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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
What should I do?	Laura	Sunday, January 16, 2005
Question: I'm writing for advice. My daughter, Danielle, has in the past year seperated herself from the Catholic Church, but not to any other form of Christianity. Instead, she has began to study Witchcraft, a.k.a Paganism, along with two other friends of hers, Allie and Jane. In their form of the practice, Satan does not exist, and is a strictly Christian belief. They do not sacrifice animals,and abhor those who do commit cruel acts. A few years ago, when she was only nine (she was sixteen this past October), a neighborhood "friend" of hers propositioned her. She told him "no" but he persisted, saying that if she didn't agree to let him "practice" on her that he would no longer be her friend. When she resisted, telling him that she wasn't comfortable with his actions, he threatened to tell someone about what she had done so far, and so she relented. Eventually, her father and I found out about what had been occuring, and talked to a Priest as well as to the boys parents. Her First Holy Communion was that year and she was to recieve her first Eucharist. At the time, she had made it out that she had never tried to get him to proposition her during the molestation,when she had, and so still felt that she was in mortal sin, though I still feel as though she was the victim. However, because she was too afraid and too ashamed to confess this to a Priest, she accepted Eucharist while believing she was under mortal sin. This in itself she has told me, must make her as guilty as if she had really been under mortal sin. Feeling as though she was still going to Hell, she turned to Paganism as a way out. She knew that Paganism had few laws.As she got more involved in the cult, she felt it was where she really belonged, and she no longer sees it as evil.Any advice would be helpful, as I honestly do fear for her soul! Thank you and God Bless.... Laura
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Laura: I am sorry to hear about your daughter. We will be in prayer for her. First, one of the things I would explain to your daughter is that no one accidentally goes to hell. If she feels that mortal sin is on her soul and thus she will go to hell, that can be remedied easily in the Sacrament of Confession. There is no reason to be embarrassed. Priests have "heard it all." If necessary, she can go to another parish where the priest does not know her and confess behind the veil to maintain anonymity; even going to a parish priest in another town is okay. But one way or another never avoid confession due to embarrassment or any other reason. Second, leaving the Catholic Church does not remove mortal sin from her soul. Believing that Satan does not exist does not remove the fact that those who die in mortal sin will not see God and be forever separated from Him. Third, leaving the Catholic Church, in itself, risks her soul even if she remains Christian. To leave Christ's Church is to leave Jesus' house. This is rude and sinful. It is like still acknowleding one's parents but refusing to accept their house and never visiting there. Fourth, there is no such thing as Christian Witchcraft. If she wishes to be a witch then she has not only left the Catholic Church, but she is rejecting Christ in any context. Witchcraft is a form of idolatry. It doesn't matter if the style of witchcraft does not sacrifice animals and such. Witchcraft is witchcraft and is an abomination to God in ALL its forms. She is being blinded to the Truth by her own fears and by the devil. As best as you can, I would try to explain the points above, but she may not listen. The most important thing to do is to pray for her. Pray the applicable Spiritual Warfare Prayers in the Catalog linked below. Prayers I would specifically recommend are the Hedge Prayer for a Wayward Person, Hedge Prayer of Protection for Others, Hedge Prayer for Protection of Household, Prayer for our Children, Resist Satan's Attacks Against Household. Persevere in prayer. Develop a devotion to St. Monica and ask her to help. With prayer your daughter may come to her senses some day. In the meantime your heart may be broken. Join your broken heart with that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Never stop praying. 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

What should I do?

Laura

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Question:

I'm writing for advice. My daughter, Danielle, has in the past year seperated herself from the Catholic Church, but not to any other form of Christianity. Instead, she has began to study Witchcraft, a.k.a Paganism, along with two other friends of hers, Allie and Jane.

In their form of the practice, Satan does not exist, and is a strictly Christian belief. They do not sacrifice animals,and abhor those who do commit cruel acts.

A few years ago, when she was only nine (she was sixteen this past October), a neighborhood "friend" of hers propositioned her. She told him "no" but he persisted, saying that if she didn't agree to let him "practice" on her that he would no longer be her friend. When she resisted, telling him that she wasn't comfortable with his actions, he threatened to tell someone about what she had done so far, and so she relented. Eventually, her father and I found out about what had been occuring, and talked to a Priest as well as to the boys parents. Her First Holy Communion was that year and she was to recieve her first Eucharist. At the time, she had made it out that she had never tried to get him to proposition her during the molestation,when she had, and so still felt that she was in mortal sin, though I still feel as though she was the victim.

However, because she was too afraid and too ashamed to confess this to a Priest, she accepted Eucharist while believing she was under mortal sin. This in itself she has told me, must make her as guilty as if she had really been under mortal sin.

Feeling as though she was still going to Hell, she turned to Paganism as a way out. She knew that Paganism had few laws.As she got more involved in the cult, she felt it was where she really belonged, and she no longer sees it as evil.Any advice would be helpful, as I honestly do fear for her soul!
Thank you and God Bless....
Laura

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Laura:

I am sorry to hear about your daughter. We will be in prayer for her.

First, one of the things I would explain to your daughter is that no one accidentally goes to hell. If she feels that mortal sin is on her soul and thus she will go to hell, that can be remedied easily in the Sacrament of Confession. There is no reason to be embarrassed. Priests have "heard it all."

If necessary, she can go to another parish where the priest does not know her and confess behind the veil to maintain anonymity; even going to a parish priest in another town is okay. But one way or another never avoid confession due to embarrassment or any other reason.

Second, leaving the Catholic Church does not remove mortal sin from her soul. Believing that Satan does not exist does not remove the fact that those who die in mortal sin will not see God and be forever separated from Him.

Third, leaving the Catholic Church, in itself, risks her soul even if she remains Christian. To leave Christ's Church is to leave Jesus' house. This is rude and sinful. It is like still acknowleding one's parents but refusing to accept their house and never visiting there.

Fourth, there is no such thing as Christian Witchcraft. If she wishes to be a witch then she has not only left the Catholic Church, but she is rejecting Christ in any context.

Witchcraft is a form of idolatry. It doesn't matter if the style of witchcraft does not sacrifice animals and such. Witchcraft is witchcraft and is an abomination to God in ALL its forms.

She is being blinded to the Truth by her own fears and by the devil.

As best as you can, I would try to explain the points above, but she may not listen.

The most important thing to do is to pray for her. Pray the applicable Spiritual Warfare Prayers in the Catalog linked below. Prayers I would specifically recommend are the Hedge Prayer for a Wayward Person, Hedge Prayer of Protection for Others, Hedge Prayer for Protection of Household, Prayer for our Children, Resist Satan's Attacks Against Household.

Persevere in prayer. Develop a devotion to St. Monica and ask her to help.

With prayer your daughter may come to her senses some day. In the meantime your heart may be broken. Join your broken heart with that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Never stop praying.

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.