Healing Tounch (tm) & Vatican Rules

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I know that our Lord instituted the Sacrament of the Sick, however some local parishes have been promoting "Healing touch ™ . They make this claim on their official web sites:
"Parish Healing Touch Ministry is a non-liturgical healing ministry which combines the Catholic Christian tradition of care and prayer for the suffering with techniques taught by Healing Touch Program ™. We begin our work with invocation to God, include other prayers, and we end in thanksgiving to God. We follow the guidelines of the Vatican Document “Instruction on Prayers for Healing” issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (9/14/2000) and written by Cardnal Ratzinger before he became Pope Benedict XVI.

This ministry can benefit anyone experiencing illness, pain or discomfort of mind, body or spirit. It is helpful prior to surgery or other procedures and to assist in recovery afterwards. It can benefit those receiving chemotherapy. It is also helpful and recommended just to maintain wellness and to deepen spirituality. Any benefit realized is recognized as grace from God.

Men, women and children all enjoy this ministry. Comments from those who attend healing sessions, and who recommend them to others: “It gave me peace of mind and soul, as well as physical relief and comfort.” “I felt closer to God.” “I was able to pray again”. “It was a spiritual time like being deep in prayer.”

Dates and times of scheduled monthly sessions are published in the parish bulletin. Individual sessions can be scheduled during the summer months by contacting _________ministry advisor at ____________."

The ministry advisor is listed on the World wide web site of healing touch practitioners where "healing touch ™ is described as “Healing Touch is for the individual who wants to enhance wellness in themselves and the lives of people they care about by using the gift of energetic touch. Learning Healing Touch will enable you to offer comfort and relief when nothing else seems to help. You will possess a life-changing gift that you can give over and over again, once you have mastered simple, easy-to-learn steps and techniques that support health and facilitate the healing process.”

I contacted my archdiocese and was told “thanks for bringing this to our attention” several times over the last few years and this still goes on.

:shrug:I think the archbishop should put an end to this misrepresentation.
 
As an outsider looking in, this is something that I find utterly perplexing about Catholicism (at least here in America). You guys have a 2000 year old, rich, tradition with loads of legitimately Catholic devotions, prayers, means of mysticism, and you even have real Sacraments to your avail for physical healing, and yet there seems to be no shortage of parishes here in America that jump at any opportunity to engage in the syncretism of non-Christian and/or New Agey practices. Why? WHY?.

You have the legitimate Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick! Why is there any need for a parish to officially sponsor this trademarked, for-profit, New Age, QUACKERY that runs around as if it is legitimate, evidence-based medicine?

To be brutally honest, when I see this sort of stuff it makes me want to run to the nearest Orthodox Church and cease all investigation of the Catholic Church as a possible place of conversion.

YMMV

Edit: Given that this is a trademarked enterprise, I seriously hope your parish isn’t paying money for this.
 
That’s new age and not Catholic. Whatever happened to using a legit massage therapist if you are stressed? This “healing touch” thing is weird. I would bet the bishop doesn’t really realize what is going on - hence the brush off.
 
Here’s a quote from the Healing Touch website:
"HEALING TOUCH DEEPENS SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS

Spirituality, in many ways, describes the essence of the person, the soul or spirit connection and comes from Latin spiritualis, of breathing, of wind (1).Healing Touch is believed to work with the energy field of the individual that has a spiritual “layer” or component resulting in a heart centered interaction between the client and practitioner.

A number of studies have identified this sense of connection as an important component for both the client and practitioner in their experience of receiving and giving Healing Touch (2, 3, 4). In one study of women who had survived breast cancer, the essence of the Healing Touch experience was found to be one of connection with others, leading to strengthened self (2). The women experienced a sense of inner peace that enhanced their spiritual wellness."

Hmmmm.
 
Send a Copy to the Bishop, and I would also send one to Rome via the Papal Nuncio…
 
Brandon_Cal said:
As an outsider looking in, this is something that I find utterly perplexing about Catholicism (at least here in America). You guys have a 2000 year old, rich, tradition with loads of legitimately Catholic devotions, prayers, means of mysticism, and you even have real Sacraments to your avail for physical healing, and yet there seems to be no shortage of parishes here in America that jump at any opportunity to engage in the syncretism of non-Christian and/or New Agey practices. Why? WHY?.

You have the legitimate Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick! Why is there any need for a parish to officially sponsor this trademarked, for-profit, New Age, QUACKERY that runs around as if it is legitimate, evidence-based medicine?
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You know, I often wonder that myself. A friend once saw a habitless sister having a conversation with a female rabbi, and the sister was going on about her disbelief in the Real Presence. The flabbergasted rabbi was remonstrating with her: you Church teaches the most amazing thing, the God is really present in your services, and you choose not to believe it?

It goes to show that there are so many self-loathing Catholics who will chase about whatever fad comes about. I, for one, choose to keep far away from them.
 
Sounds to me like what these people want to touch is your wallet.
 
They have this in my parish. I wrote to the pastor about it but he said as long as she doesn’t do reiki then he would allow it. I know people who go and they say she does “healing” meditations. The whole thing doesn’t sit well with me.
 
Brandon_Cal said:
As an outsider looking in, this is something that I find utterly perplexing about Catholicism (at least here in America). You guys have a 2000 year old, rich, tradition with loads of legitimately Catholic devotions, prayers, means of mysticism, and you even have real Sacraments to your avail for physical healing, and yet there seems to be no shortage of parishes here in America that jump at any opportunity to engage in the syncretism of non-Christian and/or New Agey practices. Why? WHY?.
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly, as a convert of almost three decades. It seems that when so many parishes threw out sacred devotions and the Sacrament of Penance, that vacuum was quickly filled by other devotions of a more anthropocentric and narcissistic nature. The New Age, in all its diverse variations, is almost always “all about me.”

Orthodoxy is beautiful, faithful to her teachings, and has valid Sacraments, but is not in complete union with Christ’s Church and the Successor of St. Peter. Don’t give up on Catholicism. These things, too, shall pass.
 
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