Lorna Byrne.......real or false prophet?

[amber28]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

 

[Spencerian]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

Hi, Amber.

As a new Catholic myself, I would *not *recommend her readings, especially not to get a bead on your interests in Catholicism. While I’m hopeful that Ms. Byrne is a well-intentioned person, much of her stories are, at best, private revelations that others need not recognize as part of their faith. Some of her teachings go completely against what we know as Catholics. For one, angels are beings that are completely spirit in nature. No bodies (although they can take a form that appears as body, as shown often in Scripture).

Humans are built with a body and spirit and, while we may become like angels at our resurrection (where our bodies reunite in a glorified form with our souls, as Christ showed Himself at His Resurrection), humans can never become angels.

See this past Catholic Answers forum thread where others have spoken at length of the issues with reading these books. Catholic.com has a vast library of good books that can answer any questions you have. You were right in asking us; it’s a challenge to find not only good Christian Catholic teaching, but inspirational as well. That is, it was a challenge until you visited here. Try the shops, and God bless.

 

[Scoobyshme]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

Amber, hang in there. All is not lost yet.

You need to hang out with the right people. If you hang out with the wrong people, one of two things will happen: 1) you’ll convert them to your way of thinking or 2) they’ll convert you to their way of thinking. And they have the easier task due to the effects of Original Sin that we all have (darkness of intellect and weakness of will).

If you like to listen to good audio talks, download and listen to the following .MP3 talks by Fr. John Corapi:

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr.%20Corapi—Fatima%20Today—Part%201%20The%20Angels,%20Messengers%20and%20the%20Message.mp3

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr.%20Corapi—Fatima%20Today—Part%202%20The%20Rosary%20and%20the%20Brown%20Scapular.mp3

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr.%20Corapi—Fatima%20Today—Part%203%20Reality%20=%20Sin,%20Grace,%20Heaven%20&%20Hell.mp3

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr.%20Corapi—Fatima%20Today—Part%204%20Penance,%20Penance,%20Penance!.mp3

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr.%20Corapi—Fatima%20Today—Part%205%20Triumph%20of%20the%20Immaculate%20Heart%20of%20Mary.mp3

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr.%20Corapi—Fatima%20Today—Part%206%20The%20Eucharist-Life%20for%20a%20Dying%20World.mp3

You can also listen to his personal conversion story by downloading the following one:

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Fr_John_Corapi_Conversion.mp3

VERY interesting!

And, you can download any of the talks on the following website:

alabamacatholicresources.com/Fr_John_Corapi.html

God is really the only way to true happiness. And the Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. If your dad died a faithful Catholic, he’s up in heaven praying for you and waiting for you. Be patient. This life goes by pretty quick, believe me! Don’t fall for all this fake garbage like wiccan, etc. It’s all just a ruse by Satan to make you take your eye off the ball.

God bless!

 

[puzzleannie]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls.
. …

I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.

you are confused because you are listening to guides who have no authority. Why not instead look for sources that are inspired by God and protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching error. The only authority on earth that can make that claim is the Catholic Church. Begin with Jesus himself. Read the gospels, beginning with Mark, the shortest. Who did Jesus endow with his authority in the gospel?

Ask God himself to lead you to truth and rely on no human guide who has not been given teaching authority from him, through Jesus Christ, in an unbroken line through His apostles. Get to know Jesus through the gospels and ask him to lead you to where you can encounter him today. that will bring you back to the Church.

 

[benidict]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

hi amber welcome to the forums. one way to find out if Catholicism is really rubish, is to get involved in volunteering with Catholics. you really get to know people when they are not in the Church environment, but serving in some capacity. look at the love these people have for their savior. if Catholicism is a lie, their fruit will bear this out. plus, Catholics are not going to beat you over the head with scripture. they will just be happy your there! this author on the other hand, is just rehashing tired old new age hodge podge…boooring! lol! i have friends that practice wicca, also some that are pagans. they would be more than welcome to come to any service my home parish offers, or volunteer program. unfortunately im in the army, so i havent been home in 2 years. i really miss my peeps! peace and prayers for you.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

Time to get close to Jesus for yourself, not for your father or your brother! Go to Mass. Go to confession. Have your received all your sacraments? If you have doubts I think you can even go to RCIA. The occult is forbidden to Christians, God says so in his Holy Word many times. Do not go to psychics, they are charletans. They read your body language and make guesses until you give them clues. Reincarnation is not real. Read the Bible.

