Dear Elena:

No, there are not official documents on this subject. This is not the type of subject that the Church usually issues official documents.

Information about most spiritual warfare issues comes from the writings of the Saints, writings of scholars and other with expertise in this area, from Biblical study, and from clinical experience.

Examples of some of the books on Spiritual Warfare written by Catholics and others can be found on our Recommended Books List on Spiritual Warfare.

There is some argument on the issue of generational curses. To often Catholics borrow too much from the Protestant (or usually Pentecostal) notions of these things.

The Biblical base is in the Old Testament principles of the curses or blessing extending to the third and fourth generations.

Curses to the fourth generation are listed in Exodus 20:5 and 34:7; Deuteronomy 5:9; and the main one at Numbers 14:18.

Blessing to the fourth generation are listed at 2 Kings 10:30 and 15:12.

The primary mistake made by Protestant notions of this principle is that somehow demonization is "inherited" from generation to generation. I do not believe that is the case. Rather, it is more likely that the sins of our forefathers may have allowed demonic attachment into the family, thus giving demons a particular foothold to harass several generations. But this does not mean that any particular descendant or any generation "will be" demonized."

I believe, however, that it is important for us to make sure that ancestral door is closed by praying a prayer of Renunciation of Ancestral Sins.

The "sins of the fathers" also has a non-spiritual dynamic as well. Many times the problems of a family that seem to go from generation to generation have nothing to do with demons or spiritual warfare. Rather, most often they have to do with genetics in some cases, or more often with bad habits and attitudes passed down from parent to child.

We must always remember that the vast majority of our problems are self-induced. The devil may like to hitchhike on our problems sometimes, but most of our problems, including generation problems, are the result of our own families and our own selves. Human beings have a huge capacity to mess up without the help of devils.

With all that said, is it possible for a "family curse" to exist. Yes. Father Amorth, the exorcist of Rome talks about this. It does exist. And, when it does exist it is possible to find freedom. That is what we do at the St. Padre Center for Deliverance Counseling -- try to help people find freedom from demonic attachments, harassments, and oppressions.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary