Evil Spirits QUESTION from Jeanette D. Cottone August 26, 2000 I have been bothered with the Spirit of Blasphemy and do not know how to get rid of it. While saying the Liturgy, or Rosary, a horrible profanity/blasphemy will enter my head. I confess it in the Confessional every month. I have done a life-review and have confessed every sin possible. I have practiced (accidentally) the New Age version of Centering Prayer. I thought that chanting Jesus, I love You and Budhist methods were sanctioned by the Catholic Church. Is minor possesion possible in these cases? How do I free myself? I say the Prayer to St. Michael daily. This prayer and the Rosary are powerful tools against evil. Why am I still being bothered and what do I do now? I am assuming since I am not consciously willing this that my sins are only venial. Am I correct?
Furthermore, why did Jesus cast out demons from the mentally ill?
Did the demons enter because the mentally ill person's spirit was broken or does a normal person become mentally ill under demonic activity. Is it possible to be mentally ill and go to heaven?
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on October 21, 2000 Dear Mrs. Cottone:
You ask, Is minor possesion possible in these cases?
What you are describing sounds more like harassment, not possession. There are many levels of demonization ranging from a mild harassment, to growing levels of oppression, and finally leading to full blown possession. Only the full blown possession is dealt with by a Church-approved Exorcism. The lessor forms of demonization are dealt with by various prayers, blessings, intercessory prayers, devotional practices, and the Sacraments.
You ask, How do I free myself? I say the Prayer to St. Michael daily. This prayer and the Rosary are powerful tools against evil. Why am I still being bothered and what do I do now?
These are good prayers to do. Keep close to the Church, the Sacraments, and a devotional life. In addition there are some prayers that you might use in our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Collection that in linked on the Index page of the SW Q & A Forum.
If all these things are unsuccessful, you may need some extra help from an experienced spiritual/deliverance counselor.
We will be praying for you.
You ask, I am assuming since I am not consciously willing this that my sins are only venial. Am I correct?
Thoughts that are being intruded upon you are no sin at all, for you are not doing it.
Furthermore, why did Jesus cast out demons from the mentally ill?
Because the people needed deliverance from the demons. Anyone infected with demons needs deliverance regardless of their psychiatric condition. Did the demons enter because the mentally ill person's spirit was broken or does a normal person become mentally ill under demonic activity. Most mental illness has nothing to do with demons. Most mental illness is about bio-chemical imbalances in the brain, brain damage, or other problems of brain function. However, is is possible for demons to cause a person to act mentally disturbed? yes Is is possible for demons to come to mentally ill person after the fact and try to make things worse than usual? yes You ask, Is it possible to be mentally ill and go to heaven? Of course. In order for a sin to be mortal and thus risk us to hell, three conditions are REQUIRED. The sin must be grave matter
We must KNOW it is grave matter.
We must then FREELY choose to commit the sin anyway
Mentally ill people may fail the test on number 2 and especially on number 3. It is called diminished capacity. A mentally ill person is not fully responsible for their actions thus a grave sin committed by such a person may NOT be mortal because they did not have true freedom to choose. Rather the illness choose for them. Thus, yes, mentally ill people, regardless of what sin they commt, may go to even according to God's mercy and justice.
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