I haven’t got enough time right now to respond to everything, but don’t listen to your brother. Pray for him.

 

[kenofken]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

You’re not in a good place to jump into this religion or that. As a Wiccan, I can tell you that missing your dad really isn’t a sufficient reason to join us, nor will it give you any special powers to contact him etc. Some people have that talent to a degree and it can be improved with practice, but you must realize that the dead are not pacing around a phone booth somewhere waiting for incoming calls.

Whether you’re Wiccan or Catholic, we both believe that the dead have their own journeys to make after passing. I’ve found that I can sometimes speak with the recently departed, in dreams, but there’s a few schools of thought which say that people are only attached to this plane for maybe a month or two after passing, and that’s consistent with my experience. At Samhain each year (aka Halloween), we invite our ancestors to sit among us. Not to seek answers or converse, but just to honor them. Without exception, we feel their presence as strongly as a mother’s hug. I would advise you to steer clear, for now, of folks who offer to connect you to your father in exchange for money. It’s not that I don’t believe in mediumship at all, but I believe it’s widely oversold and it too often tends to become a manipulative venture in which people charge you big money to tell you what they think you want to hear.

Take time to mourn. It will take a year just for the first phase, and several more beyond that. In time you will realize that he is closer to you than you realize. Closer in some ways than when he was alive. Take the time you need. There’s simply no shortcut through this healing, nor should you try to force one. Spend some time investigating different religions if you want, but don’t let anyone (including Wiccans) evangelize you or sign you up for anything until YOU are ready.

 

[amber28]

You’re not in a good place to jump into this religion or that. As a Wiccan, I can tell you that missing your dad really isn’t a sufficient reason to join us, nor will it give you any special powers to contact him etc. Some people have that talent to a degree and it can be improved with practice, but you must realize that the dead are not pacing around a phone booth somewhere waiting for incoming calls.

Whether you’re Wiccan or Catholic, we both believe that the dead have their own journeys to make after passing. I’ve found that I can sometimes speak with the recently departed, in dreams, but there’s a few schools of thought which say that people are only attached to this plane for maybe a month or two after passing, and that’s consistent with my experience. At Samhain each year (aka Halloween), we invite our ancestors to sit among us. Not to seek answers or converse, but just to honor them. Without exception, we feel their presence as strongly as a mother’s hug. I would advise you to steer clear, for now, of folks who offer to connect you to your father in exchange for money. It’s not that I don’t believe in mediumship at all, but I believe it’s widely oversold and it too often tends to become a manipulative venture in which people charge you big money to tell you what they think you want to hear.

Take time to mourn. It will take a year just for the first phase, and several more beyond that. In time you will realize that he is closer to you than you realize. Closer in some ways than when he was alive. Take the time you need. There’s simply no shortcut through this healing, nor should you try to force one. Spend some time investigating different religions if you want, but don’t let anyone (including Wiccans) evangelize you or sign you up for anything until YOU are ready.

missing my dad was NOT my reason for exploring wicca,nor do i expect it togive me any “special powers”.i was very intrested in it before my dad died.

 

[kenofken]

missing my dad was NOT my reason for exploring wicca,nor do i expect it togive me any “special powers”.i was very intrested in it before my dad died.

My mistake. If you have an interest in it, by all means follow up on it. I don’t mean to discourage any seekers. Take the time to find out if it really is what you think it is, and more importantly, to figure out who you are and what your heart and soul tell you. I can recommend a few books and sites which I think offer very solid and accurate overviews.

 

[Dorothy]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

Lorna Byrne is a false prophet. That is easy to tell by her site where she talks about angels and the “energy” in the earth, how it has a soul, etc. She is deceived when she says she heard from St. Michael. St. Michael would not lead people away from our Lord Jesus Christ and his truth. The devil can appear as an angel of light, as it says in the bible.

I looked at the site and nowhere saw where the holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ was glorified. He alone leads us into all truth. Reincarnation is a false teaching. We all have one life, the Blood of Jesus is enough to save us in this life, if we accept him and follow him.

Reincarn

 

[Monica4316]

hi all,
im new to this forum,not sure where to post this question but really want your opinions. Lorna byrne,claims to have seen angels all her life-now i was very touched by her first book ‘Angels in my hair’, but having just read her 2nd book ‘Stairways to Heaven’ im confused. She claims the archangel michael showed her people with reincarnated souls. Now, im very lost at the moment in regards to my faith-my dad recently died,he was a devout catholic and loved his religion so much-he always wanted me to go back to mass.I have my older brother,a muslim convert,constantly telling me catholocism/christianity is all rubbish,based on lies,theres no such thing as purgatry etc.For the last 6 months since losing my lovely dad ive become very interested in Witchcraft and Wicca. Ive visited psychics/mediums in hope of contacting my dad.Ive got a fascination with the occult,always have done since i was a child,ive even had psychic dreams for years.But i just do not believe in reincarnation.Im so lost.I now feel a real pull towards jesus,but am so confused by things my brother says about catholocism. I really feel so lost inside.

Amber,

I am sorry for your loss :hug1:

I wanted to just answer some of you questions…

Jesus gave the Church the authority to teach in His name and to discern truth from error. The Church has told us very clearly that:

• we do not get reincarnated, rather there is a Heaven, purgatory, and hell
• the occult, mediums, psychics, wicca, witchcraft, etc, are spiritually dangerous and sinful. I’m sorry to tell you this… but the reason is that often demons are involved. It’s so easy for a demon to disguise themselves as a lost loved one. Also, all these things involve attempting to control the spiritual world, when really it is God who is control. We don’t say “spells” to make somethng happen, we ask God because He has the real authority. If something happens because of a “spell”, that is an illusion from a demon, it is not reality. In addition… the Bible says we should not try to contact the dead. You said that your dad was a devout Catholic… it is very probable that he is in Heaven or Purgatory. In this case, you can talk to him like you can talk to the Saints. You can tell him how your day went, tell him you miss him, etc, and be assured that he can hear you. You can also pray for him, which is a great idea, especially if he’s in Purgatory. But don’t try or expect to hear back from him… because again, a demon can very easily fake this. Your dad is with Jesus, and you have the chance to see him again, that is greater than trying to summon him through a medium, trust me!! mediums, etc, are either fakes or demonic… this is NOT of God. The Church has always taught this.

The Church has teaching authority… it does not teach reincarnation… Lorna Byrne’s books are based on her private revelations, which are often imperfect and mix truth and lies. Base you faith on general revelation, to the Apostles: that is Scripture and Tradition. If you want to read some private revelation, read something by the Saints.

You said that you feel a pull towards Jesus… I would say that you feel this because Jesus IS calling you to Himself. But you would need to surrender all this to Him, give up the wicca, mediums, etc, and accept the teachings of the Church. If this is difficult, that is understandable, and I would suggest simply praying to Him and perhaps visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament have you ever spoken to a priest about your thoughts and confusion? Try to research Catholicism more and see what you think. Don’t’ be discouraged by your brother’s words, - of course he would say things like that if he doesn’t believe in Christianity. But try to trust Jesus and pray to Him, give Him a chance. Perhaps visit a Mass (just remember to not receive Communion without Confession).

When I was younger I was interested in wicca and the occult, and God lead me away from that, and later on I saw how dangerous it is. It might look innocent at first, but the further you get into it, the more it is obvious it is not from God. I am saying this to you because I don’t want you to find out the hard way.

