www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News African Bishops warn Priests about Witchcraft

I always would have thought this to be a given, but apparently not. It seems there is a lot more work needed in the area of vocational formation.

CNN Story [edition.cnn.com]

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

These unnamed "some (Catholic) priests" have taken "inculturation" to the extreme!

But inculturation gone awry nonetheless!

Amado

We can rest assured that the Holy Father knows the existence of these problems well.

I can't recall exactly what document or what speech of his that I read recently (and it was given/read recently), in which the Holy Father specifically talked about vocations in Africa and how they are somewhat of a double-edged sword, if you will; the continent is busting out of the seams with vocations, but many of these seminarians don't want to be priests solely for the sake of Christ, or because they are truly called, but instead wish to heighten their prestige in the tribe or community by channeling their "witch doctor personas" through the priesthood. The Pope said that this is a big concern of his, and that tighter discernment on the part of the seminaries is necessary.

Logos Teen

Dear Father Anthony,

I can't help but wonder if this was going on in the first few centuries of Christianity, although as I mentioned somewhere else, I have heard of these occultic healers in more recent years...and among Christians.

I don't remember exactly where I read it, but some exorcist said that the most difficult exorcisms were from Africa and Brazil. And here I thought Haiti was bad. :rolleyes:

Zenovia

Dear Zenovia,

This may be the case. All I can say as a priest, encountering and fighting the Evil One, requires preperation through prayer and fasting and being secure in the faith. I believe these bishops are addressing what our Lord referred to in the scriptures that a house divided against itself can not stand. Here they are priests playing both sides of the religious spectrum, thus not only showing poor formation, but a total disrespect for the faith in Jesus Christ that they represent as priests. It is no wonder that many invite in demonic possession, and that ridding of these demons is only compounded by the lack of faith that these priests exhibit in their actions.

I know that this may sound harsh, but in reality it is a rather frank observation. I am sure that this issue is not limited to these priests or one particular church, but it only can wiped out by proper spiritual training and formation.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Dear Father Anthony,

Ofcourse, you are correct, and in matters of the occult, one can NEVER be harsh in its condemnation.

This is certainly a crisis for the RCC, as the priests are supposed to be those that know better! Infact, this is definitely worse than my personal peeve in Orthodox Greece-- which is that some Orthodox there practice a sort of 'santeria'...practicing Orthodoxy and the occult (witchcraft, etc.) at the same time--my peeve is that the priests there should acknowledge it more and preach against it more vocally, warning of the grave spiritual dangers to one's soul which it presents.

Regards,
In Christ,
Alice

Dear Alice,

I can't help but wonder if the worship of 'Mammon', (money and prestige), could also be considered in the above category? I know so many...and not only laity.

Zenovia

It's been quite a while since I've posted, but I actually have something to say.

Zenovia hit a personal nail of mine on the head: the sycretism in both Greek and Italian Christian practice. The tradition of the Strega witch is strong in many parts of Italy and a part of the cultural tradition among many Italian-Americans. My wife's family has deep roots in Sicily, and I was absolutely astounded to learn that these relatively pious people indulge in fortune telling using normal playing cards and even Tarot cards. They have all sorts of "charms" and gestures to ward against almost every conceivable ill that can befall a person and they regularly use them. It's all done under the guise of Christianity and by otherwise pious people, but to anyone with any sort of reading in anthropology and extra-Christian religion, it's painfully obvious its "magic", scientifically speaking.

My wife oftentimes protrays it as just a cultural vestige and a way to retain a link with her ancestors. It still scares me to think of the way her family opens themselves to evil everytime they engage in superstitious practices.

I do thank God that my family never gave credence to superstitions such as putting a hat on the table (someone will die, you know!) or the spilling of salt.

There is but one thing we should put our faith in and that is Jesus Christ!

In Christ,
mikey.

What Mikey says is true.

There is a lot of superstition among Southern Italian and Sicilian Catholics, just like the Greeks. My best friend's great-grandmother was a healer lady from Calabria, though we'd probably call her a "witch," for lack of a better term. And of course people go to certain women to get rid of the evil eye (malocchia) or perform certain spells. Old Italian ladies in the U.S. still do this.

Logos Teen

Dear Mikey,

I'm going to go a little further. Some superstitions could be harmless, but I recall my highly devout Grandmother mentioning that some refugee's from Asia Minor, (kicked out by the Turks in the 'katastrophy' of 1923) practiced witchcraft. What was meant by witchcraft was really what today we would call 'satanism'. (Mind you I never capitalize the name).

