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In the next issue - September/October 2017

Special Anniversary Issue Father Peter Coughlin’s 75th birthday. Father Peter Coughlin’s 50th anniversary of Ordination. 50 Year Anniversary of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. 40th Anniversary of The Bread of Life magazine.

Teaching, Leading and Guiding

January/February 2017

July/August 2017

Dealing WITH Occult

Rev. Dr. Peter B. Coughlin

Don’t Deal with the Occult

EDITORIAL

The more time we give to the en-emy, the less time we give to God. However, people need to be warned. This issue of The Bread of Life is do-ing precisely that, warning people to beware. People who feel power-less tend to reach for things that will give them power or bring them luck, practical ways to harness powers like energies or magic. They want to in-fluence or control future events for personal gain. This motive for doing so may not always be evil; they may simply be looking for happiness or peace.

The occult is knowledge of the hid-den. The Latin word ‘occultus’ means “clandestine, hidden, secret”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2115-2117) teaches about divination and magic and warns of the dangers of being in league with the devil. All forms of divination are to be rejected; recourse to Satan or demons, conjur-ing up the dead or other practices supposed to “unveil the future”. Con-sulting horoscopes, astrology (not as-tronomy), palm reading, fortune tell-ing, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomenon of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a de-sire for power over time, history, and in the last analysis, other human be-ings, as well as to conciliate hidden powers. All these contradict the hon-our, respect and loving reverence we owe to God alone.

All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult

powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have supernatural power over others are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. They cannot be done even for the sake of restor-ing health. These practices are even more to be condemned when accom-panied by the intention of harming someone or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons.

Be aware of the dangers of so-called traditional cures that invoke evil pow-ers or exploit another’s credulity.

God can reveal the future to his prophets, saints and others. A sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of divine Providence for whatever con-cerns the future, and giving up all un-healthy curiosity about it. Read Deu-teronomy 18:9-13 for the word from Sacred Scripture. Simply put, many who get involved in New Age practic-es unwittingly find themselves in the league with Satan and the demons. In reality Satan gives us lies and half-truths whereas God gives us the Truth on which we stand and live our lives with grace and blessing.

COUGHLIN, Rev. Dr. Peter B., Editor-in-Chief of The Bread of Life magazine, has a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation. Currently he is Chaplain at St Jo-seph’s Mother House in Dundas, Ontario. He continues to serve the renewal of the Church through the Charismatic Renewal and the min-istry of healing.

Teaching about the Holy Spirit’s presence, power, gifts and healing actions in our daily lives. Leading us to renew our lives and commit them to following the example of Jesus Christ our Lord. Guiding us to live our daily lives with the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit to free ourselves and lead others to Him. We accomplish our goal by communicating in all media to spread His Word to everyone everywhere.

The Bread of Life Ministry is about...

Teaching, Leading, Guiding

Teaching about the Holy Spirit’s presence, power, gifts and heal-ing actions in our daily

lives. Leading us to renew our lives and commit them to following the example of Jesus Christ our Lord. Guiding us to live our daily lives with the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit to free ourselves and lead

o the r s to H im. We accomplish our goal by communicating in all media to spread His Word to ever yone everywhere.

Page 1 July • August 2017

PublisherC.C.S.O. Bread of Life Renewal Centre Inc.Editor-In-ChiefRev. Dr. Peter Coughlin D. Min.Managing EditorBill Wright

Editorial StaffFr. Robert Hétu Andrew RimkusBill WrightCharles BartonMiriam WrightJennifer CauchiLisa RadiceJim RutaEdwina MacDonaldMary Evans

Copy Editing & TypesettingBill Wright

Book Reviews Bill Wright

Illustration and PhotographyMiriam WrightBob Van de VrandeChris van de VrandeCover Design

Bob Van de Vrante

Regular ContributorsSue AtkinsonCharles BartonDoreen JuurlinkFr. Frank PavoneLorraine ShonamanPat RileyDeacon Victor Frank VereMiriam Wright

PrayersJennifer CauchiMiriam Wright

PuzzlePuzzlemaker.comMiriam Wright

CREDITS

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Our Mission is to promote a deeper understanding of the Holy Sprit and His presence in the lives of God’s people.

Feature Articles

6 To Visit Or Not To Visit

Lisa Radice

25 Dealing With The Occult

Peter Thompson

9 Spiritual But Not Religious

Jennifer Cauchi

31 Birth and Evolution of the House of Prayer the Cenacle

Sister Yolanda Bouchard/Ginette Johnson

35 What is...? Some New Age Ideas: Possible Explanations and Christian Responses

Geoff Cauchi

27 Ouija Board - Not A Toy Or Just A Game

Father Robert Hétu

Cover Photo: Bob van de Vrande


Magazine Layout, Design & PrintingAve Maria Press, Etobicoke, Ontario

Board of DirectorsBrian Bolt, PresidentGeoffrey CauchiRev. Dr. Peter Coughlin D. Min.Jim RutaRudolph SequeiraPaulina PaplinskiPaul CoughlinFrank GallantDebbie Puckerin

AdministrationMary Evans

Regular Articles

Editorial Rev. Dr. Peter B. Coughlin

Don’t Deal With The Occult3 Life in the Spirit


Enlightened Abundant Life 21 Another Perspective Deacon Victor Vere

Play With Fire13 Miriam Wright

Welcome, In The Name Of Jesus19 Just For Kids Charles Barton

The Guest33 The Olive Garden Doreen Juurlink

Defence Against The Devil44 Book Review Bill Wright

The New Age Counterfeit - A Study Guide For Individual Or Group Use

God Is Able


LIFE IN THE SPIRIT


Dealing With The OccultLife in the Spirit: Enlightened Abundant LifeOver the years many people

have asked me about discern-ment and discernment of spir-its. They want to know truth and how to recognize it. The best answer I can give is to know the Sacred Scriptures, read, study, memorize it. When you confront any issue it has to stand up to scripture which only gives us truth. We also have to trust our inner dis-cerner - does it give us peace in our inner spirit or does it make us uncomfortable? When dis-cerning spirits is it the Holy Spirit, the evil spirit or the human spirit at work or what combination of spirits? Often enough when the Holy Spirit is at work the evil spirit seeks to create havoc or works against what is good. The evil one just has to sow a seed and the hu-man spirit moves to bring it to growth. When I speak of the

human spirit I’m speaking of a person’s bad will or bad traits.

New Age and the occult make all kinds of promises using lies, half-truths, and hidden or secret agenda to draw people into dubious practices that foretell or promise a better way of having control of their lives and their futures. New Age and the occult promise happiness, peace, harmony, freedom from suffering, health. But the promises are false based on created things, ways of doing things, using magic, charms, energies, ways of doing things that give one power over their lives and their futures. For example, Jesus Christ is the Healer. When I was doing my doctorate in ministry, I only found one course on healing that was not New Age. There were dozens of courses offering New Age practices. Needless


to say, I wouldn’t take any of them because I know there is only one healer, Jesus Christ.

Many people practice Reiki because they want to be healers and they do it by channeling energy. It is something that the practitioner does. They harness the energy out there and that can be anything even the occult, or they use spirit guides (again demonic). They move or channel energy through the person - But only Jesus Christ is the healer and the way is through prayer, anointing with blessed oil and the laying on of hands. Reiki is a false form of the laying on of hands, a clever imitation to lead people astray. I’ve even had people tell me that they do Reiki because they want to be a healer and that they use the name of Jesus when they do it, but it is still energy channeling, what they do, not what Jesus does.

We all want to live a truly enlightened and abundant life that is based on the truth. We want happiness, joy, peace, harmony, freedom from suffering, good health and blessings from God, Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. We need God’s

Spirit, the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives bringing us into true enlightment and leading us into the abundant life in overflowing measure that Jesus promised us. It is only by staying close to Jesus that we can be on the right path. It is by being receptive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives that we can know the truth and be set free. As we abide or continue in the word of God we discover real freedom in and for our lives.

Too many people live with unforgiveness, anger, resentment, hatred, self- centeredness. To forgive others, oneself, even God for what we think he might have done wrong for us, like simply answering “No” to one of our prayers, is absolutely necessary to living free and having abundant life. Life is not easy, there is often suffering, but suffering is not evil.

