reiki and Catholic Hospitals QUESTION from Lorraine April 22, 2001 Catholic Hospitals are offering Reiki to anyone who wants this. I was wondering what the guidelines for Catholic Hospitals are concerning practices that are not considered catholic. Do catholic hospitals follow their own agendas or are they under the guidance of the catholic church's teachings?
I have also read your article on Reiki dated May 13, 1999. Could you explain what the difference is between a Higher Self and God. I'm not understanding this.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on July 10, 2001 Dear Mrs. Lorraine:
Catholic Hospitals should be conducting themsevles in accord with Catholic teaching. Unfortunately many are not. It is up to the local Bishop to oversee the hospitals and the Bishop has the authority to strip the Hospital of its Catholic name if necessary.
If a Catholic Hospital is doing something it should not, contact the Bishop.
As for Higher Self, it depends on who is using the term, but in some circles the Higher Self (that part of man that is spiritual and transcendent) is god, we are god. That is rubbish of course.
The difference between Hgiher Self and God is that God is God, and Higher Self only wishes it were :-)
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