Google Books
Archive.org
Let us see now how these familiar spirits of the spiritualists [psychics] behave when in the presence of an opposing power. Such an opposing power, for instance, is a simple prayer from a Catholic priest, or even from a good Catholic layman.
I know a certain priest, who, one day, went to such a meeting with the intention of preventing the diabolical performances. He adjured the evil spirits not to exercise any influence, neither over their mediums, nor over any of those present at the meeting. What happened ? It was in vain that the medium tried to make the spirits appear and speak. He told the assembly that the spirits would not come, that there must be some opposing power.
One day, the Earl of Fingall, in Ireland, Lord Plunkett, father of Rev. Father Plunkett, of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, happened to be at a meeting of spiritualists. The tables began to move. He became frightened, because he saw there was something preternatural in it. So he retired to a corner, and began to pray (to say the Rosary), and instantly the operations were stopped, and they could not get along any more, as long as he was there. (Related by Father Plunkett to one of our Fathers.)
The familiar spirits of spirit-mediums find an opposing power in the presence of sacred relics.
The Emperor Julian, surnamed the Apostate, was most foolishly superstitious, and exceedingly fond of soothsayers and magicians (or spiritualists), Maximius, the Magician (or spiritualist), and others of that character, were his chief confidants. He endeavored, by the black art, or by means of the devil, to rival the miracles of Christ, though he effected nothing.
At that time there was, at Daphne, five miles from Antioch, a famous idol of Apollo, which uttered oracles in that place. Gallus Caesar, to oppose the worship of that idol, translated from Antioch to Daphne the sacred relics of St. Babylas, Bishop of Antioch, and Martyr. He erected a church, sacred to the name of St. Babylas, near the profane temple (or devil's temple), and placed in it the venerable relics of the martyr, in a shrine above ground. The neighborhood of the martyr's relics struck the devil dumb. Eleven years after, in the year 362, Julian the Apostate came to Antioch, and, by a multitude of sacrifices, endeavored to learn of the idol the cause of his silence. At length the fiend gave him to understand that the neighborhood was full of dead bones [martyr's relics], which must be removed before he could be at rest, and disposed to give answers. Julian understood this of the body of St. Babylas, and commanded that the Christians should immediately remove his shrine to some distant place, but not touch the other dead bodies. The Christians obeyed the order, and, with great solemnity, carried in procession the sacred relics back to Antioch, singing, on this occasion, the psalms which ridicule the vanity and feebleness of idols, repeating after every verse : "May they who adore idols and glory in false gods blush with shame, and be covered with confusion. The following evening lightning fell on the Temple of Apollo, and reduced to ashes the idol and all its ornaments. (Butlers Lives of the Saints, vol. i., pp. 107 and 112, note.)
Similar story in Korea, 1866: Shamans in the royal palace couldn't practice sorcery because their charms were counteracted by the torture of the French Catholic missionaries, saying that it would be evil augury if the blood of the priests were shed in Seoul. (they wouldn't be able to practice shamanism because of the holy influence of the relics of the saintly priests):
"Meanwhile at the palace a troop of sorcerers were plying their trade to cure the illness of the boy-king in time for his marriage. They complained that their charms were counteracted by the suffering of the men from the West, and that if blood were shed in the capital it would be an evil augury for the royal nuptials. Orders were given to execute the condemned five on the promontory of Sou-rieng, a long distance from Seoul.
Catholic world By Paulist Fathers: "
Holy water, too, or any thing else blessed by the Church, is an opposing power for these spirits.
While some of our Fathers were giving a Mission in Erie, a meeting of spiritualists was held in that city. When the bishop heard of it, he sent one of our Fathers to prevent the evil spirits from exercising their influence over their mediums. The Father went in disguise to the house where the meeting was to take place. He took with him a bottle of holy water. Before the performance began, the Father sprinkled the whole floor with holy water. The medium, a young woman, came on the stage, to get into a trance, but she could not succeed. They tried for about an hour, but got no answer. At last the performer, the medium, said: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have to give up to-night. There must be some opposing power, as the spirits do not appear and speak."