It has a purpose in our lives. Suffering can ripen our character, smooth off the rough edges, help us develop virtues, teach us to understand the sufferings people go through and can be a real means of becoming more mature in the


COUGHLIN, Rev. Dr. Peter B., Editor-in-Chief of The Bread of Life magazine, has a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation. Currently he is Chaplain at St Joseph’s Convent in Dundas, Ontario. He continues to serve the renewal of the Church through the Charismatic Renewal and the ministry of healing.

Spirit.

Our minds need to be renewed. We need the Holy Spirit to enlighten us as we read Scripture, meditate and study the Word of faith. We don’t get very far without the Spirit’s help so that we can understand and grasp the truths that are being revealed. The Holy Spirit is at work making all things new and that includes us. We must put off the old man/woman in us and take on the new life in the Spirit, walking and being led by God. He loves us and wants only the best for us, happiness, contentment, in this life, joy in the Spirit, harmony and peace in our lives, harmony within our being, blessings with his presence active in our lives helping us to grow in faith, relationship and intimacy.

How can we succeed in having a truly enlightened, abundant life? Walk with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit as Jesus leads us to the Father and our eternal home. Choosing the way of Jesus empowered by the Spirit without measure is the only way to go. Turn aside from all that can lead us away from Jesus. It’s like flying a plane

into St. John’s, Newfoundland. One degree off course and you can end up in the ocean. So it is with the New Age and the occult, what the devil offers as a tidbit he does for keeps. Don’t even try it. It’s not healthy.

Source: Bob Van de Vrande


the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.”

The Catholic Church teaches us that all religions are a means of searching for God. Vatican II said this searching is in “preparation for the Gospel.” My experiences confirm this. When I was seeking answers in my life I remember reading Buddhist writings and exploring various forms of meditation. This turned into exploring occult

Some people choose not to visit non-Christian ancient historic sites and exotic places. Others say it is okay, but remember what you believe. Is it alright for Christians to visit non-Christian places of worship or sites of occult practices?

I have heard conflicting opinions about this. One country with the most diverse and blended inter-faith practices is India. I noticed many people from the Hindu and Muslim community worshipped Jesus and attended Catholic retreats. Many people Christians and non-Christians visit tourist sites such as the Lotus Temple, which is Hindu.

Due to my own personal fears at the time I opted out of visiting temples in China and India. However, I do believe that visiting these places in itself is not detrimental to our faith, however, it is important to consider our purpose in doing so.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for

FEATURE

Lisa Radice

To Visit or Not to Visit



and new age practices, such as a “spiritual healer” and then a reiki practitioner. God began telling me that I had gone the wrong way. There are various mentions in Scripture warning against these practices.

No one shall be found among you… who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the Lord your God is driving them out before you (Deut.18:10-12).

The danger is that as we explore, we may become deceived especially if we do not know the truth through scripture and the teaching of the Church. Just say you visit a guru because it is a fad and you are interested in learning more about what the benefits are in seeking advice. What if you find it interesting and want to know more? Then say you learn something else that is intriguing and you dig deeper to learn more. Can you see the risk? I think it is possible for us to be misled when we overly immerse ourselves in these methods without grounding our selves in the truth. We may become confused or begin to believe half-truths.

As an example, I went to a medium not knowing it was a medium because she claimed to talk to God. At that point I assumed this “god” was God. Now I do not think it was going to her

house that was the problem it was participating in what she was practicing which was against our beliefs. Not long after this I went to reiki and then I became interested in yoga to “stretch.” Later in my life, I recall working through the ministry of inner healing and the intercessors asking me about these things and needing a great deal of prayer for freedom “spiritually” as well as repentance for going against God’s word.

Through God’s grace I am now a full practicing Catholic and I know that this is where I belong. Had I not had that time of searching I do not think I would have developed to the level of maturity and devotion that I have today. God has given us the freedom to explore, to learn to see the world however the truth guides us and protects.

But why did God not create a world so perfect that no evil could exist in it? With infinite power God could always create something better. But with infinite wisdom and goodness God freely willed to create a world “in a state of journeying” towards its ultimate perfection. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 310)

I have come to understand that although some paths completely opposed to searching for God while others may be somewhat of a stepping-stone.

RADICE, Lisa is currently an educator in Halton. She is working toward a Masters in Theology. Through many wonderful experiences with various faith communities, she values ecumenism while at the same time truly appreciates the Catholic faith which she is devoted to.


“Sickness, Suffering,Joy and Blessing”The amazing life and times of Father Peter R. Coughlin in his own words…

“In October 2016 I was be 75 years old. This year, I cel-ebrate 50 years of priesthood and 40 years of being the editor of the Bread of Life magazine.

I have had many times of sickness and suffering and brushes with death throughout my priesthood. I’ve also had times of great joy and blessing. The Lord has given me many graces and favoured me with very simple faith, mystical experiences and an ongoing awareness of his presence in my life.

As I look back over the years. I know I have been loved by God and loved by many, many people who have touched my life as I have touched theirs. I’m always amazed at how the Lord works out the tapestry of life, weaving people in

and out of our lives.

I wanted to be a priest, to serve people, to bring people to the Lord and the Lord to the people. I pray that I have done more good than evil with the priesthood with which the Lord has entrusted me. I re-ally do want to hear the Lord say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”

Father Peter

Father Peter's book can be ordered through the Bread of Life Office, 905-634-5433. • [email protected]. $19.95 CAD.


The New Age move-ment is not a move-ment in the proper sense, with an orga-nized structure and system of operation, but rather is a loosely connected network of philosophies, beliefs and practices that are often contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nowadays,we don’t often hear people call themselves New Agers, but rather we often hear people say, “I’m not religious—I’m spiri-tual.” Strictly speaking, what is termed the New Age move-ment, began in the 70s and pe-tered out in the 90s. But its in-fluence on Western culture re-mained and has morphed into what is now sometimes called the SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious) movement. As least 25% of North Americans iden-

FEATURE

Jennifer Cauchi

Spiritual But Not Religious

tify this way.1 The following chart is taken from the first edition of Spiri-tual Deceptions in the Church: A Comprehensive Guide to Discernment, by Moira Noon-an and Anne Feaster (2015). It de monstrates the direct op-position of Christianity and the New Age beliefs that have infil-trated North American main-stream culture:

1Dr. Siobhan Chandler, spiritualbutnotre-ligious.ca/home/, accessed April 8, 2017.

Source: Miriam Wright


CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

Monotheistic (Christian)

One Life, One Death

Time—Linear, Supranatural

Grace—Gift from God, Holy Spirit

Basic Human Problem—Original Sin

Heaven—An Eternal reality

Hell—An Eternal reality

Savior—Jesus Christ

Triune God—The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit (Holy Trinity)

Personal God (Abba)

Moral Absolutes

Reality of Physical Universe

Sin—Root of Evil

Submission to God

Obedience of External Authority

God is Highest Authority

Absolute Standards

Attitude of good works toward afflicted

Focus is Godward

Cause of suffering—Original Sin, sin

Results of Sin—Spiritual Death & Eternal sep-aration from God

Object of Worship—God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit

Jesus’ Death broke the Power of Sin through the Cross

NEW AGE BELIEFS

Monistic (New Age Teachings)

Reincarnation

Time—Cyclical—MomentaryState of Existence—bits of reality

Works—Self Help, Selfism

Suffering (self-made)

Nirvana, Enlightenment, Cosmic Consciousness

Life Condition—Waiting place prior to Rebirth

Savior—Self, Ascended Masters —Gurus (Baba)

Triple aspects—Love, Light & PeaceMe, Myself and I (unholy trinity of self)

Impersonal force

Self-determined Moral Values

World is Illusion

Ignorance—Root of Evil

Self-will

Rejection of External Authority

Man is Highest Authority

No Absolute Standards

Suffering is the response to past Karma

Focus is Inward—God is within

Ignorance of Divinity—forgot they are god

Results of Sin—Bad Karma which must be personally paid for

Object of Worship—Self (Selfism – Satanism)

Man can break his own Karma through self-effort spiritual techniques/practices


According to Mexican Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, in his Pastoral Instruction on New Age, A Call to Vigilance, “New Age’s most worrying characteristic, the result of a conglomeration of be-liefs, is its religious, spiritual, and moral relativism.” (23) To say “I’m not religious—I’m spiritual” is really a way of saying I recog-nize that I there is more to me than flesh and blood. I am some-how transcendent and my interior life is important. However, I am unwilling to commit or submit to something that is greater than I am, whether it is a Creator, a Sav-iour, or a community of believers claiming to have experienced the absolute Truth. I am unwilling to admit that the dictates of right and wrong lay outside of my feelings. Eventually, I have to make myself like a god and to make up my own system of beliefs and practices,

even if they are incoherent.This is what happened in the

Garden of Eden and happens ev-ery time we refuse to submit to God’s plan of Salvation in Jesus Christ. The thing is, in the begin-ning, we were created in the image and likeness of God. The serpent tempted us away from our birth-right by promising us his twisted version of the goodness we al-ready possessed. This is why the Cross confounds satan. Jesus won back the birthright, and each of us that passes through the Cross of Christ will obtain the crown of vic-tory. All praise and honour be to the most Holy Trinity!

