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RayL
Mary's Servant
USA
233 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 10:37:07 AM
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What is the Catholic teaching on ghosts and apparitions? Are they all demons, or are some of them dead humans reappearing on earth, like Samuel did in the Old Testament?
No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.
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Edited by - RayL on Dec 16 2007 10:38:24 AM |
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deleted
959 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 3:22:35 PM
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I'm not sure if the Church has a definitive teaching on ghosts. All that I know is that when a person dies, they either go to Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven.
There are two kinds of creatures, however, that could pass as "Spirits or Ghosts" and those are angels and demons. Angels are everywhere. Every person has a gaurdian angel, every altar at a church, everywhere. God created more angels than there will ever be human beings.
Demons, too, are everywhere. They influence our choices, tempt us, try and make us fall. That's one thing about sin. People in sin try to justify it by leading others into sinning with them. Satan, and the other fallen angels committed an irrevocable sin and now try and tempt others to join them.
Both kinds of angels (angels and demons) could possibly manifest themselves in the physical world. Angels would only do this because God wills it. Demons do this for other motives.
The Saints gives us examples that some souls return to do some of their Purgatory on earth. here is one I have many more if you want to hear them 
UNCLE ORAZIO AND THE TWO FRIARS
Padre Francesco Napolitano gives us this account:
All the way back in 1928, Padre Pio's father "Uncle Orazio" often used to come to San Giovanni Rotondo to spend a few days with his son. One evening after the supper recreation Uncle Orazio bade good-night to his son and the other friars and went toward his room to have a good night's sleep. The room assigned to him was one on the first floor, with the number 10. When he got there, he was surprised to see, standing in front of his room, two friars who wouldn't let him enter.
In the precise moment he tried to force his way through them, the two friars disappeared. Very shocked and scared at their disappearance, he ran to his son, Padre Pio, to tell him everything. Padre Pio understood immediately. He placed his right arm around his father's shoulder and with appropriate filial words calmed him down and instilled courage in him.
When he felt that his father had recovered somewhat, he said to him: "Dad, those two friars whom you just saw in front of your room are two poor religious who are in Purgatory. They are making their Purgatory in that place where they broke the rule of Saint Francis. But you must try to calm down and go to sleep with serenity, because they will not cometo upset you any more."
Perhaps the reader is now inclined to think that it is a common occurrence for a deceased soul to manifest himself to the living; but this is absolutely not the case. A deceased person cannot manifest himself to the living, simply because without help from higher places hehas no power over his material body. "God can miraculously permit the souls of the faithful departed to manifest themselves to the living for a useful end, and principally in order to manifest some truth or other.”
However, as we already know, the souls of the deceased, through the infinite mercy and goodness of God, can and do appear to the living. We have the words of Padre Pio, the saints, and many other people of exceptional character.
Grace Mizzi
www.mmponline.org
Send Oh Lord Holy Apostles into your church
“Christ has no body but yours, no hands but
yours, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s
compassion must look upon the world.
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about
doing good.
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless us
now.”
St. Theresa of Avila |
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 10:49:08 PM
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RayL,
"What is the Catholic teaching on ghosts and apparitions? Are they all demons, or are some of them dead humans reappearing on earth, like Samuel did in the Old Testament?"
If you go to the Catechism of the Catholic Church I doubt you'll find any teaching on ghosts, yet I believe they do exist and, frankly, I am fearful of them. I certainly would not like to encounter one, even a friendly one!
Since we believe in a spiritual world, I find no particular reason to deny the existence of ghosts.
Antonio A. Obregón |
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Raoul
Formation
United Arab Emirates
10 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 11:18:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RayL
What is the Catholic teaching on ghosts and apparitions? Are they all demons, or are some of them dead humans reappearing on earth, like Samuel did in the Old Testament?
Hello Ray,
There are very many non catholic theories on ghosts and hauntings , from a catholic perspective there is not much from the teachings of the church for us to look to.
I myself found the concept of ghosts a bit hard to believe , but after a lot of reading and speaking to a few very knowledgeable priests I have come to the conclusion that ghosts do exist , by ghosts I mean Human spirits that have passed on . Now as for the reasons they are still within our realm is still much debated , but some theories I have heard is that these are souls that are doing their Purgatory on earth ( after death ) due to various circumstances that occured during their life , There are some who are greatly attached to thier wealth and property and cant let go and they spend hundreds of years coming to grips with letting go .It was explained to me that jesus's words "its is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven" was said in context to these rich people so preoccupied with their wealth.
