Theophostic Prayer Ministry

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Hi,
I have been searching all over and was finally lead here. Hope you can help me out. Do any of you know anything about this ministry. I would really like to know if the Church has any official position on this.
Thanks,
Scooniecat
 
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Scooniecat:
Hi,
I have been searching all over and was finally lead here. Hope you can help me out. Do any of you know anything about this ministry. I would really like to know if the Church has any official position on this.
Thanks,
Scooniecat
Click to expand...
As it seems to be a New Age group and not Catholic, I have not found the Catholic Churches specific response on it. But they fit all the criteria of what the church teaches to avoid. It is New Age healing of memories gone wild. It promotes more false memory than anything. The guy who started it is named Smith. And his approach is not professional nor worth the stamp to write about it from what I can tell.

The mainline Protestant churches have much to say about it and none of it is good that I have read.
 
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Marie:
As it seems to be a New Age group and not Catholic, I have not found the Catholic Churches specific response on it. But they fit all the criteria of what the church teaches to avoid. It is New Age healing of memories gone wild. It promotes more false memory than anything. The guy who started it is named Smith. And his approach is not professional nor worth the stamp to write about it from what I can tell.

The mainline Protestant churches have much to say about it and none of it is good that I have read.
Click to expand...
Here is one such report.

rickross.com/reference/false_memories/fsm69.html
 
More specifics on what is wrong with it? I believe its about to get started at my parish (not sure though)
 
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Scooniecat:
I have been searching all over and was finally lead here. Hope you can help me out. Do any of you know anything about this ministry. I would really like to know if the Church has any official position on this.
Click to expand...
The Church usually doesn’t take “official positions” on non-Catholic groups. What you must do is to compare what this group teaches with what the Church teaches and see if the group measures up. You can read their “statement of faith” here:

theophostic.com/faq.html#7

I cannot recommend this group since I know nothing about them. Instead I suggest that Catholics in need of counseling check out Gregory Popcak’s Pastoral Solutions Institute:

exceptionalmarriages.com
 
Many new people have joined this board since this was first posted. I wonder: does anyone have any news on this?
It is being implemented at my parish.
 
Hi, well if anyone is out there, I am responding to a post
written about Theophostic Prayer, FOUR years after
the first was posted.

I would like to re-open this thread if it is OK with the
moderators. I have recently heard that it is being
taught/used at the Franciscan University in Steubenville.

Does anyone have more information about this
type of prayer?

All my love in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Joan_h
www.familyland.org
 
Theophostic was implemented in my parish, and it has many benefits. I wondered about the Catholic perspective on it. At first, I couldn’t find much, and then I heard a wonderful priest at Steubenville, Fr. Tickerhoof, wrote a positive Catholic perspective on it. Also, currently I am reading Fr. Jonathan Morris’ book, The Promise. In it, he briefly explains why this kind of healing prayer is both effective and Catholic in nature.
 
Thank you, I have been ministered to by people who pray this way, but they were Protestants. Although I believe I received some help, I believe it would be best administered by faithful well trained Catholics, with a good and patient priest present.

I was directed to Theophositic ministry by a priest whom I highly respect. It has been two and a half years since I have pursued this. I told this priest that I was uncomfortable with the Protestant
group because when we pray for deep healing, we really need the help of the Holy Family and the Saints and Holy Angels. Because the nature of the prayer is asking the seeker to pray,
I did ask for the help of the Holy Angels and Saints, and Our Blessed Mother. This was well received by the Protestants and it was also helpful to me. The priest who suggested it lived a few states away, so he could not help me with this, and that is
not his mission anyway.

I am waiting for a ruling by the Bishops on this type of prayer before I will go further, however. I am under the impression that it is taught by the Spiritual Development office in the New York City diocese, but don’t quote me on that. It seems that I had found some classes being offered there the last time I was doing some research.

Dr. Smith seems to be turning himself into a pretzel trying to grasp just HOW it works, and trying to find some theology that will fit. I am hoping that his search will lead him to the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, but that is all a matter of prayer, faith and grace.

It is a mystery. We cannot wrap our minds entirely around how God chooses to touch our intellect, our wills, or heal our emotions but the Divine Physician does do just that and the closer we grow to our Sovereign God, the more we are filled with His Divine Light, although His Divine Light will ALWAYS be unapproachable to our finite intellect.