CAUCHI, Jennifer has been active in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in various capacities since 2000. She is currently on the editorial staff of the Bread of Life Magazine and is a stay-at-home mom in Oakville, where she resides with her husband, Geoff and daughter Jacqueline.

Knowledge, Tradition, Teachings

Documentation—The Bible is the Word of God

Historical Reality—Traditions Handed Down

Logic, Reason

Truth will set you free

Jesus—Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Son of God, The Way, The Truth, the Life

God—Creator—source of all things

Bible—The Word of God

Man—created in the image of God

Holy Spirit—3rd Person of the Trinity

Non-cognitive Inner Experience (as highest truth)

Syncretism—Bits and pieces from various re-ligions & philosophies

Non-historical—Legends, Myths

Non-Reason—irrational

Ignorant that you are already free

Jesus—Man not divine, Prophet, Christ— Cosmic, Consciousness, Awareness

God—All of Creation—Force-energy

Bible—Esoteric Metaphysical Translation

Man—Divine being, God

Holy Spirit—Feminine aspect of God


Answers on page 34

Occult Word Puzzle


THE NEW EVANGELIZATION

Miriam Wright

happens in our spirit. The deepest longing of our

hearts is love, in particular the love of God. Yet, how often do we “look for love in all the wrong places”? As Christians, we can be quick to judge those who call themselves “spiritual but not religious” or those who get involved in New Age practices. Don’t get me wrong. There are reasons for concern. Having a sense of the Divine in a beautiful sunset is a good thing; but, inventing your own kind of spirituality and turning your back on the institutional Church is a risky business. Jesus himself said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Moreover, searching for

Each is created by God out of his Goodness. Yet; their natures are very different. Rocks, as well as animals and vegetation are pure matter. Angels are pure spirit. And humans, we are both. Our nature is a union of matter and spirit. So, we are “earthly” in the sense that our bodies are made of earthly material. Yet, we are also “spiritual” and so our hearts cannot be fully satisfied with material goods. As the Catechism states: “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.” (CCC 27)

Have you ever eaten food without it satisfying you? Sometimes our body actually needs water, but we mistakenly think we are hungry and so we eat instead of drink. On other occasions, what we really need is sleep, or a hug, and yet we turn to food instead. I think this is a reasonable analogy to what

Welcome, in the Name of Jesus



the meaning of life, pleasure or some kind of spiritual fulfillment through New Age/Occult practices is dangerous as it opens your soul to demonic influence. However, I think we need to examine our own hearts to ensure our approach to connecting with these individuals would be pleasing to Jesus. Our role is not to condemn, but to love and bring “searchers” to Jesus. Perhaps giving you a glimpse into my heart will clarify my point.

A number of years ago, I attended a very large Christian conference. Thousands attended with participation from many Christian denominations and non-denominational Churches. The key-note speakers were engaging and inspiring. One session was led by Heidi Baker. I’ll never forget it. A quick Google search will provide you with extensive information about her. Telling you that Heidi Baker is a lay missionary who reminds me of Mother Theresa will give you a sense of who this petit fireball is! At one point while she was speaking, she stopped rather abruptly and declared that the Holy Spirit had revealed to her the presence of witches in the audience. I have to admit that my reaction was something akin to “How dare you intrude here!” The words I heard next cut me to the quick. “I welcome you,” Heidi proclaimed, “in the name of Jesus.” What!?!

I thank God that his Grace has been at work in my heart since then to change my perspective. Our evangelization efforts will lack fruit if we harbour an “us and them” attitude, seeing “us” as faithful disciples and “them”

as those not belonging to the Church. Rather, if we are able to view each person as a member or potential future member of our family, our approach might be a little different. I believe this is what Pope Francis has been emphasizing.

If we are not careful, we can be perceived as judgmental when we approach those people whose lives do not conform to the teachings of Jesus. We don’t want the approach to come across as “your sins will take you to hell, so you’d better come to Church.” Instead, if we reach out in love, helping them encounter the love of Jesus, then they may seek the truth where it will be found!

When we encounter someone searching in all the wrong places, we can help them make sense of their quest. Encourage “seekers” to keep seeking. Lovingly, guided by the Holy Spirit, we may be able to gently lead them to the Truth and the Love for which (or rather for Whom) they are really searching! No matter whom you meet, remember the wisdom Heidi shared: “I welcome you in the name of Jesus.”

WRIGHT, Miriam is recently retired from a career as Manager of Information Systems. She and her husband Bill now live in Kingston, Ontario. She is a mother and delighted "Oma" of two grandchildren. Miriam is working on a Masters of Theology and Christian Ministry. She is a member of the Bread of Life Editorial Board and the Board for Renewal Ministries Canada. Her passion is the New Evangelization: leading others to experience a personal Pentecost and Freedom in Christ so that they may live forever in the blessing of being a beloved child of the Father.


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negative influences. It wasn’t an easy task, as seemingly innocent children’s television programming dipped into occult themes, as did much of the literature available in the local library.

Our approach was to avoid as many negative influences as we could. When the children visited friends, they had to phone home to ask if they were permitted to watch a particular movie or show. We discussed topics that came up at school, teaching

During the late ‘60s and early ‘70s when my friends and I were growing up, it seemed that one of the only real threats to our well-being were the neighbourhood bullies. There were several in our neighbourhood – boys who took pleasure in taunting us and chasing us home from school. They tried to break us with their mean ways, and sometimes they succeeded. The days they didn’t were the ones when my mother shooed them away with a holler down the street.

Fast-forward a generation, and there is a veritable minefield of things that can threaten the safety of our children. Many of those threats are spiritual, and to the unenlightened or uninformed parent, could be seen as rather innocuous or trivial.

As we raised our children, we were very cautious of movies, television programs and books that might have occult, supernatural, New Age or paranormal themes. As parents, we felt it was our responsibility to protect our children from

Overcoming the Occult

FAMILY FOCUS

Sue Atkinson



them what was appropriate and what wasn’t. We tried to arm them with the knowledge they needed to make wise choices.

As the children grew older, we used movies and television shows as an opportunity to discuss New Age and occult beliefs and practices. We avoided anything that had a recommended rating higher than that of the age of our children. It became the standard in our home, something with which there was no compromise.

St. Paul exhorted the believers in the church in Ephesus - and believers throughout the centuries - with the words “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” (Eph 5:11). He didn’t say that it was acceptable to dabble in them, as some people do, but he was very definite about having nothing to do with them. Ouija boards, seances, horoscope reading, palm reading – none of these can have any good fruit. People will argue that they are just having a little fun, not taking anything seriously. The devil takes it all very seriously. We can’t be lulled into any complacency where evil is concerned.

We need to avoid giving the devil a foothold or any kind of entryway into our homes. There is no place for a Ouija board or a “Magic Eight Ball” in a Christian household. We have to stand firm in our convictions about what is spiritually healthy for

our family. Nothing is neutral.As parents, we need to set a

good example for our children. We can’t be telling them one thing and then doing another. Children learn by example – both good and bad – and they need to see us making true, authentic choices for good when it comes to entertainment.