When General Lamoriciere, Commander of the Pope's Army, and a very pious Catholic, came back from Italy, he happened to be present at a meeting of spiritualists. He held in his hand a little crucifix, blessed by our Holy Father the Pope. Now, when they laid their hands on the table, and invoked the spirits, none of the spirits would come and answer. The medium then came and said : "Gentlemen, there is some one among you who is averse to the spirits." He examined the hands of every one, and found the little crucifix in the hand of General Lamoriciere. He then told the general either to give up this article or to leave. The general left, the opposing power was gone, and the spirits could work through their medium.
Fr. Park: In the places where shamans do their rituals, if there is a Catholic person or Catholic sacramental such as the crucifix or the rosary, the shaman knows this somehow. They tell them to go away, because the spirits will not come when there is something unclean.
And the shamans draw cross on the ground and curse it while stabbing it with a sword. This is the devils hating the Cross of Jesus Christ. This is because the devils were driven out by the Cross of Christ.
Seeing this, it can be known that God exists, and that there are evil spirits who fears the God we believe.
(Fr. Park continues with an example of a possessed person he encountered during the summer break of his seminary days.):
A possessed woman's family, having heard that one can exorcize the devil in a Catholic Church, brought her from far away to a place where they could go to a Catholic Church and rented a room. While there, they went to a Catholic Church everyday to drive the devil away. When the priest said the Mass, she laid down on the floor and pretended to be dead, then was lively again after the Mass ended. One day, she shed tears and said "(Calls her own name twice) Now I have to leave you!" After a while she returned completely to her senses. Her entire family converted, and her mother said "In this world there are devils who torment people. And in Catholic Church there is God who the devils fears. If devils exist, hell must exist, and if God exists, heaven must exist. Look at my daughter, now I can live because of God. Now I cannot not believe in God." Original Korean
From a Korean Catholic online board:
옆집에 무당이 실제로 사는 어떤 자매가 묵주기도 소리를 내어 바칠 때마다, 들은 무당이 너무 괴로워하여 싫어했다고 합니다. 실화인데 심지어 집에 작두도 날라왔다고
["In a neighbor's house, every time a Catholic prayed the Rosary out loud, the shaman who could hear it was very tormented and resented it.]
...
Some time ago the Davenport brothers put up a blasphemous placard all over the city of St. Louis, Mo., informing the public that they could perform miracles similar to those of Christ. A certain priest of the city read this placard, and became quite indignant at it. He determined to expose the authors of the placard. So he went, in disguise, to the meeting. Now, when they were about to perform their lying miracles, they put out the lights, and told all present to join hands and form a circle. The priest said to his neighbor: "I will not join hands with you; I wish to find out whether the joining of hands is necessary to the performance." As soon as the lights were put out, they heard music over their heads.
All went on very well. The priest saw that the circle was not necessary to the performance; that it was nothing but a cheat to make the affair mysterious. Having found this out, the priest made the sign of the cross. Instantly there was heard a shriek, and a crash. The lights were lit. Davenport came and said : a Gentlemen, some one of you must have broken the circle ; please join hands once more, and do not break the circle." The lights were then put out again. The priest did not join hands with his neighbor, yet the performance again went on as well as before. The priest again made the sign of the cross, and again there was heard a shriek and a crash. Davenport came down and complained. The priest s neighbor then cried out : "My neighbor here did not join hands with me." Every one shouted : " Put him out ! Put him out !" and Davenport, too, begged him to leave. But the priest, who was a strong man, said : " I will not leave until the performance is over. You will have some trouble and difficulty in putting me out ; I have paid for my ticket, and I have as much right to stay as any one else. "
They could no longer succeed in the performance of their lying wonders. Every one left; the priest stayed until all were gone. Davenport complained to him, saying : "Why did you act thus, and stop our proceedings?" " Well ! " said the priest, "do you know who I am ? I am a Catholic priest. I suppose you never had a Catholic priest in any of your circles. As you blasphemed God by your placard, I will expose you in all the newspapers of the city. A simple sign of the cross, which I made, was more powerful than all your evil spirits. Had they any power, they would have told you what was the opposing power." Davenport left the city next day. (St. Louis Guardian.)
Now every Christian knows that good angels or spirits are not afraid of, nor are driven away by prayer, by holy relics, by the sign of the cross, by holy water, or the like. It is only the devil who fears the power of prayer, and trembles in the presence of sacred objects, because he finds in them the power of Jesus Christ. It is, then, evident from these facts that spiritism is nothing but satanism.
Posts