Sincerely,
Joan_h.
 
Scooniecat said:
Hi,
I have been searching all over and was finally lead here. Hope you can help me out. Do any of you know anything about this ministry. I would really like to know if the Church has any official position on this.
Thanks,
Scooniecat
Click to expand...
THE FACTS:
A relatively new book, A Catholic’s Guide to Theophostic Prayer Ministry, by Father David Tickerhoof, TOR, relates theophostic ministry to the Catholic tradition. This ministry is powerful to help people move from “familial” to “individuating” faith.

Also, Catholic author, and lay healing minister, Francis Macnutt has used some elements of Theophostic Prayer in his healing ministry. His wife and co-minister discusses it here: theophostic.com/content.asp?ID=4
I personally have received Theophostic ministry, and have found greater freedom and much easier to “conform to the image of Christ.” My children, extended family and friends have also found a deeper relationship with Christ after receiving Theophostic ministry. This is also offered in some of the Catholic Charities counseling services. I have family and friends who have experienced a lifetime of professional counseling that has not come close to the amount of spiritual freedom that comes from even 45 minutes of Theophostic minstry.

I don’t understand this from an earlier post: “Dr. Smith seems to be turning himself into a pretzel trying to grasp just HOW it works.” I have personally been to the basic Theophostic seminar, learned from Dr. Ed Smith, and he is not confused about the theology of Theophostic. In fact, it was spawned, through prayer, from Catholic scripture: “The truth will set you free,” (John 8:32), and “If you are free in Christ, you are free indeed.” (John 8:36)
 
I have recieved one session of Theosophic prayer, and i was amazed at how it was clearly directed by the Holy Spirit. Christ was truly present and it had real benefit.
I would like to recieve much more, but most counsllors and lay people who are trained in this are totally booked.
Fr. Tickerhoofs book is quite helpful, and shows how this kind of prayer is biblical and can work in concert with the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
I did not find any confusion in Dr. Smith’s books, and nothing objectionable to the Catholic Faith. His statement of faith and description of the methods involved are quite clear.

Those who are posting negative replies based on hearsay, please do your homework before you speak. people depend on this forum, and it is not right to post inaccurate information.

Dr. Gregory Hamilton
 
This appears to be an inner healing ministry and does good work but what a horrible name ------Theosophy is an abamination
 
No, you misunderstand the name:

Theophostic

Theo = God, phostic = Light

bringing the truth of God’s Light to the mind

Not Theosophic, you are right, that is something totally different.
 
ghmus7 said:
No, you misunderstand the name:

Theophostic

Theo = God, phostic = Light

bringing the truth of God’s Light to the mind

Not Theosophic, you are right, that is something totally different.
Click to expand...
My bad.
It does appear to be a good work. This coming from a Evangelical, Fundamentalist Prot.
 
Joan_h said:
Hi, well if anyone is out there, I am responding to a post
written about Theophostic Prayer, FOUR years after
the first was posted.

I would like to re-open this thread if it is OK with the
moderators. I have recently heard that it is being
taught/used at the Franciscan University in Steubenville.

Does anyone have more information about this
type of prayer?

All my love in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Joan_h
www.familyland.org
Click to expand...
I have been searching for information also and did find Fr. Tickerhoof’s book and see that it is available at Franciscan U’s bookstore (have not yet read it). So it would seem that Theophostic prayer has been used with good fruit within the Catholic tradition. I have significant reservations about it still, however. The first is the statement of faith on Dr. Smith’s website, which is distintively Protestant in its failure to recognize any authority beyond scripture and faith. This places his method outside of Church authority. The second problem I see with it is that Dr. Smith is selling this prayer method as a trademarked product.

The elements of theophostic prayer that are sound and true have been part of Catholic prayer from the beginning - that is, asking in prayer for the light of God’s Holy Spirit to guide you, teach you, heal you. With the direction of a priest and/or a good counselor or spiritual director, and with the supernatural grace of the sacraments to support the prayers of a faithful and hurting person, this will naturally be effective. It doesn’t seem to me that we need a new name for the ancient prayers of the Church, nor do we need to look outside of the Catholic Church to bring God’s healing light to prayer.

If anyone has further information please post!
Thanks and God bless,
Nancy Marie
 
Nancy_Marie said:
I have been searching for information also and did find Fr. Tickerhoof’s book and see that it is available at Franciscan U’s bookstore (have not yet read it). So it would seem that Theophostic prayer has been used with good fruit within the Catholic tradition. I have significant reservations about it still, however. The first is the statement of faith on Dr. Smith’s website, which is distintively Protestant in its failure to recognize any authority beyond scripture and faith. This places his method outside of Church authority. The second problem I see with it is that Dr. Smith is selling this prayer method as a trademarked product.

The elements of theophostic prayer that are sound and true have been part of Catholic prayer from the beginning - that is, asking in prayer for the light of God’s Holy Spirit to guide you, teach you, heal you. With the direction of a priest and/or a good counselor or spiritual director, and with the supernatural grace of the sacraments to support the prayers of a faithful and hurting person, this will naturally be effective. It doesn’t seem to me that we need a new name for the ancient prayers of the Church, nor do we need to look outside of the Catholic Church to bring God’s healing light to prayer.

If anyone has further information please post!
Thanks and God bless,
Nancy Marie
Click to expand...
Nancie Marie, I thank you for such an astute observation and fair minded response to this thread. You admit the good fruit borne by this type of prayer yet state some very valid concerns. I would find it amazing if any type of effective prayer could be found that did not already exist within the Church. Re-discovered, maybe, but nothing new. The same could be said of the charismatic movement. The richness of our Church never ceases to amaze me.
 
Not wanting to judge the reason for your apparently rhetorical question…

We do not know whether or not St. Paul was sexually abused by one of his family members, or whether one of his parents died in fire before his eyes as an infant. If so, I’m not so sure stoning healed these type injuries. But the Holy Spirit has healed them, when allowed to guide his loved ones using the Theophostic prayer ministry (and probably some other prayer ministries). These are injuries which the same people were not cured of with traditional psychiatric ministry (which, in my experience, most Catholics would not be afraid of, even though it does not include prayer and the Holy Spirit).

So why the fuss over allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to those who are in need, using Theophostic method, which uses Catholic scripture and listening to the Holy Spirit?

Perhaps there is not the ability to discern the Holy Spirit in some. Or perhaps the challenges are coming from Catholics who are not used to allowing the Holy Spirit to be in control, who are not used to listening to Him when He wants to speak, or who have only been trained in formal prayer.

To them, I suggest you do your research on the saints and you will learn about comtemplative prayer, used and suggested by Mother Theresa and other saints. This is a method which requires the discipline of “listening” to the Holy Spirit, which is also the primary action during a Theophostic prayer.

The Theophostic facilitator’s job is to guide (not suggest). The Holy Spirit does the rest.

I have found that three important elements in a Theophostic facilitator are: faith that God WILL work in the process; the patience to wait on Him while He does His work; and, finally, he/she must have the ability and experience to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit.
 
Thankyou for your reply ,

I too have had some experience in the Theophostic prayer ministry both facilitating and receiving prayer for some three years now . And received some apparently wonderful healings from past experiences . However I must contend with the statement about the facilitators job being to guide not suggest , as in my experience the two seem to merg , and close analysis reveals at times in Smiths method a definite implication of the presence of Jesus in a memory .
Of course this is true , as Jesus is Present everywhere and at all times in everything and everyone and holds all things in existence by the power of his will.
So why pretend not to suggest ?.
Or a definite suggestion that a lie is being held as truth when there may not be a lie there
at all.
And Smiths claim that we all have lies within us , is that true?.
Of course if you belive it or him , then subjectively it becomes true , but also it’s a trap.
It opens one up to an infinite possibility of endless lies one may or may not belive about
oneself, others , God , the Church ,the devil .
Which require of course endless Thophostic prayer cessions.
The devil , who is the father of lies only needs to tell one lie and it is that ,
The One Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church is not the Church that Christ founded.
As soon as this is belived then man can make up all the rest .
The fullness of truth is found within the teaching of the Catholic Church .The complete acceptance of this sets you free .

Thanks for reading.
 
My thanks to the last two writers for their contributions to this discussion. After I posted my question/comment, I also asked Sue Brinkmann, the editor of Canticle Magazine, about theophostic prayer. She has a blog where she answers questions about New Age and/or any questionable practices. She went to quite a bit of trouble to research it for me, contacting Fr. Tickerhoof and Franciscan University. If you’re interested, her complete reply can be read at her New Age blog: lhla.org/newage/?p=73#more-73
 
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