St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is clear as to what we should be filling our minds with - “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil 4:8). Our minds become filled with whatever we read and view. As our worldview becomes more conformed to the mind of Christ, there is no place for the enticement of dark entertainment.

The best way to be prepared is to be armed with the armour of God, aware that “our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens” (Eph 6:12).

We are called to do things differently than those who do not recognize Christ as Lord of their homes. As parents, we have the grace of state to make wise choices for our children. May we stand firm, ready to guide our


ATKINSON, Sue and her husband Paul have four adult children and a teenage son. They are a founding couple of the Nazareth Family Apostolate, a group that hosts summer retreats for families (www.nazarethfamily.com). They attend Annunciation of the Lord Church in Ottawa.

children and protect them from the power of the evil one. His action and influence are greater than that of any neighbourhood bully. We need not fear, however, because as St. John writes in his first letter, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in

the world” (1 Jn 4:4).

Dear Rev. Dr. P. Coughlin,

Belated Happy New Year, praying that the Good Lord keep you and the contributors of the articles in the magazines in good health and continue to bless you for the beautiful work you are performing to God and all readers.

I write to thank you for the magazines and to tell you that I am still interested in them. I also give them out to seminarians and our formation houses. I hope that you will continue to send them.

The July/August edition on “Walk Humbly With God” is excellent. Please, we need more on other virtues to keep us on the journey.

Please, you leave out quizzes, maybe for lack of space. Please include them because they are very helpful. Once, I have to crack my brain to find/splve words – good for the brain.

Once again, thank you as well as your team. Please pray for me as I do for you.

Remain Blessed,Sister W. Francis Xavier, H.D.R. (Handmaids of the Divine Redeemer), Ghana


JUST FOR KIDS

Charles Barton

The Guest“I am so glad that you could

come to visit the little town in the middle of nowhere, Your Grace.”

“I’m always glad to visit one of the priests whom I ordained, even after 12 years,” replied Bishop Simon. “It is not often that I leave Grenoble, and far less often that I visit a town like Ars, Father Vianney.”

“And I was not much of a seminarian. My studies were bad, and my Latin was worse, but you never doubted my vocation. Thank you, Your Grace.”

“Perhaps, I sensed that there was something special about you Father. Your love for God made you shine in my eyes, despite the problems with your studies. Who knows, it might explain why you were sent to this very small parish. However, you have made quite a difference here, if only half

the stories I hear about you are true, my Curé of Ars.”

“Stories, Your Grace?”“Yes, stories about you and

the devil. Come now, I am a Bishop, and your old teacher, tell me more. Is it true that one night you woke up to the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen?”

“Your grace, I am reluctant to tell this tale, but yes, I woke up at 2 in the morning. You know, the devil is always trying to interrupt my sleep. There was an enormous noise in the kitchen. At first I thought that



it was a burglar trying to steal what I would have given freely, so I got up to help the poor man. It was, however, no man, but the old devil himself.”

“What did you do, coming face to face with the devil?”

“I turned round and went back to bed. He has no power over me. Besides I needed my sleep. After all, I fight him not in my kitchen, but in the confessional. He hates me because I steal back from him so many lost souls.”

“It is said that you sometimes tell people their sins, if they fail to confess fully? How do you know? Does an angel tell you?”

“Nothing as grand and glorious as that, Your Grace. I simply look at them, and I can see the darkness hover over them, and there is a certain order to particular sins.”

“And I hear that you have healed the sick?”

“Mercy no, Your Grace, I can heal no one, but I can pray for them with all my heart. I place them, particularly children, gently into in the hands of Jesus and Mary, and they decide what to do. Jesus is merciful and many are touched.”

“Well your Priesthood has

been a great blessing to this town, Father Vianney!”

“Well let’s just say that the town has been blessed, not by me, but by the confessional. There are times however, when I wish that it was not needed quite so much. That people could avoid the near occasion of sin. That they could stay away from those things that draw them away from God, like fortune tellers. It always ends up awish that they would seek instead to know, love, and serve the Lord in a deeper way.”

BARTON, Charles and his wife Cathy attend St. Leonard’s parish in Brampton. They have a son and a daughter who are studying at the Catholic University of Dallas. Charles has been involved with the Renewal for over 30 years.



ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

Deacon Victor Frank Vere

Playing With Fire. . .One of the things that most

parents teach their children is not to play with fire. The consequences can be life threatening and destructive to property. One of the things that God warns us about is “dabbling or dealing with the occult.” To do so is to play with fire in God’s view.

As I have written several times in these columns over the years, there are some things God does not want us to know. As such subjects are reserved for God alone. A prime example of this is the precise date of the end of the world. Another thing God warns against is consorting with those who claim to be able to read the future, tell fortunes or conjure up deceased souls.

The first commandment states unequivocally that “you shall have no other Gods before me.” A more thorough analysis of the commandment than is permitted here can be found in articles 2110 throughout 2116 of the second edition of the

Catechism of the Catholic Church pages 512 to 514. The key point is that for ALL Christians the authority and ultimate source of truth, which is the only reality, is Jesus Christ. Seeking answers and truths through divination, superstition, witchcraft, or other occult practices, violates the first commandment.

Consider the prophet Samuel and his relationship with Saul, whom he anointed King over Israel. Saul did not listen to God or Samuel when told to decimate Amelak, men women, children, infants, oxen, and sheep, camels and asses.” 1 Samuel 15:v1. Saul was denounced by Samuel for his disobedience and act



of divination, which Samuel likened to rebellion and idolatry.

As a result of Saul’s disobedience, the kingship and spirit of God left Saul. Furthermore a spirit of evil tormented Saul. Through one disaster after another Saul in dismay lost heart. And God did not answer Saul’s prayers either in dreams, through the prophets, or by the Urim (1 Samuel 28 : 4 – 8).

Saul through weakness, and in a moment of despair sought out a medium for counsel, rather than repent and ask God for counsel. This woman the Witch of Endor conjured up the spirit of the Prophet Samuel who pronounced the doom of Saul, the loss of his kingdom, and the passage of the throne to David. Saul did not want to hear this. And to this Saul was given knowledge of his own death, and that of his family at the hands of the Philistines.

We can fool ourselves into believing that witches and sorcerers do not exist today. Yet there are people who believe they are these things and practice their arts. We believe we have advanced into an age of scientific understanding where many things previously not understood, are now viewed as mere superstition.

Christians have the truth. Christians have the word and

advice of God in the Holy Scriptures. Have you looked recently in the bookstores to view the number of self-help books there are out there? There are many, and many more based on spirits, demonology, spirit guides, demonic possession, and black magic.

I know of Christians personally who spend thousands of dollars every year on conferencing calls and sessions with occult masters but will not consider the teachings and wisdom of the Church, or its spiritual writers and authors. The Word of God and the teachings of Christ are not enough for such souls.

My advice to these people is simple. Scriptures are free for the reading and no royalties are paid. As for Jesus Christ the only cost involved is your heart and its conversion. Jesus is available anytime of the day or night, no long distance charges apply, no computer link up is necessary, and again there are no service charges applicable. Hidden or otherwise.

Added to these self-help books, are many occult objects available to the public. Ouija boards, Tarot Cards, séances, palm readings, tea readings, and so on and so forth. Most people treat these as entertainment, but they open the door to deeper involvement.

Hollywood makes mega


millions of dollars selling the macabre and the occult. Halloween has become a billion dollar industry in North America, becoming the new liturgy for many. Television in recent years has moved in a similar direction. Why this fascination with the occult?

For many people it begins with mere curiosity. Perhaps like Saul their lives are dark, sometimes depressing, and out of control. Some even have a fascination with dark powers seeking power in their lives which seem futile in today’s society. Some are not familiar with the commandments, especially the first commandment, and they have a rampant curiosity about matters God does not wish them to be concerned about.

We ought to hear and heed the voice of the one true Shepherd. The only Spirit Guide that we need is the Holy Spirit, who speaks to our conscience. Why choose darkness in the presence of Light? Why seek out a culture of spiritual death, when eternal Life is offered? And why seek what God asks us to avoid?

Recourse may be had by consistent prayer to St. Michael the warrior prince who defeated those spirits that rebelled against God. In these days when “Church” as we know it is under constant criticism and attack, perhaps it is the opportune

moment to pray again after mass the prayer to St. Michael and have recourse to his powerful intercession before God.