God bless you

 

[amber28]

My mistake. If you have an interest in it, by all means follow up on it. I don’t mean to discourage any seekers. Take the time to find out if it really is what you think it is, and more importantly, to figure out who you are and what your heart and soul tell you. I can recommend a few books and sites which I think offer very solid and accurate overviews.

ive got sooo many books on wicca and witchcraft,and i dont think its a bad fath at all,very peaceful infact.but im still confused.and coz ive been feeling so low since losing my dad i havent even attempted spellwork,not whilst feeling so negative-and believe me im all set to go-i have an athame,a wand,mini cast iron cauldron,book of shadows,candles/incense,even a mini besom hangs over my front door.but since losing my dad ive lost interest,not completely but somewhat.and now i just feel confused about all religion.i dont want to cast spells if its demons making them succeed,as someone here stated.thats very scary.xx

 

[amber28]

Amber,

I am sorry for your loss :hug1:

I wanted to just answer some of you questions…

Jesus gave the Church the authority to teach in His name and to discern truth from error. The Church has told us very clearly that:

• we do not get reincarnated, rather there is a Heaven, purgatory, and hell
• the occult, mediums, psychics, wicca, witchcraft, etc, are spiritually dangerous and sinful. I’m sorry to tell you this… but the reason is that often demons are involved. It’s so easy for a demon to disguise themselves as a lost loved one. Also, all these things involve attempting to control the spiritual world, when really it is God who is control. We don’t say “spells” to make somethng happen, we ask God because He has the real authority. If something happens because of a “spell”, that is an illusion from a demon, it is not reality. In addition… the Bible says we should not try to contact the dead. You said that your dad was a devout Catholic… it is very probable that he is in Heaven or Purgatory. In this case, you can talk to him like you can talk to the Saints. You can tell him how your day went, tell him you miss him, etc, and be assured that he can hear you. You can also pray for him, which is a great idea, especially if he’s in Purgatory. But don’t try or expect to hear back from him… because again, a demon can very easily fake this. Your dad is with Jesus, and you have the chance to see him again, that is greater than trying to summon him through a medium, trust me!! mediums, etc, are either fakes or demonic… this is NOT of God. The Church has always taught this.

The Church has teaching authority… it does not teach reincarnation… Lorna Byrne’s books are based on her private revelations, which are often imperfect and mix truth and lies. Base you faith on general revelation, to the Apostles: that is Scripture and Tradition. If you want to read some private revelation, read something by the Saints.

You said that you feel a pull towards Jesus… I would say that you feel this because Jesus IS calling you to Himself. But you would need to surrender all this to Him, give up the wicca, mediums, etc, and accept the teachings of the Church. If this is difficult, that is understandable, and I would suggest simply praying to Him and perhaps visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament have you ever spoken to a priest about your thoughts and confusion? Try to research Catholicism more and see what you think. Don’t’ be discouraged by your brother’s words, - of course he would say things like that if he doesn’t believe in Christianity. But try to trust Jesus and pray to Him, give Him a chance. Perhaps visit a Mass (just remember to not receive Communion without Confession).

When I was younger I was interested in wicca and the occult, and God lead me away from that, and later on I saw how dangerous it is. It might look innocent at first, but the further you get into it, the more it is obvious it is not from God. I am saying this to you because I don’t want you to find out the hard way.

God bless you

hi monica,thank you for ur kind reply.
yes my dad was the most devout catholic i ever did see.he’d attend mass every sunday and weekdays.he prayed the rosary every single night.he was constantly having masses said for the sick or recently deceased,would attend every funeral.would visit the sick in hospital.and he trusted god 100%.ive never met someone with such faith.and he was honestly the best dad in the world.he was so loved by everyone in the area,the church was bursting with people at his funeral.people say to me “your dad was a saint”,lol.he was a very special man theres no doubt about it.he loved having my son Kian every weekend,he’d come to mine most days and we spoke about 3 times a day on the phone,he was my absolute rock.he wasnt even ill,he dropped kian back on sunday 23rd may this year,went home and died in his sleep-the shock has not left me still.altho about a year before i had the most disturbing dream that left me wake and crying for hours,that he died.i heard my mums voice saying she was coming for him,that it was just his time.deep down i knew it was going to happen.and exactly a month before he died,my brother dreamt that he went to dads flat and found him dead in his bed- which is exactly what happened. i think im still so angry with god for taking him away from me.

 

[markomalley]

ive got sooo many books on wicca and witchcraft,and i dont think its a bad fath at all,very peaceful infact.but im still confused.and coz ive been feeling so low since losing my dad i havent even attempted spellwork,not whilst feeling so negative-and believe me im all set to go-i have an athame,a wand,mini cast iron cauldron,book of shadows,candles/incense,even a mini besom hangs over my front door.but since losing my dad ive lost interest,not completely but somewhat.and now i just feel confused about all religion.i dont want to cast spells if its demons making them succeed,as someone here stated.thats very scary.xx

Sounds to me like you’ve been given some bad advice in the past in regards to wicca.

