Is it always wrong to communicate with spirits?

[Ana_v]

I don’t think it is, but would like to receive some clarification/guidelines (not for personal necessity, just for knowledge on this matter).

The reason I don’t think it is intrinsically wrong, is because in the ministry of exorcism, priests to some extent, will communicate with the spirts that they confront (and I’m not here referring to the prayers, but to any responses that they give or anything that they inquire from them) though my understanding is that they should keep it to a minimum so as to protect themselves from danger. Evil spirits cannot be trusted to necessarily speak the truth …

Now, the reason for my post is this. I am reading a book called Purgatory: Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints and there are a number of apparations narrated in the book. One of the stories I just read was of a priest who was met by a family that had adopted a child, who was a good, pious, and normatively healthy child, but over the past weeks had become pale and sickly, the cause of which was fright, because the child was visited on a nightly basis by a spirit, The priest counseled the family, and when they revisted the priest, the priest told them to ask of the spirit “in the name of God who he is, the time of his death, where he lived and why he returns”. (TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.,1973), p.101

The spirit was a person who was suffering in Purgatory and was requesting that Holy Communion be offered for him and certain pilgramages be made for his sake, to speed his deliverance.

This thread is not meant to debate the veracity of the stories, but just to discuss what circumstance might justify communicating with a spirit ( not summoning them to appear, but after they have appeared without your inviting them).

 

[PeterK]

Seek a priest’s guidance would be step one, as illustrated in your reference.

Peterk

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I don’t think it is, but would like to receive some clarification/guidelines (not for personal necessity, just for knowledge on this matter).

The reason I don’t think it is intrinsically wrong, is because in the ministry of exorcism, priests to some extent, will communicate with the spirts that they confront (and I’m not here referring to the prayers, but to any responses that they give or anything that they inquire from them) though my understanding is that they should keep it to a minimum so as to protect themselves from danger. Evil spirits cannot be trusted to necessarily speak the truth …

Now, the reason for my post is this. I am reading a book called Purgatory: Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints and there are a number of apparations narrated in the book. One of the stories I just read was of a priest who was met by a family that had adopted a child, who was a good, pious, and normatively healthy child, but over the past weeks had become pale and sickly, the cause of which was fright, because the child was visited on a nightly basis by a spirit, The priest counseled the family, and when they revisted the priest, the priest told them to ask of the spirit “in the name of God who he is, the time of his death, where he lived and why he returns”. (TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.,1973), p.101

The spirit was a person who was suffering in Purgatory and was requesting that Holy Communion be offered for him and certain pilgramages be made for his sake, to speed his deliverance.

This thread is not meant to debate the veracity of the stories, but just to discuss what circumstance might justify communicating with a spirit ( not summoning them to appear, but after they have appeared without your inviting them).

To dabble in any kind of " Spiritism " would be a mortal sin. Period

If a spirit appears unbidden go to a priest ASAP. NEVER BUT NEVER seek out or ask for or pray for these types of " visits. "

 

[R_C]

Absolutely always, without proper spiritual direction.

The best writing on this topic is the work of the Doctor Mysticus, St. John of the Cross.

The rule of thumb is that evil spirits will always lie, yet have great power (since they are pure spirits) to disguise themselves. Furthermore, having an intellect that is greater than that of human beings, they can easily deceive even the most astute people.

Exorcism is a very delicate ministry. An exorcist does not communicate with the spirits: by the authority of Christ he commands them to reveal whatever is necessary for him to drive him away. It is a complicated situation. The point being: an exorcist is not just any person: only bishops (who have the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, being like apostles) and priests chosen specifically by the bishop for this ministry, can do this. And they act out of obedience to the Church, which in turn acts out of obedience to Christ. Therefore an exorcist has the authority of Jesus Christ over demons, and the protection of the Church, Bride of Christ, over which demons cannot prevail. An exorcist is never in danger.

Now, purgatory is a completely different issue. Another good Catholic book is “Hungry souls.” Indeed, sometimes God does allow the souls of purgatory to ask for our prayers in some way or another. That is an entirely different topic. When something like this were to happen, one must treat the event as if it was a delusion of our mind or a deception of the devil, that is, ignore it entirely, and refer it immediately to a confessor (possibly one whom will have some degree of expertise on these matters) for spiritual direction.

And of course, pray for the holy souls in purgatory. Such prayer is never wasted. The prayer of St. Gertrude the Great, along with the Requiem, are very important and should be done on a daily basis.

But we should not try to interact with anything that is not human without spiritual direction from an ordained minister of God. We are in great danger if we try this.

Anyways a soul from purgatory usually is desperately in need of help, and will depart immediately if asked to do so. Not that I know this personally: this is what I recall from my readings of the lives of the saints who have mentioned these events.

 

[thistle]

I don’t think it is, but would like to receive some clarification/guidelines (not for personal necessity, just for knowledge on this matter).

The reason I don’t think it is intrinsically wrong, is because in the ministry of exorcism, priests to some extent, will communicate with the spirts that they confront (and I’m not here referring to the prayers, but to any responses that they give or anything that they inquire from them) though my understanding is that they should keep it to a minimum so as to protect themselves from danger. Evil spirits cannot be trusted to necessarily speak the truth …

Now, the reason for my post is this. I am reading a book called Purgatory: Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints and there are a number of apparations narrated in the book. One of the stories I just read was of a priest who was met by a family that had adopted a child, who was a good, pious, and normatively healthy child, but over the past weeks had become pale and sickly, the cause of which was fright, because the child was visited on a nightly basis by a spirit, The priest counseled the family, and when they revisted the priest, the priest told them to ask of the spirit “in the name of God who he is, the time of his death, where he lived and why he returns”. (TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.,1973), p.101

The spirit was a person who was suffering in Purgatory and was requesting that Holy Communion be offered for him and certain pilgramages be made for his sake, to speed his deliverance.

This thread is not meant to debate the veracity of the stories, but just to discuss what circumstance might justify communicating with a spirit ( not summoning them to appear, but after they have appeared without your inviting them).

"Is it always wrong to communicate with spirits?"

YES!

CCC 2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.