St. Michael Warrior Prince, Protector of the Church and the people of God, defeated dark elements in ages past, he will do so once again, imploring God to rebuke ungodly darkness and those forces seeking the ruin of Christian souls as well as all others. Take the time to have a bottle of Holy Water in your home, return to wearing the scapular, and consider the rich tradition of St. Benedict and his special medal with the prayer of exorcism it contains. Our church has and had a rich tradition of sacramentals intended to safeguard us.

Perhaps the elders possessed a wisdom which we have either forgotten, misplaced or ignored. Perhaps it is time to reconsider the Sacred once again, and leave well enough alone when it comes to the forces and ideologies of darkness that are dangerous to play with.

VERE, Deacon Victor was ordained to the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie in 1984 and has been practising criminal law in Sudbury, Ontario for more than 40 years. Deacon Vere is married with three children, four grandchildren and two Siamese cats, Azzurri and Tirah Misou. He is currently assigned as deacon to Our Lady of Hope parish.


Lord Jesus, I come before You just as I am, confidently trusting in your love and mercy. I invite You into every area of my life. Jesus, I surrender to You and accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Lord, I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me for(include any involvement in Occult, desire for power, etc).

In the name of Jesus I forgive _(person’s name)_ for __ (be specific) (include those that have hurt you, misled you, deceived you etc).

In the name of Jesus, I renounce (e.g., anger, pride, selfishness, withdrawal, rejection, shame, guilt…specify all areas of spiritual struggle)

In the name of Jesus, I renounce any spirit that came to me when I (e.g., went to the fortuneteller, played with a Ouija board, received Reiki, practiced Yoga etc. Be specific about any Occult/New Age involvement) .

In the name of Jesus, I renounce every physical and spiritual tie (or unholy tie) with (persons with whom you had sex outside of marriage)_ and I take back:

1) what I gave to him/her (if sex was consensual) OR2) what he/she took from me. (If rape, incest, molestation).

In the name of Jesus, I take back my authority and purity. I will not fellowship with these evil influences any longer.

In the name of Jesus I break the power of any spirit that I have renounced and I command it to depart right now. Thank You, Lord. Jesus, I trust in You!

Father, bless me. Let me experience your deep love for me. I am Your beloved son/daughter. I have a future and a hope. Fill me with your presence, with your peace and with your joy. AMEN * Based on the 5 Keys of Unbound Healing and Deliverance

Freedom Prayer*


Resist him, solid in your faith, realizing that the brotherhood of believers is undergoing the same sufferings throughout the world. Our task therefore if we wish to overcome the lies and deceits of the enemy is to stay very close to Christ, to follow Christ, obedient to his word, immersed in prayer and regularly seek healing and freedom in the Sacrament of Penance, and to draw daily, strength from the most Holy Eucharist.

Curiosity is and can be a great means whereby we can mature and grow, however it can also be a curse in that we seek to

“Be not afraid, I go before you always, come follow me....." Listen to this most beautiful song and realize these words are meant for you. They remind us of the constancy of the Lord, that He has defeated the evil one, the father of lies, the deceiver, and the accuser. Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin and death and the lord of death, Satan.

This is what Christ has done for us, but we must cooperate with the graces that flow from Heaven through the Mediatrix of all grace, Mary. She is the arch enemy of Satan and all his demons. (Gen. 3:15.) Our task is to resist the devil in the many circumstances of life where he seeks to enslave us. James 4:7 reminds us: “Therefore submit to God; resist the devil and he will take flight.” St. Peter in 1 Peter 5:8-9 also gives us sound instruction. Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

FEATURE

Peter Thompson

Dealing with the Occult



find answers to our lives in ways contrary to God’s law. The young are especially vulnerable and often see no danger in dabbling in the occult. The use of tarot cards, Ouija boards, fortune tellers, tea and coffee leaves / grains are used as a means of foretelling future events. In third world countries where I have travelled primarily Africa, one is daily confronted with the demonic. Many will use witchdoctors, fetish priests and other occult practices to obtain healing or good fortune, or to curse a neighbor or relative. The result is profound fear and slavery to the demons who oppress these poor souls. One experience I had was with an elderly lady whose daughter could not conceive. This lady herself had gone to the witchdoctor when she could not conceive and had given birth to this one daughter. Should she trust Jesus or take her daughter to the witchdoctor? In prayer she screamed, writhing on the ground, but after prayer and deliverance she appeared calm and peaceful. I trust and hope that she placed her trust in Jesus for her daughter.

To break these chains of slavery one must be led to acknowledgment that these practices are totally contrary to God’s law, clearly defined in condemning occult practices in the Old Testament e.g. Deut.

18:10. Lev. 19:26-31. Lev. 20:6. Also the Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly states the condemnation of these practices CCC 2115-2117.

Once acknowledged, then we must truly repent, bringing them into the light and healing love of Christ Jesus in the Sacrament of Confession. No sin is so evil that God will not forgive, so once confessed we must embrace his merciful love and resist the enemy’s attempts to once again sew fear and doubt. For to embrace fear once again, is to open the door to the enemy who desires to enslave God’s children in a state of confusion and doubt that God has won the victory and is there always to protect us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Prov 3:5. Greater is he who is within you than he who is in the world. 1Jn.4:4. Memorize the Word. Pray, speaking the Word out loud. The devil will flee. Invoke Mary’s powerful protection. Pray the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. These will strengthen you against the enemy and fear and trembling will flee away.

THOMPSON, Peter and his wife Madeleine live in Calgary. He has served extensively since 1974 in the Charismatic Renewal both in Canada and overseas especially in Africa. He was appointed in 2003 to represent ICCRS (International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services) to Canada and the West Indies.


Most of us are familiar with the great ‘Scottish play’ Macbeth. In this tragedy, Shakespeare has Macbeth encountering three witches. The witches tell Macbeth a prophecy, which states that he would become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. Thus, this prophecy makes Macbeth believe that he can be King. However, he did not realize the ploy being used against him.

In Act 1, Scene 3: Banquo warns Macbeth against this prophecy. “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest consequence…The agents of evil often tell us part of the truth in order to lead us to our destruction.” Sadly, as we all know, Macbeth does become Thane of Cawdor, which inspires him to murder the king to take the throne, but

FEATURE

Fr. Robert Hétu

he is, in turn, killed by Macduff.

In a similar light, we must never forget that the Ouija Board is not a toy or just a game. Our human nature is to trust people or ideas quickly, which will help us to achieve our goals. Yet, these ideas should not be believed without solid proof.Ouija is a combination of two words: ‘oui’ and ‘ja,’ which are the French and German words for ‘yes.’ The Ouija board might seem to be just a piece of compressed wood that is sold at virtually all toy stores and occult supply and book

Ouija Board: Not A Toy Or Just A Game



stores. The board itself might not be dangerous, however, the form of communication that users often attempt, knowingly or not, is.

The Bible strongly warns us about the occult and not to consult spiritists and mediums for the truth, but to inquire only of God. (Isaiah 8:19) Surely, if those who practised these cultic arts have any power (beyond being great deceivers), it is not a gift from God (as some falsely claim) but from the Evil One.

The Bible condemns and forbids these practices. “Do not turn to mediums or wizards; do not seek them out, to be defiled by them.” (Leviticus 19:31) “No one shall be found among you who…who practises divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12a) [Also see: (Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 27:9; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24)]

Lewis Clifford, in The Sun, states that: “Terrifying demons… are preying on

helpless human victims. And the gateway used by the grotesque monsters is being kept open by innocent toying with Ouija boards and other tools of the occult.”

Dr. Alberto Gonzalez, of the Pan American Institute of Health, warns that: “They are vile creatures of the night. They exist. They can possess the bodies of their victims and cause normally gentle, nonviolent people to commit outrageous crimes. They can assume other forms some quite ghastly. And they are among us in many instances solely because of these sinister toys called Ouija boards.”

The Rev. Morris Cerullo, president of World Evangelism and author of The Black Side Of Satan, (Creation House, Carol Stream, Illinois, 1973.) shares: “Many people have related to me weird tales of answers given by the Ouija board. This and other occult games may seem intriguing, but the implications are serious and not to be tampered with.”