2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility.
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.
2117 **All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. **These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.
You are placing yourself at grave risk through those practices. My recommendation would be to remove any books and paraphernalia associated with the practice from your home and to destroy them. And then get yourself immediately to confession.

 

[Dorothy]

I thoroughly agree with the above poster. All that pagan “stuff” needs to get out of your house.

May our Lord Jesus Christ lead you and guide you.

 

[kenofken]

A lot of people here will tell you a lot of things about Wicca. Very little of it is true and almost none of it is based on firsthand experience. Those who do claim to have had a bad experience invariably project a lot of their old personal problems on Wicca - ie their time in Wicca was a dark time in their lives. In most of these cases, it comes out that the person in question was already having problems with drugs, depression, bipolar, bad family dynamic etc. But they insist that no, it was Wicca that was the problem. Many others instinctively will try to warn you off of it because they have had fear conditioned into them in almost any matter of spirituality outside of the Church.

My advice to you is to think for yourself. First take time to grieve and to heal. Wicca, indeed any religion, is a mentally and spiritually demanding enterprise. You are not in a place to be taking on that work right now, Wicca, Catholic or otherwise. There is no witch and no saint who ever did their best work while dealing with a loss as you have. In Wicca, a traditional time period for mourning is a year and a day.

Don’t jump into this or that religion just yet. Lay all your tools aside and just “be” with your dad and family. You will have days where you just don’t want to get out of bed or eat. You will have times where you are angry at God, at yourself, even at your father. You will come to realize that you will never be fully “ok” with his loss because the loss of someone you love is an inconsolable grief. But you will make peace with that, and you will learn that he is never as far from you as you might suspect. Own that pain and realize that it is part and parcel of love itself. It is a burden, but also part of the gift. Catholicism has some insights which can help people come to peace with death in a big picture sense, and there are others here much more qualified to explain that to you.

I can offer you some insight into how Wicca and paganism in general helps us deal with this. In Wicca, we very much concern ourselves with the cycles of nature, those of life and death. In time you come to appreciate on a very deep level the power and beauty of these cycles, which operate from the scale of the universe down to the smallest organisms. You come to appreciate that death is not the enemy of life. It is the counterweight on the wheel which makes life possible. Death has no power over life because it is a gateway to rebirth.This operates at the scale of our own mortal lives, but also at every second of every day. Every second you are losing something that you will never get back in exactly the same way, but you gain new things - new knowledge, new friends, new love. You don’t remember it, but your birth into this world and indeed your fathers was a death experience at the same time. You were torn from a nurturing environment into a place that seemed as cold and harsh as a Soviet labor camp

I work primarily with Celtic gods and goddesses. If you study those, you will realize that many of them have dual aspects. It’s not unusual to have a goddess of death who is also associated with birth or creativity in some aspect. That’s no accident. One of the best examples of this is the Morrigan, a goddess of war AND fertility. Imagine that. Another is Cerridwen, a goddess figure often associated with darkness and fury. In the mythology she hunts down her servant in a fit of rage, hunts him without mercy and devours him. The very embodiment of everything we hate about death. And yet, that act causes her to give birth to something wonderful, Taliesin, the island’s greatest bard and poet. Death reigns over nothing but the doorway to life! In Wicca we also emphasize connection to our ancestors. We get in touch with that cycle of ancestors going back centuries and those bonds are not harmed at all by death. Our ancestors speak to us in ways obvious and subtle, and they lend us a strength and peace which words cannot begin to describe. We honor them, and at some level, we look forward to the day when we will stand among them. We hope to live and die in such a way that we are found fit to stand among the very best of their company.

That’s enough unsolicited pagan theology. I will leave you with one last thought. Your dad no doubt died much too young, and there would never be a good time to lose him. But in the scheme of things, he died well. Far more often than not these days, our people die prolonged, horrible deaths after years wasting away in hospital and nursing home beds, living in ways we would not subject animals or convicted terrorists.

It is my belief and experience that some people are “called home” in sudden fashion because they’re ready to move on. Their soul is in such a state that they’re prepared to “graduate” in a sense. One of my grandmothers passed in that way after recovery from a stroke opened her eyes to live with a new sense of joy and kindness. Stevie Ray Vaughn passed that way. I had the great fortune of seeing him only months before he died. He had turned his life around in rehab and had come to a place where he lived to share the gift of one of the greatest blues players ever born. People like that change the energy in a room. A blind man can feel their presence. Catholics would call that a state of grace. We might call it a state of wisdom. Eastern traditions would term it enlightenment. Whatever it is, folks in that state have done their best work a human being can in this existence. They’re ready to move on. Your dad may well have been such a man. Their loss hurts especially because they are the sort of people we need to live to 100 in this world. But I suspect they still help us in ways we can’t even imagine.

My best wishes go with you in your healing. You will sort out the religion question when you are ready. Your heart will show you your right path. Whether it’s Catholcisim or Wicca or anything else, I wish you well on your journey.

 

[kenofken]

ive got sooo many books on wicca and witchcraft,and i dont think its a bad fath at all,very peaceful infact.but im still confused.and coz ive been feeling so low since losing my dad i havent even attempted spellwork,not whilst feeling so negative-and believe me im all set to go-i have an athame,a wand,mini cast iron cauldron,book of shadows,candles/incense,even a mini besom hangs over my front door.but since losing my dad ive lost interest,not completely but somewhat.and now i just feel confused about all religion.i dont want to cast spells if its demons making them succeed,as someone here stated.thats very scary.xx

I know I run on too much today (a job interview reawakened the writer in me!). At any rate, I feel compelled to respond to this point. My dear, I would not be doing magick if it involved demons. This is a fundamental, and usually deliberate bit of misinformation spread about us. There are of course disturbed individuals involved in dark workings and some what we do does in fact involve appeal to the gods. However, spellwork does not usually invoke or rely upon any deity or supernatural force whatever. It is nothing more than the deliberate and practiced direction of natural energy which is all around us, in everything. It is no more “demonic” than electricity or magnetism or the dance of electrons which allows us to manufacture antibiotics and explosives. It is a force which can be used for good or ill, nothing more. As a scientist I cannot quantify this sort of energy as I can electricity and magnetism, but there are aspects of particle physics which suggest its nature - phenomenon involving how particles can influence each other over distances through mechanisms we can’t yet understand. Phenomena which involve a person’s state of mind or even the simple act of observing influencing the outcome of experiments. Nor is it true that spellwork “gives” us power we wouldn’t otherwise have. It’s a way of supplementing our efforts in “the real” world, not replacing them.

 

[Monica4316]

Amber,

I know this must be a very hard time for you… and it’s probably very confusing to now have people tell you that wicca is wrong, after you have gotten involved in it and believing it. I just wanted you to know that we are saying this to you because we care and wish the best for you. I can say about me; what I said wasn’t just based on a bad experience… it’s based on the teachings of the Church, handed down by Christ. I was interested in wicca before I was baptized, and when I began to know God, I saw how completely different that is and my eyes were opened in a way. I know this must be difficult to hear so I have a suggestion, maybe this is something you could pray about just ask God what He thinks about wicca, and be open to Him. But remember both the Bible and the Catechism warn us against it. If you have fears about potentially having to give it up, - God offers us so much that brings joy and peace…in my own life, as I began receiving the Sacraments, I could see more clearly how He loves us and began having a deeper relationship with Him. This relationship, for each person, is based on humility, love, trust, and repentance…and that comes difficult at first, but God really helps us with His grace. I hope a bit of what I said here makes sense.

Your dad sounds like a wonderful person and a great Catholic I am certain that God knows and understands that it is painful for you to have to deal with losing him. But you haven’t truly lost him… your dad is with God, and if you come closer to God, you will come closer to your dad too. One day, you can meet him again and then never have to say goodbye. Trust that God loves you…very very much. He loves your dad too and maybe it was his time to go, God took him home to be with Him. But God is with you now, don’t forget that He is also your Father. God loves you so much He died for you! And it’s possible that your dad is praying for you in Heaven and wants you to be closer to Jesus also. Try to pray to Him, pray a bit every day, and see what happens also try praying the Hail Mary for the truth and guidance.

God bless you

 

[Monica4316]

I know I run on too much today (a job interview reawakened the writer in me!). At any rate, I feel compelled to respond to this point. My dear, I would not be doing magick if it involved demons. This is a fundamental, and usually deliberate bit of misinformation spread about us. There are of course disturbed individuals involved in dark workings and some what we do does in fact involve appeal to the gods. However, spellwork does not usually invoke or rely upon any deity or supernatural force whatever. It is nothing more than the deliberate and practiced direction of natural energy which is all around us, in everything. It is no more “demonic” than electricity or magnetism or the dance of electrons which allows us to manufacture antibiotics and explosives. It is a force which can be used for good or ill, nothing more. As a scientist I cannot quantify this sort of energy as I can electricity and magnetism, but there are aspects of particle physics which suggest its nature - phenomenon involving how particles can influence each other over distances through mechanisms we can’t yet understand. Phenomena which involve a person’s state of mind or even the simple act of observing influencing the outcome of experiments. Nor is it true that spellwork “gives” us power we wouldn’t otherwise have. It’s a way of supplementing our efforts in “the real” world, not replacing them.

The thing with demons is that they are very manipulative…they lie… it’s not like they only appear if you call upon them. It says in Scripture that the devil disguises himself as an angel of light. Something can seem good and innocent yet be demonic. So how do we discern? that is the ministry of the Church.

I do not believe that we can or should control “energy” around us, like you said. We should not try to control the spiritual world. We are human… there are many things we don’t know and don’t understand. Even without demons, it is dangerous. Importantly, we can’t control these things because we have no authority over them… only God has this authority. Wicca is trying to be God, that is why the Church disagrees with it.

 

[kenofken]

The thing with demons is that they are very manipulative…they lie… it’s not like they only appear if you call upon them. It says in Scripture that the devil disguises himself as an angel of light. Something can seem good and innocent yet be demonic. So how do we discern? that is the ministry of the Church.

I do not believe that we can or should control “energy” around us, like you said. We should not try to control the spiritual world. We are human… there are many things we don’t know and don’t understand. Even without demons, it is dangerous. Importantly, we can’t control these things because we have no authority over them… only God has this authority. Wicca is trying to be God, that is why the Church disagrees with it.

All of us have the power of discernment. It was, in many respects a 20-year process of discernment which led me to Wicca. Is my discernment flawless? Of course not, but it gets better with use, not with deference to others to think for me. My old profession was an excellent education in human nature across the whole spectrum. I know, more than most people, what evil looks like, how it moves, how it speaks. I have spent time inside the hearts and minds of murderers, rapists, corporate criminals, corrupt politicians, you name it. Can evil speak with a deceptive voice? Absolutely. But it always reveals itself if you know how to look. It speaks to ambition. To greed, to anger. To the idea of entitlement, to the idea that you should have power OVER others. Even when it can mask itself in sweetness and charity, the mask flies off the second it is tested. You attract entities such as demons only when you appeal to them directly OR when you seek the kinds of powers they have to give. I have had direct experience of the Goddess and it was 180 degrees different. No promise of power. No seduction. It was, rather, the essense of pure maternal love. Absolute peace and contentment and nurturing. A place I can envision but which was beyond time and place. A place where my own ego and sense of self and possessions were utterly unimportant.

You are quite correct in that energy of any kind can be dangerous. Should we therefore abandon the use of any force in the service of ourselves and others? By that logic, humans should never have taken up the use of fire, or steam or electricity. Certainly not atomic fission. We do not have perfect understanding or mastery of any of these things, and their misuse and volatile nature DO harm us from time to time. Once we acquired that extra bit of forebrain, that awareness that sets us apart from the animals, we stepped onto the beginning of the path that led the gods to where they are. There is no turning back. We have knowledge of many forms of power, of which magick is relatively small. We have given ourselves the power once attributed only to demons. We have learned their ambition. Our only hope for survival now lies in the path ahead, not behind. We must now learn the wisdom and compassion you attribute to God.