They do hexes, which they call ties, and who knows what incantations. I can't help but wonder, if this delving into the demonic was the cause of the 'catastrophy' in Asia Minor, when approx. two million Christians were pushed towards the sea by the Turks.

I know that on the island my mother came from, it didn't exist among the inhabitants...yet I wonder if it did exist at one time, and then ceased after the massacre that occurred in 1822.

I read that it was after the famine that the Irish became puritanical and that before that they were highly superstitious and who knows what else, and I also know that the Nazi's were into the occult. Seances were prevalent in England before WW I, and no doubt throughout Europe. I can't help but feel that these were the things that led up to the First World War and all the attrocities that occurred because of it.

I couldn't help but feel that it was only a matter of time before New Orleans would end up in quite a deal of trouble. The occult was so prevalent there.

In this sense, we have to thank the Evangelicals for at least letting us know what we are getting into with these things.

Zenovia

Dear Father Anthony you said:

I say:

I know that one must never go near someone when an exorcism is being performed with an unconfessed sin. I recall in the book on Saint Nektarios, that a bishop called an exorcism by Saint Nektarios hogwash, and approached the victim. Well what occurred was unimaginable. The 'entity' began blurting out all the sins committed by that bishop, leaving him in utter disgrace.

Zenovia

Indeed Alice,

I understand the same problem in and around New Orleans. Mixing Vudoo and Catholicism.

Dear Mikey,

I remember a tour of Italy I took a few years back...when we started entering the southern part of the country, our Italophile British tour guide mentioned that 'witchcraft' was still followed very much in 'the south'.

Alice

New Orleans has a long history of mixing voodoo with Roman Catholicism. Marie Laveau and her daughter, also named Marie, were both notorious for attending morning mass, participating in various Catholic devotions, and then by night they'd be dancing with live snakes in Congo Square, telling fortunes and selling amulets. If it weren't for the occultic connections, some of the Laveau's spiritual advice would be hilarious. For instance, one of the Marie's (the latter I think) told people that St Peter was a very powerful intercessor because he was close to our Lord, BUT, she also added that he was a stubborn hardheaded fisherman who would ignore your prayers unless you screamed and yelled, and lightly struck his statue. St Rita of Cascia in her opinion would also intercede for unhappy wives and husbands, because she herself had an unhappy marriage, but she was not too fond of those who were not married and wouldn't intercede on there behalf. Allegedly Marie the younger gave up voodoo in her old age and died a pious Catholic.

In 19th century New Orleans, one of the most festive days of the year, was All Souls Day, when cemeteries throughout the city were packed all night long. With live people that is.

This is interesting.
I don't know why this is in the middle east or european countries but in most third world countries that were colonized people were forced into Christianity so their cultural beliefs just went underground. Though it's decades later being Christian is still a way to get ahead socially as opposed to a conscious refutation of cultural beliefs.This is very difficult because they've already lost a lot through colonization and are very reluctant to be told to give up more of their cultural heritage no matter how it conflicts with Christianity.There are exceptions,of course. Christianity has not truly become a deep part of their psyches,and that's the result when religion is shoved down people's throat.

Another issue is that of reconciling the strong value placed on male fertility and celibacy.
In places like African countries and the Philippines it is ignored, so a large number of priests have "wives". Simply allowing for married priests would not solve the problem because even regular householders tend to have, and are indeed expected, to have mistresses. (I've attended Haitian weddings where everyone ,including the groom,smiled when the priest said to the groom "forsaking all others". I've seen videotapes of African weddings and seen the same thing occur.) Mistresses are common in Europe too, but it isn't the same. My impression is that in Europe mistresses are tolerated because it is seen as natural for men to desire more than one woman, but in these countries it isn't about just a mistress, but having as many children as possible;entire family units. Illegitimacy may be legal, but socially it just doesn't have anywhere near the same level of stigma as in Western countries.

The other problem is that this male fertility attitude is extremely antagonistic to the formation of a monasterial culture, and in order for Catholicism and Orthodoxy to flourish there must be monks and nuns in addition to priests.

I also tend to think(and I could be wrong) that the best and brightest priests were not being sent to these countries, so religious formation was (and still is) poor. This isn't to say that this is true everywhere,of course.

Peace,
Indigo