Ghosts

[William_II]

Where does the Roman Catholic Church stand in regards to ghosts?

 

[dixieagle]

If you do a search in “Ask an Apologist”, there will be many discussions of this topic.

 

[stringbeanduck]

While the CCC does not specifically deny the existence of ghosts it does forbid us to attempt at making any contact with them. This would be considered practicing witchcraft

 

[ShemariahBeans]

Saul, the first king of Israel, went to the witch of Endor to bring up the ghost of Samuel the prophet.

While the witch of Endor was successful in calling up the ghost, Samuel said that for consulting a witch rather than trusting God, Saul and his sons would join Samuel by dying in the next battle. They died, and David became King.

So this makes it pretty clear in my mind that 1. ghosts exist, and that 2. I will do everything I can to stay away from anything that has a hint of the occult to it.

After all, the occult is a very poor imitation, and we are blessed with the **real thing **- choosing between He who created the universe to trust, and the one who rebelled, I know who I choose.

 

[NTOT]

Where does the Roman Catholic Church stand in regards to ghosts?

Conjuring up ghosts is a sin against the first and greatest commandment.

 

[William_II]

Thank you. I was simply wondering as to whether or not ghosts actually exist, and whether the Church confirms or denies their existence.

 

[Feedmysheep]

Thank you. I was simply wondering as to whether or not ghosts actually exist, and whether the Church confirms or denies their existence.

William, correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you claim to be entering the seminary in another post somewhere? Shouldn’t a young man who’s already discerned a calling to religious life have access to the Catechism?

Paragraphs 2116-2117 mention forbidden practices. One of which is the conjuring up of the dead- i.e. ghosts.

Ghosts appear in the Bible.

The Church confirms that human beings have immortal souls. The Church confirms that at death, soul and body are separated for a time. The Church confirms that upon death, the soul is judged and experiences one of three things: Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven.
The Church confirms that through God all things are possible, and if it pleases Him to allow a soul to make itself manifest to the living on Earth, it is entirely within His powers to do so. However, we are never to initiate this contact.

 

[William_II]

William, correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you claim to be entering the seminary in another post somewhere? Shouldn’t a young man who’s already discerned a calling to religious life have access to the Catechism?

Paragraphs 2116-2117 mention forbidden practices. One of which is the conjuring up of the dead- i.e. ghosts.

Ghosts appear in the Bible.

The Church confirms that human beings have immortal souls. The Church confirms that at death, soul and body are separated for a time. The Church confirms that upon death, the soul is judged and experiences one of three things: Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven.
The Church confirms that through God all things are possible, and if it pleases Him to allow a soul to make itself manifest to the living on Earth, it is entirely within His powers to do so. However, we are never to initiate this contact.

I have no desire whatsoever to ever make contact with a ghost. Before starting this thread, I wasn’t sure if ghosts actually existed or not.

It was the other night, and I had a desire to hear the main “Planet of the Apes” theme that Danny Elfman wrote for the 2001 Tim Burton film. I like some of Danny Elfman’s film scores. So I went to YouTube, and typed in “Planet Of The Apes Elfman”. What came up was a video of the theme, juxtaposed with images of Alcatraz. After listening to the song, I looked to the lower right of the screen to gaze upon the related videoes. One of the videos had to do with an apparent ghost sighting at Alcatraz. And then I asked myself, as I don’t know whether ghosts are real or not, what the Roman Catholic Church has to say in regards to whether they exist. Since I have been frequenting these message boards lately, I came here and started this thread.
Trust me, I have no desire to encounter a ghost.

 

[peary1]

Where does the Roman Catholic Church stand in regards to ghosts?

**I found this on a website regarding the question. It’s not ‘official’ but it’s an answer. Afterwards, I’ll give my own opinion:

Without our action or invitation, the dead often do appear to the living. There is enormous evidence of ‘ghosts’ in all cultures … We can distinguish three kinds of ghosts, I believe. First, the most familiar kind: the sad ones, the wispy ones. They seem to be working out some unfinished earthly business, or suffering some purgatorial purification until released from their earthly business. These ghosts would seem to be the ones who just barely made it to Purgatory, who feel little or no joy yet and who need to learn many painful lessons about their past life on earth."

“Second, there are malicious and deceptive spirits - and since they are_deceptive, they hardly ever appear malicious. These are probably the ones who respond to conjurings at seances. They probably come from Hell. Even the chance of that happening should be sufficient to terrify away all temptations to necromancy.”

“Third, there are bright, happy spirits of dead friends and family, especially spouses, who appear unbidden, at God’s will, not ours, with messages of hope and love. They seem to come from Heaven. Unlike the purgatorial ghosts who come back primarily for their own sakes, these bright spirits come back for the sake of us the living, to tell us all is well. They are aped by evil spirits who say the same, who speak ‘peace, peace, when there is no peace’. But the deception works only one way: the fake can deceive by appearing genuine, but the genuine never deceives by appearing fake. Heavenly spirits always convince us that they are genuinely good. Even the bright spirits appear ghostlike to us because a ghost of any type is one whose substance does not belong in or come from this world. In Heaven these spirits are not ghosts but real, solid and substantial because they are at home there: One can’t be a ghost in one’s own country.”**

**My own personal belief is that the Church, from what I can gather, does believe that a spiritual world exists, but it offers no official explanation for ghosts, aliens, etc. Generally speaking, the church is leery of the paranormal. No one knows what the substance of hell or purgatory is, so speculation is endless.

If there is somesort of spiritual ‘contact’ between a departed soul and us, it is by the grace and permission of God. One knows this when the intent is healing, or protection, or to request prayers, or to assure a loved one that he or she is fine on the other side. It is never malevolent, and brings peace. One understands that it is from God. If the experience is not from God, it will disturb, strike fear in the heart, and cause both spiritual and physical stress.**