Dear Mark:

This Father Bailey is apparently a graduate of Mt. St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This is one of the best seminaries loyal to the Pope in the United States. This does not guarantee orthodoxy, of course, but his training was orthodox. Nevertheless, such training does not guarantee good judgment.

Paranormal State TV show is one of the worst on TV. This Ryan guy is one of the most arrogant and unqualified of those idiots who have these Ghost Hunting shows. Like all of these shows there tends to be a mix of Catholicism, Protestantism, witchcraft, occult divination, and so-called psychic dingbats. All of these shows take their queue from Lorraine Warren and her late-husband, Ed. The Warrens have done more damage than all the other paranormal "investigators" put together. Their ridiculous and unsupportable theories, (unsupportable by science, theology, or basic reason) are dangerous and reveals a genuine ignorance.

An example of stupid theories include the Warrens proposed explanation for "cold spots." Cold spots are common in houses infested with demons. They are common, but the phenomena does not always happen. I have "met" several demons who manifested before me and never once felt a cold spot.

The theory, that the Warrens posit as a fact (another act of irresponsibility), is that the reason for the cold spots is that spirits must suck out energy from the material world to have the energy to manifest. Anyone with two brain-cells in their brain and who knows Angelology 101 knows that the nature of Angels (demon are fallen angels) is that they are pure spirits and as such are not dependent upon the material universe for anything. There is no reason for them to "suck out" energy from the material universe. This is not only ridiculous but irresponsibly insane to propose this theory as fact (or even to propose it as a theory).

Another common practice of these paranormal investigtors is called "provocation". This is a method of "poking the dog" to try to get the demons to manifest. This is beyond stupid. I know of one formerly famous "investigator" who was almost killed by provoking demons.

Many of these groups do what the Warrens did in bringing in a schismatic and excommunicated Bishop Robert McKenna and psychics, and sometimes even witches.

Robert McKenna was licitly ordained a priest in the 1950's but was consececrated a Bishop illicitly (which means illegally) in the illicit line of Bishop Ngo Dinh Thuc, effectively removing himself from communion with the Catholic Church and incurring an auto-excommunication.

This situation you mention here is worse, however, in that Father Bailey is a priest, in good standing I would presume, and a pastor of a Catholic parish. This is very disturbing potentially. If this priest is allowing himself to be contaminated by these troublesome people like Lorraine Warren and Paranormal State and if he teaches that contamination to his parish, then his parish is in danger.

I cannot speak more directly or specifically since I have not talked to this priest, or know exactly what he believes, or what he teaches on the subject. But, based on the people he has chosen to associate, I am disturbed.

We need to remember, however, is that these groups need ratings to stay on air and make money. I suspect that much of what we see on the T.V. shows is fake. A lot of what we see on these shows is nothing, no phenomena is actual happening. It is just the investigators spooking themselves.

For a Catholic to get involved with these problematic people is a great concern.

As for you contacting the priest and/or the bishop, Canon Law states that we have a right to express our concerns to our pastors.

If you wish to do this, then I would first contact the priest and ask him what he believes about this stuff. Be polite and business-like. Do not argue with him, but seek what it is he believes. Much of this issue is about what he personally believes about the paranormal, investigations, and associating himself with such groups. There is a difference between imprudence in his associations and adopting problematic believes and actions.

If he responds with information that is troubling, then you can write the bishop. Again be polite, not accusing, matter-of-fact, and business-like about the objective description of what the priest is doing and believes (from his own words; don't presume), and your concerns about it.

Pray for him.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary