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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Desire to help in the deliverance ministry	LBJ	Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Question: I am really interested in helping out people of your ministry, though I admit, I have my weakness, but I really feel that it was not a coincidence that over the years, little by little, I have encountered books/materials on Spiritual Warfare like that of Michael Brown's Prayer of the Warrior, then of our very own Filipino Fr. Jocis Syquia's book on Exorcism, and then your valuable website. Not only that, I have with me, incidentally, almost all of the recommended "weapons" for the battle, you may say, in a kit like - medals of St. Benedict and the crucifix, blessed salt, holy water, deliverance prayers, chaplet of St. Mike, and of course relics . But I am also very afraid and I don't know whom to approach? How will i know if this desire is only something passing? What can you advise me? I hear that it really seems that you are treading on delicate grounds when it comes to this ministry, any experience you might share with regards to the ups and downs of the ministry? Did you encounter any assaults of particular note?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear LJ: Participation in a deliverance ministry is a serious consideration that cannot be taken lightly or rashly. This ministry is dangerous and is not for everyone. Whenever this subject comes up the first thing I say to people is to NOT attempt deliverance counseling on your own. Do not play "doctor" when you even know "first aid." This ministry should only be attempted by those who are trained and undergo an internship/apprenticeship. Our ministry does have a training program -- the most comprehensive in the world. Our program of training is around 3-4 years of academic and clinical training and spiritual direction, plus another 3 years of apprenticeship. You can learn about all this at our website for the St. Padre Pio Center for Deliverance Counseling. As far as who you approach, the answer to that is that you don't. First of all, until you are trained you should not be doing deliverance counseling in the first place. But, even as a trained deliverance counselor, we do not go "seeking" people to help. People who need help seek us out. As for how one can know if God is calling you to this ministry, that is something that is discerned over time. Our training program helps people to discern if God is really calling them (and we assess the student to see if we agree that God is calling them). As for relics, individuals should not really keep First Class Relics. First Class relics should be kept only by churches, religious orders, chapels, oratories and similar places where the relic may be venerated in a public setting. We recommend that people with First Class relics donate them to their parishes (if the parish will accept it), or to a monastery, or to us at the Order of the Legion of St. Michael. Second and Third Class relics are okay for individual to have. They should be treated with respect and reverence that is given to a blessed object. As for experiences of a deliverance counselor there are many possibilities. I have been physically attacked by a demon, had a bottle grabbed out of my hand and thrown across the room, seen apparitions of demons, been seriously attacked by the devil working through other people, including priests and bishops, and have had my children attacked by demons. The most serious attacks are to the mind. This is not a game. It is war and those who dare fight this war find themselves in a battle that is just as real as the battles waged in the War of Iraq with real casualties, loses, and victories. But one of the primary messages is that just like a person does not go into war without being trained in combat operations, deliverance counselors, who are spiritual commandos, must be trained and prepared before going into battle. Those who attempt this ministry without such training risk their lives and their souls. I know this from personal experience when I first went into this ministry without God's green light and I found myself at hell's door. (a story for another time) Check out the Padre Pio Center for Deliverance Counseling. Be sure to read the ABOUT US section and the TRAINING section. Then once you are qualified (there is an age requirement) we can see what is possible for you. In the meantime I recommend you participate in our Spiritual Warfare Discussion Forum. 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

Desire to help in the deliverance ministry

LBJ

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Question:

I am really interested in helping out people of your ministry, though I admit, I have my weakness, but I really feel that it was not a coincidence that over the years, little by little, I have encountered books/materials on Spiritual Warfare like that of Michael Brown's Prayer of the Warrior, then of our very own Filipino Fr. Jocis Syquia's book on Exorcism, and then your valuable website.

Not only that, I have with me, incidentally, almost all of the recommended "weapons" for the battle, you may say, in a kit like - medals of St. Benedict and the crucifix, blessed salt, holy water, deliverance prayers, chaplet of St. Mike, and of course relics . But I am also very afraid and I don't know whom to approach?

How will i know if this desire is only something passing? What can you advise me? I hear that it really seems that you are treading on delicate grounds when it comes to this ministry, any experience you might share with regards to the ups and downs of the ministry?

Did you encounter any assaults of particular note?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear LJ:

Participation in a deliverance ministry is a serious consideration that cannot be taken lightly or rashly. This ministry is dangerous and is not for everyone.

Whenever this subject comes up the first thing I say to people is to NOT attempt deliverance counseling on your own. Do not play "doctor" when you even know "first aid."

This ministry should only be attempted by those who are trained and undergo an internship/apprenticeship.

Our ministry does have a training program -- the most comprehensive in the world. Our program of training is around 3-4 years of academic and clinical training and spiritual direction, plus another 3 years of apprenticeship.

You can learn about all this at our website for the St. Padre Pio Center for Deliverance Counseling.

As far as who you approach, the answer to that is that you don't. First of all, until you are trained you should not be doing deliverance counseling in the first place. But, even as a trained deliverance counselor, we do not go "seeking" people to help. People who need help seek us out.

As for how one can know if God is calling you to this ministry, that is something that is discerned over time. Our training program helps people to discern if God is really calling them (and we assess the student to see if we agree that God is calling them).

As for relics, individuals should not really keep First Class Relics. First Class relics should be kept only by churches, religious orders, chapels, oratories and similar places where the relic may be venerated in a public setting. We recommend that people with First Class relics donate them to their parishes (if the parish will accept it), or to a monastery, or to us at the Order of the Legion of St. Michael.

Second and Third Class relics are okay for individual to have. They should be treated with respect and reverence that is given to a blessed object.

As for experiences of a deliverance counselor there are many possibilities. I have been physically attacked by a demon, had a bottle grabbed out of my hand and thrown across the room, seen apparitions of demons, been seriously attacked by the devil working through other people, including priests and bishops, and have had my children attacked by demons. The most serious attacks are to the mind.

This is not a game. It is war and those who dare fight this war find themselves in a battle that is just as real as the battles waged in the War of Iraq with real casualties, loses, and victories.

But one of the primary messages is that just like a person does not go into war without being trained in combat operations, deliverance counselors, who are spiritual commandos, must be trained and prepared before going into battle.

Those who attempt this ministry without such training risk their lives and their souls. I know this from personal experience when I first went into this ministry without God's green light and I found myself at hell's door. (a story for another time)

Check out the Padre Pio Center for Deliverance Counseling. Be sure to read the ABOUT US section and the TRAINING section. Then once you are qualified (there is an age requirement) we can see what is possible for you.

In the meantime I recommend you participate in our Spiritual Warfare Discussion Forum.

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.