We also should be well aware that Demons can emulate Human spirits and they do it all the time during exorcisms etc to throw people off gaurd , with a good sense of discernment and a few sacramentals like holy water you can tell the difference .
So yes , I suppose there are human spirits that linger as ghosts but every single one of them would be here solely as an act of God and most importantly they are harmless and are in dire need of our prayers. Padre Pio and the Cure D'Ars and many victim souls were and still are plagued by poor spirits in purgatory who come to them for prayers.
Raoul
Let you who is without sin cast the first stone. |
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 11:34:58 PM
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Raoul,
"Let you who is without sin cast the first stone."
Not to change the subject or anything, I suppose you heard that when Our Lord said to the crowd that wanted to stoned the public sinner, "Let you who is without sin cast the first stone," the public sinner was lucky Our Lady was not present there!
Antonio A. Obregón |
Edited by - Antonio A on Dec 16 2007 11:36:06 PM |
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Raoul
Formation
United Arab Emirates
10 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 11:42:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Antonio A
Raoul,
"Let you who is without sin cast the first stone."
Not to change the subject or anything, I suppose you heard that when Our Lord said to the crowd that wanted to stoned the public sinner, "Let you who is without sin cast the first stone," the public sinner was lucky Our Lady was not present there!
Hahahahahaha , Good one Antonio , very Droll . Brings to mind the times we live in now eh ? In those days women were stoned when they commited adultery , in our days women commit adultery when they are stoned  .
Raoul
Let you who is without sin cast the first stone. |
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2007 : 12:14:02 PM
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Raoul,
"Hahahahahaha , Good one Antonio , very Droll . Brings to mind the times we live in now eh ? In those days women were stoned when they commited adultery , in our days women commit adultery when they are stoned."
Very true, and the present peeping toms are the media.
BTW, before you leave, don't forget to vote. RayL already posted the site to vote at CP.
Antonio A. Obregón |
Edited by - Antonio A on Dec 17 2007 12:15:04 PM |
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RayL
Mary's Servant
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2007 : 6:44:57 PM
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Found this on the internet - 7 kinds of Ghosts...
Seven Types of Ghosts: A Catholic, Biblical Perspective
by Bro. John-Paul Ignatius, Legion of St. Michael
© 2001 Order of the Legion of St. Michael
Table of Contents
I. Floating in Time and Space
II. What the Bible Says About Ghosts
A. Seeking Out Ghosts
B. What do we Know About Ghosts?
1. Composition of Ghosts
2. Ghostly Visitations During Sleep
3. Human spirits in Ghostly Form?
4. Other examples of ghostly visitations
C. Conclusion - So What do we Have?
III. Comments From Peter Kreeft
IV. Seven Types of Ghosts
V. What should our demeanor be toward "any" ghostly event?
VI. How can we differentiate between a Godly Apparition and one not of God?
VII. Some Common Questions and Answers
I. Floating in Time and Space
If we were to get into a time machine with this computer and a power source and go back 1000 years, we would likely be accused of witchcraft. To the people 1000 years ago this computer machine would have been considered impossible. Its abilities would be considered the power of the devil. To them, this computer is supernatural. To us it is just another machine.
Unless we are to consider ourselves utterly uneducated and primally brutal, we must admit that what we consider to be supernatural today may to future generations be as natural as home made pie.
Physics has given us some clues into the nature of alleged ghosts and their origin. We suspect from Physics research that it is possible for beings to be in a plane of existence different from our own which may give us a ghostly image when those two planes open to each other in some way. Through this research we may eventually come to understand how angels (and ghosts) are able to do what they do. Also through this research we may find some kinds of Ghosts that are not Ghosts at all in the way we normally think of them, but an event of time/space distortions or other quantum phenomena.
Back to Top
II. What the Bible Says about Ghosts
A. Seeking out Ghosts
We will leave the speculative physics for another time. Now let us discuss the experience of ghosts in this plane of existence. We begin this discussion with an examination of some of the Scripture verses that give us clues on this subject.
Scripture does not have much to say about this and certainly God has made it clear that this is an area we are not to seek out
*Lev. 19:31 tells us to not turn to mediums or to seek out spiritists
*Lev. 20:6, 27 equates the seeking out of mediums with prostitution (doing so is an act of infidelity to God that is not just adultery, but involves a prurient interest in the occult things equating it with prostitution -- a medium also is "hired" which is also an image of prostitution).
*Deut. 18:10-11 gives a whole list of prohibitions involving the occult and spirit world.
Whatever Ghosts are or are not, it is clear that we are not to seek them out in any way.