Dr. Marta Prohazka of Fairfax, Virginia, is convinced that spirits can play terrifying destructive games with human


Hétu, Fr. Robert is Pastor of St. Joseph, Patron of Canada parish in Acton, Ontario. He has published his first book of poetry entitled, The Blood of His Love, and he is a member of the Editorial Committee of The Bread of Life magazine.

behaviour. She suggests that: “Use of a Ouija has even led to violence and even to murder. By training and expanding consciousness, some individuals gain entrance into that invisible dimension. It seems to some like a window into heaven. I also learned that contact with the other dimension can be dangerous, especially if a psychically sensitive person loses his emotional harmony. The window into heaven can then become a window into Hell.”

Anne Rose, a Merrillville, Indiana clairvoyant and medium, cautioned that evil spirits or demonic forces often gain the trust of people experimenting with Ouija boards by answering several questions truthfully and providing predictions. “Once they have gained the trust of

their victims, it is easy for the entity to move in and take over either by strongly influencing that person, or by outright possession.”

Nevertheless, millions of the plastic and wooden oracles are in use in homes around the world. Let us not put ourselves into temptation by dabbling with a Ouija board or any other seemingly harmless occult toy or game. St. Peter warns us, “Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.” (1 Peter 5:8-9a) Yes, the Ouija Board is not a toy or just a game.


To purchase tickets at $25.00 per person which includes a hot lunch visit www.yourbreado�ife.com or contact Mary at the Bread of Life o�ce, 905-634-5433

Suresh Dominic - President of GethsemaneMinistries will share “Being led by the Spirit.”

Dr. Mary Healy - Professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, will be the keynot speaker on the topic “Walking in the Supernatural” and “Empowered Identity” and she will lead us to discover the “Jesus is the healer of souls and bodies.”

Father Peter Coughlin - Editor of The Bread of Life magazine will be the celebrant and hom-ilist for the opening Mass He’ll show you how to “Work with the Spirit.”

Day of Renewal

2017

Saturday September 16, 2017New Location

Gethsemane Centre, 84008 Wellandport Rd.Wellandport, Ontario


A spark of love emanated from God’s heart, the Cénacle, a place destined by God to heal the suffering of his people. The story began in 1976 when the Superior of the Capuchins mandated Father Émile Lebel to open a Prayer Center in the monastery at Cacouna, deserted since 1972.

The latter, kindled by the Spirit of the New Pentecost, perceived a requirement by the Lord. Father Émile had, for some time, noticed that grace had especially and profoundly touched a young Sister of the Infant Jesus, Sr. Yolande Bouchard, and persuaded her to join him in Catholic Charismatic Renewal project of God.

For four years, they traveled together throughout Quebec and New Brunswick to provide training for facilitators and prayer groups. During this time, the Word “In My name...they will lay

FEATURE

Sister Yolanda Bouchard

(Religious of the Infant Jesus)/Ginette Johnson

hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mk. 16:18), increased as a calling to heal.

Thus began the lengthy learning process of listening to the Holy Spirit to develop a particular ministry of inner and physical healing called Agapetherapy (healing through God’s love). The Lord patiently taught them the foundation leading to a lasting healing of life’s wounds. We must not only uncover the roots of our wounds, sometimes arising from our ancestry, but we must also forgive those who have caused these wounds. Forgive? Forgive

Source: Chris van de Vrande

Birth and evolution of the House Prayer the Cénacle, in Cacouna, QC


from the bottom of our heart? It is impossible without God!

In Agapetherapy, we rely on the “eternal present-time” of God who can intervene in any situation experienced by His children, irrespective of the timeframe in which it happened. He can heal all wounds in the present day, whether these wounds are recent or historical (50, 60 or 80 years), and he can eradicate their harmful consequences.

Over the years, many religious and lay people, touched by the Lord’s healing love and renewed in faith, have felt a personal calling to participate in this work of God. From the very beginning, over 200 people came together to be a part of the Cénacle team, true instruments of blessings for their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Faithful in prayer, attentive to the inclinations of the Holy Spirit, and finding constant inspiration in his word, the members of the team have been guided by its founders, and, following Father Lebel’s death (2012), by Sr. Yolande Bouchard. They are committed to live a life of charitable love while surrendering joyfully to the school of the Holy Spirit.

To be effective instruments of the power of Love and the Mercy of God, those working in Agapetherapy (called guides) must remain small and humble. For, in this wonderful healing process, it is He, and He alone, who acts.

To date, people from more than 100 different countries have experienced Agapetherapy. Sr Yolande, accompanied by a few members of the team, went on a few occasions to mission in France, Gabon, Guyana and Martinique to provide training.

Since 2014, the spiritual leadership of Agapetherapy has been offered in English, Spanish and Italian via interpreters and simultaneous translation. The horizon is far reaching and provides meaning to the words of the Cénacle’s foundation: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses (…) to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8). It is therefore with great joy that we can tell you the Lord is now calling upon us to carry this Charism to our English-speaking neighbors in Ontario.

After more than 35 years, the Cénacle remains a thriving work of the Holy Spirit. This is due to the devotion of its founders, leaning into the inclinations of the Holy Spirit and to the steadfast refusal to compromise on anything that might be susceptible to limit its loyalty to the Word or to the Church.

The Cénacle TeamFor additional information

about the Cénacle in Cacouna, Québec, please visit our website (soon to be available in English) at http://www.le-cenacle.com/ or contact Ginette Johnson at 613-770-4314.


THE OLIVE GARDEN

Doreen Juurlink

Defense against the Devila weapon of extraordinary power against the devil. - Holy water is another deterrent. The devil cannot abide in a place or be near a person sprinkled with Holy water.

Saint Michael the Archangel is sent to protect us from demons. The prayer to Saint Michael is very powerful.

Holy Saint Michael: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. O glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, defend us in battle, and in the struggle which is against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against spirits of evil in high places (Eph. 6:12)

I recently read a small booklet called “THE WONDERS OF THE HOLY NAME” by Fr. Paul O’Sullivan. It speaks of the power of one word “Jesus”. You can find it on the internet at: God Bless you. May God always protect you and keep you in his tender care.

We are all aware that the devil comes in many disguises. He knows when to pounce especially when we are tired, angry or stressed. There are many ways we can deter the devil from slipping into our unconsciousness and encouraging us to do wrong.

God has given us all the ammunition to discourage the devil. Jesus said “get away Satan” and “get behind me Satan”. Each day it is important to pray that you only wish to do the will of God.

“Be on your guard and stay awake, your enemy the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith.” (1 Peter 8-9)

The Eucharist and confession are powerful deterrents against the devil, but sometimes it is not possible to go to mass so Our Lord Jesus Christ has given us other ways that are available every minute of every day.- Reading scripture - Our Lady encourages us to say the Rosary. Carry the Rosary with you. It is said when the devil sees the Rosary he bolts. It is

JUURLINK, Doreen and her husband Tony are parishioners of St. Matthew parish in Oakville, Ontario. They have three adult children and seven grandchildren.


Answers for page 12

Occult Word Puzzle


FEATURE

calling clear” [GS 22:1]. In looking at the possible

“factors” that have facilitated the rapid expansion of New Age ideologies, I looked at three sources: Archbishop Noberto Rivera Carrera’s pastoral letter of January 7, 1996, entitled “A Call to Vigilance (Pastoral Instruction on New Age)” (“Carrera, 1996”) [accessible at]; a provisional report issued jointly by the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, entitled “Jesus Christ – The Bearer of the Water of

As we approached the turn of the last century, a number of voices in the Catholic Church expressed alarm at the rapid spread of New Age ideas both within and without the Church. In this article, I survey a number of offered explanations for this phenomenon and proposed Christian responses to the New Age Movement, and make some personal observations. It seems to me that the New Age Movement is simply yet another one of the many “cults of self-worship” that has come along down through the ages. Whatever are the causes of this particular phenomenon, the Christian response to all such cults must be the same. To the person who thinks he or she will “find” himself or herself through New Age spirituality, the Church can righteously say that man “cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of self” [Gaudium et Spes 24:3] and that only Christ “fully reveals man to himself and makes his supreme

Geoff Cauchi

The Rapid Spread of New Age Ideas: Possible Explanations and Christian Responses



Life: A Christian Reflection on the ‘New Age’” (2003) (“Bearer, 2003”) [accessible at www.vatican.va]; and the second edition of Dr. Paul C. Vitz’s (a prominent Catholic psychologist) book, Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship (1994) (“Vitz, 1994”).

In this short article, I cannot do more than briefly introduce the “factors”. Readers are encouraged to access the sources directly for more information. All three sources identified what are essentially social and economic factors; only Vitz, 1994 identified an additional, psychological explanation of New Age popularity.The Fertile Soil Created by a Pre-Existing Culture of Relativism

Bearer, 2003 describes as “significant” the fact that, in Western cultures, New Age has enjoyed enormous success in “an era which can be characterized by the almost universal exaltation of diversity.” Vitz, 1994 says something similar, describing the “heterogeneity of [North] American culture” as a “social-structural analogue to the intellectual world of New Age.” These commentators seem to be saying that, before New Age arrived on the scene, the populations of Western societies were already socially well conditioned to accept ideas that were consistent with the

messages to come from the purveyors of New Age. The dominant cultural environment already viewed the seriously committed Christian as socially intolerant and a bigot, and what Pope Benedict XVI was to come to call a “dictatorship of relativism”, was already ascendant. In common with Secular Humanism, New Age preaches that it is “neutral” as between all religions and philosophies, while at the same time bullying Christians into submission with its peculiar notion of “tolerance”. The proponents of these ideologies count on Christians not having the courage to assume the risk of being called a “bigot”.

Carrera, 1996 speaks about this factor, albeit in more abstract terms, under the heading of “The Banishment of Faith from the Horizon of Human Knowledge”, and hints at the earlier roots of relativism, even prior to the Enlightenment. This is a theme to which St. Pope John Paul II returned time and time again (i.e. the “Cartesian” revolution in philosophy and philosophizing), in addressing the question of how the great “ideologies of evil” originated. Readers are encouraged to read his last book, Memory and Identity (2005) (especially pages 5-12), for more information about this topic.

It seems to me that this cited “factor” is important to discuss because it begs the question of


whether or not New Age can be effectively countered unless and until Christians first effectively reverse the Cartesian Shift and defeat the “dictatorship of relativism” and the Secular Humanists who created the fertile soil that made the rapid spread of New Age possible. How do you persuade someone whose heart has been so solidly “hardened” by the dominant culture’s position that reality is something “optional” and that there is no such thing as Truth, to follow Jesus? The Global Consumer Culture and the Power of Modern Media

Under the two headings of “The Rapid Process of Globalization in All Fields of Human Activity” and “The Aggressive Commercialization of All Aspects of Human Life”, Carrera, 1996 says: “Thanks to remarkable computer and communications systems, man has immediate contact with ideas and lifestyles previously unknown. Contacts and choices are almost infinitely multiplied. The certainties and values of one’s own culture run the risk of being relativized unless this new openness is accompanied by a discernment solidly based on faith and rigorous logic.” The Failed Promises of Humanistic Psychotherapy

Vitz, 1994 presents the thesis that many of the “converts”

to New Age did not convert from traditional religions, but rather were searching souls who had previously left behind traditional religion in favour of humanistic psychotherapy. According to Vitz, the “humanistic model of human behaviour is fundamentally narcissistic” and initially, at least, had “widespread appeal in our culture.” “The consumer economy, combined with natural human pride (narcissism)” created a psychology that was “focused on the individual’s glorification of his or her own self.”

However, in the 1980’s “psychological self-worship, deriving from humanistic psychology, transformed itself into spiritual self worship.” “Too many tried self-psychology and found it wanting. Psychology may have helped, briefly, but life remained painful and difficult.....[P]eople still sought ‘true’ happiness or complete inner peace or some justifying internal positive state. Therefore they turned to spiritual experience and a spiritual understanding of their condition. In general, however, they did not [return] to traditional religions – or at least large numbers did not......because of the restraints on narcissism, especially moral restraints, which almost every religion requires. The freedom to ‘have it your way’ both in the moral and the intellectual


realm is central to the appeal of New Age spirituality. Thus the proposed here is that New Age spirituality is the transformation of psychological narcissism into spiritual narcissism.”What is or Should Be the Christian Response to New Age?

Carrera, 1994 exhorts Catholics to, after adequately informing themselves through continuous formation, actively defend the Catholic faith in the public square, exposing the errors of the New Age Movement. It also calls on priests to better educate the laity on these issues and focus pastoral efforts on the “message of Christ, Redeemer of man.”

Bearer, 2003, calls on the Church to make better use of its own networks of pastoral centres, cultural centres and centres of spirituality to “address the confusion about New Age religiosity in a variety of ways, such as providing a forum for discussion and study.” Checking the credentials of people, groups and institutions claiming to offer guidance and information on New Age is strongly recommended. It also provides a helpful list of magisterial documents on New Age.

These recommendations seem to focus on ways to defend the faithful from being seduced into New Age spirituality, but

how should a Christian respond to a non-Christian who is genuinely trying to discern if there are good reasons to leave New Age spirituality and turn to Christianity?

In his 1994 Letter to Families, St. Pope John Paul II called GS 22:1 (and, implicitly, GS 24:3) “the reply, so long awaited, which the Church has given to modern rationalism” [or Cartesian rationalism- Descartes said: “I think, therefore I am”]. It seems to me that this is the same “reply” that must be given to those who, having tried and failed to achieve happiness and meaning in their lives through Cartesian ideologies like humanistic psychology, have now turned to New Age fads in their search. They have exchanged one form of narcissistic spirituality for another, and both re-invent the seductive message of the serpent in the Garden of Eden (“You will be as gods”). They will not find what they are looking for until they “die to self”, and they will only know what that means by contemplating that most sublime model of “gift of self” imaginable – the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Geoff Cauchi and his wife Jennifer live in Oakville, Ontario and are active in St. Andrew’s parish. Geoff practices law in Mississauga, primarily in the fields of corporate/commercial real estate and financial services. He is currently President of Alliance for Life Ontario.


1. The devil and the other demons were created naturally _____ by God. They became ____ by their own doing. (cf. CCC 391)

a. bad, worseb. evil, angelsc. good, eternald. good, evil

2. Demons try to influence us by ______ and _____.

a. forcing us to do things, taking our free will

b. planting thoughts in our minds , manipulating our emotions

c. presenting good as evil, making us want evil things

d. being honest, giving us facts

3. Angels are like humans in that they too were created by God and given _____ and ____.

a. body , soulb. parents, childrenc. intelligence , free willd. wings, faces4. Which of the following statement is

NOT True:a. Mary is Queen of the Angels.b. Michael the Archangel is Prince of the

heavenly hostc. When an innocent child dies, they

become an angel in heaven.d. Angels can temporarily appear with a

body.5. The New Testament books of the

Bible with the most reference to “angel” are:

a. Genesis, Zechariah, Matthew and Revelation

b. Matthew, Acts, Hebrews and Revelationc. Matthew, Luke, Acts, and Revelationd. Luke, Acts, Hebrews and Revelation

6. What does the Greek word for “angel” mean?

a. good spiritb. messengerc. cherubimd. holy7. What is the correct sequence of

God’s creation (cf. Genesis):a. animals, angels, humansb. plants, animals, angelsc. angels, animals, humansd. angels, humans, vegetation8. In the Old Testament, _____ wrestled

with an angel and an angel sealed the lions’ jaws to save _____.

a. Adam, Samuelb. Isaac, Gideonc. Moses, Danield. Jacob, Daniel 9. How many of the angels rebelled

against God and became demons?a. halfb. one thirdc. alld. none10. Demons get their power to torment

humans from:a. Godb. Satanc. Humans who agree with their liesd. Angels11. The final battle has already been

won by _____. The ______ has been defeated. The one in control is _____. The one we should trust is ____ for he is faithful and true!

a. Jesus, enemy, God, Jesus. Amen

Answers. 1(d), 25(b), 3(c), 4(c), 5(c), 6(b), 7(c), 8(d), 9(b), 10(c), 11(a)

Angels and Demons


FEATURE

Miriam Wright

Numerology Is a belief in divine or mystical relationships between numbers and events, words, mystical re-lationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is often associated with astrology and divination or clairvoyance.

