Pre-Christian beliefs and healing practices QUESTION from Jeff Harvie on November 5, 2001 Dear Brother,
My wife is Filipina and is a practicing Catholic. Catholicism is a strong part of the culture and is inspiring in many ways.....BUT!
There are also traditions there which she, like all Filipinas, was brought up in to do with healing and what-have-you, and I've never been comfortable with this. I'd like to get some ammunition to support my feelings if possible. There are traditions of seeking out traditional healers who use massage to drive out something called piangs and panihots. The roots of this are in pre-Christian animistic beliefs that still seem to remain. There are many strange superstitions and fears of witches and ghosts that remain, especially in the villages.
How does this sort of nonsense survive in an otherwise highly devout Catholic culture? What's the best way to deal with this, Brother?
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on February 8, 2002 Dear Mr. Harvie:
The best way to deal with it is through catechizes of stong and solid Catholicism, and through prayer.
It is very difficult to deal with cultures that combine Catholicism with non-Christian beliefs. It will take perseverance, patience, kindness, and a continued and solid teaching of the solid teaching of Catholicism -- especially as it deals with occult issues, animist issues, and Eastern Mysticism.
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