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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
St. Hildegard, new age?	Michael	Thursday, August 23, 2012
Question: Hello, I was wondering what you could tell me about St. Hildegard? I heard that she was considered a gifted woman of God and she has the title of Saint, but I am confussed. I haven't read much, as when I started to read books about her, it talked about her using precious stones for healing. This reminds me of the new age practice of healing with crystals and other stones? What can we make of this? Is she a Saint or a new age healer? Was it just the common belief at the time, so she studied these areas in medicine and folk lore? What are we to make of this woman of god, and do you think her writting have merit for today, or do you think they may be dangerous? Thanks
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r) Dear Michael: New Agers and sometimes feminist like to co-opt, that is, steal, St. Hildegard for their own. We should never let unbelievers steal our Saints and holy images. There should be no confusion here. The devil loves to encourage such confusion. Any application or use of St. Hildegard by New Age nutballs should be dismissed immediately. Instead, we should rely upon solid Catholic sources for all such things. This October, Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to formerly Canonize St. Hildegard (she was never officially canonized) and also declare her a Doctor of the Church, a rare honor. The reason that New Age nutballs like to look to her is because of her work with herbal medicine. Concerning "stones", silver might be considered a stone by St. Hilegard. Silver is a metal that does indeed have medical use as an antibiotic. Silver was use extensively as an antibiotic before the invention of antibiotic medicine. Silver is still used in medicine as an antibiotic in certain situations. When I had a central line put in my neck to allow antibiotics to be administered, a silver disc was placed at the puncture point to aid in preventing any infection. Silver is widely used in topical gels and impregnated into bandages because of its wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity. What is interesting is the most Chalices used by the Church have a silver lining. Since the lining is silver, and since silver has a wide-spectrum antimicrobial effect, the communal reception of the Blood is less likely to pass on harmful germs to the communicants. Bottomline is that there are some stones (minerals and elements) that do have medical use. New Agers, on the other hand, usually use crystals and other stones for the alleged "spiritual effects" of the stone, or to facilitate the "energy" therapy proposed by oriental cosmology (a false cosmology). The caution is that whatever herbs or stones are used, there must be a scientific basis for it. St. Hildegard was very adept in finding genuine medical uses of natural herbs and substances. But, all she knew of medicine was that which was common to her time (the 12th century). 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

St. Hildegard, new age?

Michael

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Question:

Hello,
I was wondering what you could tell me about St. Hildegard? I heard that she was considered a gifted woman of God and she has the title of Saint, but I am confussed.

I haven't read much, as when I started to read books about her, it talked about her using precious stones for healing. This reminds me of the new age practice of healing with crystals and other stones?

What can we make of this? Is she a Saint or a new age healer?
Was it just the common belief at the time, so she studied these areas in medicine and folk lore?

What are we to make of this woman of god, and do you think her writting have merit for today, or do you think they may be dangerous?
Thanks

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Michael:

New Agers and sometimes feminist like to co-opt, that is, steal, St. Hildegard for their own. We should never let unbelievers steal our Saints and holy images. There should be no confusion here. The devil loves to encourage such confusion. Any application or use of St. Hildegard by New Age nutballs should be dismissed immediately. Instead, we should rely upon solid Catholic sources for all such things.

This October, Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to formerly Canonize St. Hildegard (she was never officially canonized) and also declare her a Doctor of the Church, a rare honor.

The reason that New Age nutballs like to look to her is because of her work with herbal medicine.

Concerning "stones", silver might be considered a stone by St. Hilegard. Silver is a metal that does indeed have medical use as an antibiotic. Silver was use extensively as an antibiotic before the invention of antibiotic medicine.

Silver is still used in medicine as an antibiotic in certain situations. When I had a central line put in my neck to allow antibiotics to be administered, a silver disc was placed at the puncture point to aid in preventing any infection. Silver is widely used in topical gels and impregnated into bandages because of its wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity.

What is interesting is the most Chalices used by the Church have a silver lining. Since the lining is silver, and since silver has a wide-spectrum antimicrobial effect, the communal reception of the Blood is less likely to pass on harmful germs to the communicants.

Bottomline is that there are some stones (minerals and elements) that do have medical use.

New Agers, on the other hand, usually use crystals and other stones for the alleged "spiritual effects" of the stone, or to facilitate the "energy" therapy proposed by oriental cosmology (a false cosmology).

The caution is that whatever herbs or stones are used, there must be a scientific basis for it. St. Hildegard was very adept in finding genuine medical uses of natural herbs and substances. But, all she knew of medicine was that which was common to her time (the 12th century).

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.