More at...
http://www.oswc.org/FurtherStudy/SevenTypes.asp
No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2007 : 2:36:06 PM
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Ray L,
"2. Ghostly Visitations during Sleep
*Is there an example of a ghostly visitation during sleep? Job 4:15 "A spirit glided by my face and the hair on my body stood on end"
All kidding aside, I don't want this type of visitation. It might actually "end" my life of a heart attack! 
Antonio A. Obregón |
Edited by - Antonio A on Dec 22 2007 2:37:15 PM |
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RayL
Mary's Servant
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2007 : 9:19:38 PM
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Antonio - I used to be troubled by sleep paralysis - I was half awake/half asleep, and couldn't move. I would scream for my wife to move me, but she couldn't hear me because I was dreaming that I was screaming. I used to think it was just psychosomatic, but when I read up on it, a lot of people that had this problem said that they saw something sitting on top of them, holding them down. While I never saw that, it sure could be a possiblity...
No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 26 2007 : 7:10:30 PM
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RayL,
"Antonio - I used to be troubled by sleep paralysis - I was half awake/half asleep, and couldn't move. I would scream for my wife to move me, but she couldn't hear me because I was dreaming that I was screaming."
I never had that experience and it sounds awful.
I used to think it was just psychosomatic, but when I read up on it, a lot of people that had this problem said that they saw something sitting on top of them, holding them down. While I never saw that, it sure could be a possiblity...
I have heard of some folks experiencing that but never got into "why" that happens to people.
Antonio A. Obregón |
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RayL
Mary's Servant
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2008 : 7:41:18 PM
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http://www.saint-mike.org/qa/SW/ViewAnswer.asp?QID=89
Bedtime Protection Prayer
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of the name His Name, I subject my mind and my dreams only to the work of the Holy Spirit. I ask you Lord to bind up all powers of darkness and forbid them to work in my dreams or any part of my subconscious while I sleep. Amen.
No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.
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BARBAQUED
Mary's Servant
USA
454 Posts |
Posted - Jan 08 2008 : 2:13:35 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RayL
http://www.saint-mike.org/qa/SW/ViewAnswer.asp?QID=89
Bedtime Protection Prayer
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of the name His Name, I subject my mind and my dreams only to the work of the Holy Spirit. I ask you Lord to bind up all powers of darkness and forbid them to work in my dreams or any part of my subconscious while I sleep. Amen.
No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.
This is very good.
If we give him an opening Satan can and will enter our dreams.
If you find yourself in such a dream, rebuke Satan and command him to leave your dreams in the name of Jesus Christ.
I had a situation where Satan was tempting me during sleep. I brought it up with one of Deacons and found out he had also been tempted with the same dream. (Different people, same theme). It took a lot of faith and will power but with the help of Jesus, I cast him out and bound him from bothering me.
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Chris R
Mary's Servant
USA
259 Posts |
Posted - Jan 08 2008 : 3:06:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RayL
Antonio - I used to be troubled by sleep paralysis - I was half awake/half asleep, and couldn't move. I would scream for my wife to move me, but she couldn't hear me because I was dreaming that I was screaming. I used to think it was just psychosomatic, but when I read up on it, a lot of people that had this problem said that they saw something sitting on top of them, holding them down. While I never saw that, it sure could be a possiblity...
This took me back to my childhood. I had a seriously vivid imagination & had this sleep paralysis, as you call it, all the time. It wasn't without visual effects, however, I SAW the most dreadful looking "monsters" around me as plainly as I would see you. In fact, my imagination was so powerful then that I recall an occasion where the boogy-man was pulling my hair & it actually hurt.
As I got older, this finally stopped and I've not experienced it since. Still, it was so vivid that the memory gives me chills today. |
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2008 : 4:29:27 PM
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Hi Chris R,
"As I got older, this finally stopped and I've not experienced it since. Still, it was so vivid that the memory gives me chills today."
I never had that experience and hope in God I never will. I did witness an exorcism, however, and I never want to see anything like it again!
Antonio A. Obregón |
Edited by - Antonio A on Jan 13 2008 4:30:15 PM |
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RayL
Mary's Servant
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2008 : 06:59:16 AM
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I have a lot of blessed objects in my house and bedroom now. That seemed to stop a lot of it, along with my renewed committment to Jesus through Mary. Sleep paralysis is all part of the devil's great deception, I think. The average Joe Schmuck makes no connection between his sinful life and thoughts and being totally paralyzed while trying to awake. I think there's a direct cause and effect action now.
No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.
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Ghosts
