The Secular Halloween is nearly upon us...What Counsel Can An Exorcist Give?

As we approach All Hallow's Eve, that sacred time of reflection on death and Judgment, on whether we will behold God face-to-face for all eternity or...not.  On whether we will proceed to the Beatific Vision the very moment our eyes close, or be confined to the fires of Purgatory for likely a very...long...time.  Or, may God forbid it!, on whether, in the end, it will be judged that our love was cold and we died as an enemy of the Lord, dead in our sins, and fall into the abyss where the demons, whom we now know so well to be malicious and violent and ever-hating, reside.

As we approach this time, an important topic to consider is...the occult.

One of the dangers of the modern celebration of the season of All Hallows is the modern secular observance of Halloween.  In these days, there is a rise of curiosity about spells, witches, ghosts, demons, death, and violence.

What is the danger of such curiosities?  Let's read a snippet from my book, Slaying Dragons: What Exorcists See & What We Should Know, and find out some of the things Exorcists say about the occult:

“When a person first comes to an exorcist, after determining there is a true spiritual issue, the exorcist begins to inquire into the person’s life, looking for possible doorways for demons. Many of the people who are diabolically disturbed have opened themselves up through the occult, or through a connection with Satanic cults, or through dabbling in something in the category of the New Age.  This curiosity is extremely dangerous. As Fr. Amorth says, curiosity leads the youth into the “myriad tentacles of occultism” and eventually to the door of the exorcist. When young people become interested in Ouija boards or spells, those spirits may actually come to you and hang around. While it is rare for possession to happen immediately, Fr. Fortea says that the person will likely experience “a presence in that moment with the people around the table, and sometimes that presence is around a person of the group for a week or two weeks, but nothing more. Fortunately, because God protects, to be possessed is not so easy.””

And this...

“The rise of the occult also includes a popular acceptance of witchcraft, spells, and the demonic in society. Popular media, such as music and television and literature, are all opening up to more positive portrayals of these occult categories. This is happening all over the world. Fr. Amorth cautions against participating in these things and, in particular, advises the young to avoid horror films. These films “tend to normalize brutal situations, particularly, where the demon is the protagonist” and “can seriously upset fragile minds and stir others to sadistic emulation.” Though viewing these films does not directly cause spiritual ills, they can indirectly do so by enticing the person who watches them toward the occult.”

And finally this...

“Though possession is not common in the first instance of dabbling in the occult, serious diabolical influences are more common when the person is also suffering from an emotional or mental instability. Exorcists consistently mention, for example, that victims of abuse are more susceptible to diabolical influence if they approach the occult. Fr. Fortea says, starkly, “A demon is never invoked in vain.” He says that, if the person has an open wound, the demon will latch on. Even if the person is not especially vulnerable to the demonic, the invocation of a demon, through a spell or a curse, will always cause harm, both to the one performing and requesting the spell and, only if God permits it, to the one who is the target of the spell.”

Feel free to share this little banner around, with a link to the book!