Occult “Occult,” from the Latin occul-tus, alludes to power attained by knowledge of the clandes-tine, hidden, secret.

Ouija Also referred to as a talking board or spirit board is used to

EnneagramThe Enneagram, derived from the Greek ennea, meaning nine, is a geometric symbol contain-ing nine points and nine (or more) intersecting lines, rep-resenting different personality types and emotional themes such as anger or fear. The goal is to find someone’s true iden-tity or nature as an aid to spiri-tual growth.

Magic Also referred to as sorcery or witchcraft, magic is the use of rituals, symbols, actions, ges-tures, and language to manipu-late supernatural forces. (This is radically different than the performing art of illusions and slight-of-hand tricks).

New AgeA synthesis of Eastern mysti-cism, Eastern religions and Western Occultism which of-ten promotes the coming of a “new age” in which there will be universal unity, harmony and peace achieved through human effort.


What is...? Some New Age/Occult Terminology Defined


contact spirits who use the let-ters, numbers and symbols to communicate.

Pagan Sometimes used to describe those with beliefs and spiritual practices not belonging to the major world religions. Often used to refer to those practicing forms of polytheism (belief in and worship of multiple gods, or that all is god, as in nature-worship).

Pantheism A belief that all of reality is god. It rejects the idea of a personal Divine Being.

Psychic ReadingThis is more of a category of practices related to fortune tell-ing including astrology reading, automatic writing, channelling, clairvoyance, divination, palm reading, and tarot card read-ing, (to name a few) which ex-ploit supernatural powers for knowledge and/or control.

Reiki A Japanese technique involv-ing “laying on of hands” to ma-nipulate unseen “life force en-ergy” within a person to influ-ence health. “Rei” means god’s wisdom or Higher Power and “ki” means “life force energy.” It is promoted as spiritual heal-ing.

Reincarnation Is the idea that some part of a living being takes on a new body (i.e., incarnation) after each biological death. It does not see the human person as a body/soul unity.

Transcendental MeditationMeditation using a mantra (word or sound) which is re-peated to transcend normal thinking to achieve “pure con-sciousness.”

Yoga “Yoga” comes from a Sanskrit word meaning union. The prac-tice of yoga originated in Hin-duism with the goal of discov-ering the true self (who is god) by achieving an altered state of consciousness leading to union of the individual consciousness with the universal conscious-ness.

Wicca Is a tradition or type of witch-craft or Paganism which in-cludes belief in a male god and a female goddess, sees all of creation as sacred and does not draw a distinction between cre-ator and creature or between good and evil.

Note: This is not a comprehensive list of Occult/New Age terminology, nor are the defi-nitions authoritative. Rather it is an at-tempt to provide an accessible list of some common terms and their broad meaning.

WRIGHT, Miriam is recently retired from a career as Manager of Information Systems. She and her husband Bill now live in Kingston, Ontario. She is a mother and delighted "Oma" of two grandchildren. Miriam is working on a Masters of Theology and Christian Ministry. She is a member of the Bread of Life Editorial Board and the Board for Renewal Ministries Canada. Her passion is the New Evangelization: leading others to experience a personal Pentecost and Freedom in Christ so that they may live forever in the blessing of being a beloved child of the Father.


St. Patrick's Breastplate

Continued on page 43

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise todayThrough the strength of the love of cherubim,

In the obedience of angels,In the service of archangels,

In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,In the prayers of patriarchs,

In the predictions of prophets,In the preaching of apostles,

In the faith of confessors,In the innocence of holy virgins,In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, throughThe strength of heaven,

The light of the sun,The radiance of the moon,

The splendor of fire,The speed of lightning,The swiftness of wind,The depth of the sea,

The stability of the earth,The firmness of rock.I arise today, through

God's strength to pilot me,God's might to uphold me,God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,God's hand to guard me,


St. Patrick's Breastplate Continued from page 42

God's shield to protect me,God's host to save meFrom snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,From everyone who shall wish me ill,

afar and near.I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils,Against every cruel and merciless power

that may oppose my body and soul,Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;Christ to shield me today

Against poison, against burning,Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.Christ with me,

Christ before me,Christ behind me,

Christ in me,Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,Christ on my right,Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise todayThrough a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.


New Age – sounds kind of slick, interesting, and modern. What harm could there be in New Age thinking? This is the way we are deceived by the evil one. What harm could there be? Right? Life is hard. Many among us are searching the cure for all that ails us. Johnnette S. Benkovic’s insightful book The New Age Counterfeit offers an explanation about the evil that emanates from New Age thinking. While Benkovic covers many subjects, I will focus on New Age thinking for this review.

Basically what New Age is all about is a search for the latent “god consciousness” or internal divinity that lies within all things. Ultimately the world discovers a “universal undifferentiated oneness” leading to a world government.

God, according to New Age thinking is an “impersonal energy source” who cannot be distinguished from man, dolphins, and rain-forests. All are part of one “continuous reality”. Here oneness replaces the distinction between good and evil and that ethics are “situational”. This kind of thinking, in my opinion, leads to abortion, at any stage of pregnancy, genocide and euthanasia.

Benkovic makes three points to counter New Age thinking:

Christians believe in a distinction between God and his creation.

Christian teaching leads us to understand that transformative power is derived from the grace of God.

BOOK REVIEW

The New Age CounterfeitA Study Guide For Individual Or Group Use

Author: Johnnette S. Benkovics

Published by: Queenship Publishing,P.O. # 220, Goleta, California, 93116

ISBN # 1-57918-138-4


In abiding by God’s laws we enter a relationship with Jesus and find peace.

Benkovic refers us to 2 Timothy 4:3-5 in which Saint Paul warns of the time when people “…stop listening to the truth and will wander off to fables.” We must resist the counterfeit nature of New Age ideas and strengthen our allegiance to, and relationship with, God.

I highly recommend Benkovic’s book which covers many subjects ranging from eastern religions, Occultism, Satanism and mysticism.

Benkovic provides insightful interviews and refers the reader to relevant biblical passages. The evil one is set to deceive us with false promises and empty philosophies. Our understanding of the evil that lurks beneath the surface of many practices will help us resist evil and turn to the light and truth that is our God.

Nothing can compare to the great power of God. The evil one might try to deceive us with counterfeit thinking and empty promises – he will always fail. Let’s turn the page to light, joy, and fulfilment as Priscilla Shir-

er tells us that God Is Able. At the core of Shirer’s book is Ephesians 3:20-21:Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond what we ask or think, according to the power that works within

God Is ableAuthor: Priscilla Shirer

Published by: B & H Publishing GroupNashville, Tennessee

ISBN # 978-1-4336-8201-2

WRIGHT, Bill is retired and lives in Kingston with his wife Miriam where he is able to see more of his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Bill is a member of the Saint Paul the Apostle parish and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He serves as the managing editor of The Bread of Life magazine.


BOOK REVIEW

us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all the generations forever and ever. Amen This doxology, written by an imprisoned Saint Paul declares to us that God is able to achieve, in our minds, the impossible. Shirer breaks down Saint Paul’s authoritative prison doxology into words and phrases in or-der to exemplify God’s great power. To begin Shirer engag-es in a potent discussion which focuses on the first word: Now. Here we see that God is with us now. No matter what are situa-tion might be, or what our now looks like, God is able to help us. God can be with us right this minute – right now. This book speaks to me. I have seen God help me in simple things like finding a missing key fob for my car. I know God helped me in in the difficult task of helping my ailing mother-in-law. Not unlike Saint Paul, in his dark prison cell, I felt God helping me in my current tussle with prostate cancer. I fight the fatigue, induced by medication, as I sit at my keyboard to write this review. I know God is able. I know that God is with me right now.

WRIGHT, Bill is retired and lives in Kingston with his wife Miriam where he is able to see more of his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Bill is a member of the Saint Paul the Apostle parish and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He serves as the managing editor of The Bread of Life magazine.

I highly recommend this book. Shirer has a down-to-earth, self-deprecating, and humorous style which com-bines remarkably well with her thoughtful, worshipful and in-spiring message.



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