Sacramentals against evil for non-Catholics?

[cradlecatholic]

I posed a similar question in the “Ask an Apologist” forum but also wanted some quick opinions on the matter. I have a friend who, since childhood, sometimes sees or feels things that she attributes to evil spirits. In the past, she was also very fascinated by occult practices and participated in them to the extent of going to fortune tellers, watching TV or movie programs dealing with the occult, playing with ouiji boards and things of that nature. She now realizes such practices are sinful or at least occasions for sin for her, and does her best to avoid them, but still feels somewhat drawn to them and still sees things she considers supernatural and evil. Her children have also seen or felt similar things.

She is a baptized and confirmed Episcopalian and her children are all baptized Episcopalians. Her husband attends church with the family but is not yet baptized. I advised her to have her house blessed with Holy Water but I do not know how efficacious that would be if done by an Episcopalian priest rather than a Catholic priest. Or even if an Episcopalian priest has access to Holy Water. Does anyone know about this kind of thing? What if I were to send her some Holy Water from my church? Would that be effective is she sprinkled it around her house herself and blessed herself and her children with it?

 

[cameron_lansing]

The spiritual attraction to the occult, even though she tries to avoid it, is the deeper danger. This issue needs to be confronted.

Has she approached her own Episcopalian rector or vicar? to clarify what her own church believes on the matter of holy water? about dealing with consequences arising from her past experience with the occult? how it would aid in her spiritual distress?

However, I am afraid to say that based on what the Episcopalian church has been doing lately, I have no idea what it believes, or what an individual Episcopalian rector would do. Without meaning insult to all Episcopalians, this is a church in profound division and confusion about belief and morality.

I think we could speak about the Catholic Church, and I imagine your parish priest would be willing to discuss the situation with her. This is what I would recommend.

Sacramentals, as holy water is, are sacred signs by which especially spiritual effects are signified in some imitation of the sacraments and obtained through the intercession of the Church (c. 1166). This implies to me something more than a non Catholic sprinkling holy water that you might provide but contact with a priest.

Blessings can be given to non-Catholics unless there is a prohibition of the Church to the contrary (canon 1170). A proper disposition would be required on her part. In fact, the Book of Blessings provides for the blessing of a family and house that may be conferred by a priest or deacon. God’s blessing is called upon the family so that they may continually be instruments of his grace to one another and instruments of faith in all circumstances of life. The concluding rite asked the Lord to dwell with the family, keep it from all evil, and make its members one in heart and mind.

She might discuss this with a Catholic priest along with the other issue. The law would not prevent her house from being blessed, provided she had a proper disposition. But a careful discernment of the overall situation is clearly needed.