingdom of darkness as well as any place where these objects are being placed.
Religious articles can also be used in superstitious ways. Bishop Montrose writes, “No medal, no statue, nor religious article has any power or luck connected with it. A medal, statue or candle is only a sign of our prayer asking the saint to intercede with God for us.” This includes the recitation of a prayer, followed by the superstitious practice of putting nine copies in a church.
“It doesn’t matter if they are statues, holy water, crucifixes, prayers to Jesus and Mary and the saints.” Bishop Montrose warns. “If there is any superstitious practice, it is evil.”

Remedies
Those who have been involved in these practices can be cleansed by renouncing the devil and whatever practice they were involved with, then confessing this sin to a priest. Bishop Montrose also recommends removing anything from our homes that has had anything to do with one of these practices.
He strongly recommends resorting to the sacrament of reconciliation. “In Confession, there is a divine power which is needed to free one from the influence of evil.”
He particularly emphasizes the Eucharist. “In this sacrament is the power and presence of Jesus Himself. Persons who have actually needed exorcism from the power of the Evil One have been cured by sitting in church in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, an hour each day, for one or two months. These were very difficult cases.”
Part Three of this series will concentrate on the dangers of direct involvement with the occult.

Contact Susan Brinkmann at fiat723@aol.com or (215) 965-4615