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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Sacramental or occult?	Joe	Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Question: Brother, First of all thank you for answering all of my questions in the past. Answering them so informatively and well. It is invaluable to me to have a religious to be able to ask such questions since it's my experience with and have had priests even admit they are a little down on their demonology studies. That said I recently have a memory of my mother telling me her priest spoke at the end of a mass and handed out some chalk to the parishners and explained to them to right these symbols above your door to ward off evil from entering her home. I have never heard of a priest doing this with chalk and I do not know which symbols were used but I may be able to get them as she wrote this down although a couple years ago. Does this seem odd to you? Also at this parish I saw once ashes in the small fonts instead of holy water. I have heard and read here this is done sometimes but official. I have been to confession and one of the priests there said something to the effect of something the Pope wouldn't like him to hear but he feels so and so. It was a while so I don't remember the specifics and this alarmed me a bit. I would appreciate your thoughts thank you.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Joe: I praise God that these Q&As have been helpful to you. As for the symbols chalked over the door posts, I have not heard of that one. It is true that demons do not like symbols of God, especially if those symbols are blessed (e.g. medals, crucifixes, Holy Water, Holy Salt, Holy Oil, rosary, etc.). Perhaps the priest blessed the chalk. If he did bless the chalk then if would have similar effect as any sacramental. I would want to know, however, what the symbol he was telling the people to draw to be sure it was something appropriate and something superstitious or even occult. Concerning ashes in the Holy Water fonts: Holy Water fonts are called Holy Fonts because they hold Holy Water, not ashes. Contrary to popular practice in many parishes, Holy Water is not to be removed during Lent and replace with sand, or ashes, or just remain empty. A priest wrote the Vatican to get a ruling on this practice of removing Holy Water during Lent. Here is the Vatican's response: Prot. N. 569/00/L March 14, 2000 Dear Father: This Congregation for Divine Worship has received your letter sent by fax in which you ask whether it is in accord with liturgical law to remove the Holy Water from the fonts for the duration of the season of Lent. This Dicastery is able to respond that the removing of Holy Water from the fonts during the season of Lent is not permitted, in particular, for two reasons: 1. The liturgical legislation in force does not foresee this innovation, which in addition to being praeter legem is contrary to a balanced understanding of the season of Lent, which though truly being a season of penance, is also a season rich in the symbolism of water and baptism, constantly evoked in liturgical texts. 2. The encouragement of the Church that the faithful avail themselves frequently of the [sic] of her sacraments and sacramentals is to be understood to apply also to the season of Lent. The "fast" and "abstinence" which the faithful embrace in this season does not extend to abstaining from the sacraments or sacramentals of the Church. The practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil, and it corresponds to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday). Hoping that this resolves the question and with every good wish and kind regard, I am, Sincerely yours in Christ, [signed] Mons. Mario Marini Undersecretary Concerning the Priest in Confession: I cannot respond specifically, of course, without knowing what the Priest actually said. But, if this priest admitted that what he was about to say would not be to the Pope's liking, then he shouldn't have said it. If it was something contrary to official teaching, then he needs humble himself and submit in obedience to the Church. Frankly, I am weary of priests, and bishops, whose egos seek to outrank the Magisterium's official teachings in fact or spirit. Such arrogance will have its own "reward." God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Sacramental or occult?

Joe

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Question:

Brother,

First of all thank you for answering all of my questions in the past. Answering them so informatively and well. It is invaluable to me to have a religious to be able to ask such questions since it's my experience with and have had priests even admit they are a little down on their demonology studies.

That said I recently have a memory of my mother telling me her priest spoke at the end of a mass and handed out some chalk to the parishners and explained to them to right these symbols above your door to ward off evil from entering her home. I have never heard of a priest doing this with chalk and I do not know which symbols were used but I may be able to get them as she wrote this down although a couple years ago. Does this seem odd to you?

Also at this parish I saw once ashes in the small fonts instead of holy water. I have heard and read here this is done sometimes but official. I have been to confession and one of the priests there said something to the effect of something the Pope wouldn't like him to hear but he feels so and so. It was a while so I don't remember the specifics and this alarmed me a bit. I would appreciate your thoughts thank you.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Joe:

I praise God that these Q&As have been helpful to you.

As for the symbols chalked over the door posts, I have not heard of that one. It is true that demons do not like symbols of God, especially if those symbols are blessed (e.g. medals, crucifixes, Holy Water, Holy Salt, Holy Oil, rosary, etc.). Perhaps the priest blessed the chalk. If he did bless the chalk then if would have similar effect as any sacramental. I would want to know, however, what the symbol he was telling the people to draw to be sure it was something appropriate and something superstitious or even occult.

Concerning ashes in the Holy Water fonts: Holy Water fonts are called Holy Fonts because they hold Holy Water, not ashes. Contrary to popular practice in many parishes, Holy Water is not to be removed during Lent and replace with sand, or ashes, or just remain empty.

A priest wrote the Vatican to get a ruling on this practice of removing Holy Water during Lent. Here is the Vatican's response:

Prot. N. 569/00/L

March 14, 2000

Dear Father:

This Congregation for Divine Worship has received your letter sent by fax in which you ask whether it is in accord with liturgical law to remove the Holy Water from the fonts for the duration of the season of Lent.

This Dicastery is able to respond that the removing of Holy Water from the fonts during the season of Lent is not permitted, in particular, for two reasons:

1. The liturgical legislation in force does not foresee this innovation, which in addition to being praeter legem is contrary to a balanced understanding of the season of Lent, which though truly being a season of penance, is also a season rich in the symbolism of water and baptism, constantly evoked in liturgical texts.

2. The encouragement of the Church that the faithful avail themselves frequently of the [sic] of her sacraments and sacramentals is to be understood to apply also to the season of Lent. The "fast" and "abstinence" which the faithful embrace in this season does not extend to abstaining from the sacraments or sacramentals of the Church. The practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil, and it corresponds to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday).

Hoping that this resolves the question and with every good wish and kind regard, I am,

Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
Mons. Mario Marini
Undersecretary

Concerning the Priest in Confession: I cannot respond specifically, of course, without knowing what the Priest actually said. But, if this priest admitted that what he was about to say would not be to the Pope's liking, then he shouldn't have said it. If it was something contrary to official teaching, then he needs humble himself and submit in obedience to the Church.

Frankly, I am weary of priests, and bishops, whose egos seek to outrank the Magisterium's official teachings in fact or spirit. Such arrogance will have its own "reward."

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.