Question before converting spare bedroom into prayer room

[TBolt1000T]

This may seem like a silly question, and I don’t even know if I’m posting this in the right forum, but here goes. There’s a spare bedroom in my apartment that I’d like to convert to a prayer room. However, there’s a problem. A couple of years ago, I had a roommate that stayed in that room, and I didn’t find out until after this person moved out that they had had a Pagan alter in there. Because of this, I’m not comfortable praying in that room, but I’d like to, because it’s the quietest room in the apartment. The Pagan alter is long gone, but I’m still uncomfortable praying in that room. Is there something that I should do before I start praying in there? I don’t want to have that room consecrated, because since I live in an apartment, I don’t want the next tenant to unknowingly desecrate it. What, if anything, should I do?

 

[Joannm]

This may seem like a silly question, and I don’t even know if I’m posting this in the right forum, but here goes. There’s a spare bedroom in my apartment that I’d like to convert to a prayer room. However, there’s a problem. A couple of years ago, I had a roommate that stayed in that room, and I didn’t find out until after this person moved out that they had had a Pagan alter in there. Because of this, I’m not comfortable praying in that room, but I’d like to, because it’s the quietest room in the apartment. The Pagan alter is long gone, but I’m still uncomfortable praying in that room. Is there something that I should do before I start praying in there? I don’t want to have that room consecrated, because since I live in an apartment, I don’t want the next tenant to unknowingly desecrate it. What, if anything, should I do?

Sprinkle some holy water around the room.

 

[TBolt1000T]

Sprinkle some holy water around the room.

I have some holy water, but I don’t know as much about it as I should, since I’m in the conversion process. If I do what you suggest, I wouldn’t be consecrating the room, would I?

 

[Reepicheep]

I have some holy water, but I don’t know as much about it as I should, since I’m in the conversion process. If I do what you suggest, I wouldn’t be consecrating the room, would I?

Could you tell us what the word “consecration” means to you, TBolt?

As I understand the term, the answer is no, you won’t be consecrating the room. You’ll just be driving out any evil influence that might linger from the previous tenant’s activities.

 

[Saintlucy]

Have your priest come and bless your apartment. I think what you are doing is a wonderful idea. I wanted to do the same but never got around to it. God bless you.

 

[Epistemes]

Hello,

Having your priest come in order to bless the apartment, and particularly that room, is a surefire way to drive away any lingering evil spirits. Until then, sprinkle some holy water about the room. If you have blessed salt, you might do the same.

 

[TBolt1000T]

Could you tell us what the word “consecration” means to you, TBolt?

As I understand the term, the answer is no, you won’t be consecrating the room. You’ll just be driving out any evil influence that might linger from the previous tenant’s activities.

What I meant by consecration was dedicating it to God, setting it apart as holy to the Lord. I don’t want to do that, for the sake of the next tenant.

I think that I’ll call a priest though, and tell him my concerns, and go from there. In the meantime, I’ll just pray in another room, until the issue is resolved. Thanks!

 

[SemperPax]

IMHO, you could:

1. go to confession so that your friendship with God is whole - don’t want any chinks in your armor, so to speak. then…
2. sprinkle holy water around the room while reciting the St. Michael prayer:

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the snares and wickedness of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the divine power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits who prowl the earth seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Recite it with perfect faith (remember: faith moves mountains!) that it will be effective against whatever evil influences (if any) remain there, and I think you will be good to go.

 

[TBolt1000T]

IMHO, you could:

1. go to confession so that your friendship with God is whole - don’t want any chinks in your armor, so to speak.

Since I’m just an RCIA student right now, I can’t go to Confession until Lent. Believe me, I wish I could, because I have some things that I need to get off my back.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Ask the Priest to come bless your apartment–especially that room–asap.

In the meantime, even before he does so, put a Cross, Crucifix, or Holy Icon there and say a little prayer of your own composition claiming this space back for Jesus.

Then when you have your oratory set up, ask the Priest and your sponsor and other pious friends to come dedicate it.

And yes, it’s a good idea to sprinkle not only that room but your whole apartment with holy water asap–and maybe even burn some blessed incense.

 

[Snowy]

Many churches in Europe were built over pagan temples, and pagan is not equal to evil. If we were so vulnerable, we would not be able to pray anywhere. Evil spirits cannot get you in that room any more than anywhere else in the world. If Jesus is your Lord, you don’t need to have completed RCIA in order for him to protect you. If you have the Holy Spirit, you don’t need Holy water. The Devil already knows how to get you if you let him, in that room or in the middle of Mass. God bless you.

 

[Andruschak]

I agree with most of what has been posted. Here is another prayer you can use. It is from THE DIVINE OFFICE, used in Night Prayer at times…

"Lord, we beg you to visit this house (or apartment) and banish from it all the deadly power of the enemy.

"May your holy angels dwell here to keep us in peace, and may your blessing be upon us always.

"We ask this through Christ our Lord.

“Amen.”

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Now the second bedroom is my apartment is being set up as a quiet place for prayer, meditation, and study. It is also one of the cats room. It has four litter boxes. As a Franciscan penitent, I see no contradiction in having 4 litter boxes in a room with an altar, a set of religious book, and copies of icons on the wall.

For obvious reasons, nothing that is breakable is put on the altar