The Catholic Monitor

Might aliens be involved with ghosts or demons? Stan Romanek and David J. Hufford wondered about that idea? Messages: The World's Most Documented Extraterrestrial Contact Story - Google Books Result Stan Romanek, J. Allan Danelek - 2009 - Body, Mind & Spirit - 259 pages: "So now was I some sort of 'ghost magnet'? If so, how could that happen? ... In any case, the ghost specialists spent some time trying to capture video." http://www.alienresistance.org/ce4testimony17.htm The Terror That Comes in the Night There is a book by David J. Hufford called The Terror that Comes in the Night. The sub-title of the book describes the contents: "An Experience-Centered Study of Supernatural Assault Traditions." Dr. Hufford is a sociologist and university professor. According to his research about one sixth of the population experiences the phenomenon described in his book yet almost no one talks about it. The experience Hufford describes is similar to what has ...

BLESSED SALT Rev. John H. Hampsch C.M.F. There is a renewed interest today in the ancient sacramental of blessed salt, especially by charismatics, in healing and deliverance situations, etc. To understand its proper use and its efficacy, it would be helpful to review the Scriptural symbolism and its history, since Vatican II urges us to participate “intelligently and actively” in the use of sacramentals, just as in the use of Sacraments. Salt in the ancient world was a precious commodity (even monopolized by the royalty in Egypt and Persia). Roman soldiers were partially paid with packets of salt (”sal” in Latin); this was the origin of our word “salary” and of phrases like “worth his salt,” etc. Being costly, it was an appropriate offering to God as a “covenant of salt” (Lev. 2: 13; II Chron. 13:5; Num. 18:19) used in sacrifices by the Isrealites (Ezek. 43:24) and for the accompanying sacrificial meal (Gen. 31:54). Belief in its preservative and healing properties led to its use to dr...

A Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ? Within various forms of Evangelical Christianity in the Western world the catchphrase “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” is heard over and over again. In sermons, in books and among various conversations overheard between ‘born-again’ Christians it is heard again and again about this ‘personal relationship with Jesus Christ’ and at what point in their life that that momentous event began. “What a Friend I have in Jesus” is a popular hymn sung in Churches across the country Sunday after Sunday. Now I’m not going to say that I don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, because I do. Jesus Christ is as real to me as my wife and children are. I believe that He is with me always and I talk with Him regularly in prayer. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:15 that He would no longer call them servants, but that He considered them friends. I pretty much think that applies to me as well. I sometimes think of Christ as my Heavenly Big Brother...

By Fr. John Hampsch, C.M.F. Prayer for “Heal Our Land” Heavenly Father, the world seems to be collapsing around us. While families struggle to keep their homes and feed their children, floods and tornados ravage our land; abortion is accepted and same-sex marriage is legal. Government and business leaders have chosen to walk in the ways of darkness; wars and fighting are tearing countries apart. Crime and violence dominate many towns and cities. Fear and trepidation grip our hearts; we don’t know where to turn. We have fallen from your grace; we have drifted so far from your protection. Many don’t even know your name. What must we do to find favor with you, O Lord, what must we do? If we humble ourselves, will you hear our prayer? If we repent and turn away from sin, will you listen to our plea? If we fall prostrate before you, if we fast and seek your face, will you then answer our prayer? O Lord, we are weak and afraid. But you O Lord, are our strength, you will defend us in battle; ...

Mary and the Moslems What is Islam? Since the September 11 attacks, the attention of Westerners has been drawn to Islam, since we are being told that Osama Bin Laden committed these terrorist attacks in the name of Islamic fundamentalism. While it is true that the vast majority of Moslems condemn violence and these terrorist attacks, a minority of extremist Moslems claim that it is “Allah” who asked them to wage a holy war against “the infidel”. What is the real face of Islam? Does it preach peace or war? Even if the word “Islam” itself can be defined as “to make peace”, “to surrender”, the truth is that there is a dark side of Islam which, although only put into practice by a small number of extremists, indeed advocates violence. Over the centuries, Muslims have engaged in tremendous wars with Christians and Jews, and Christians are being persecuted and killed by Moslems in many countries today, like Indonesia and Sudan. Is there a way Christians and Moslems can co-exist together in p...

Archives of Sexual Behavior, VoL 6, No. 5, 1977 Gender Identity Change in a Transsexual: An Exorcism David H. Barlow, Ph.D., 1,3 Gene G. Abel, M.D., 2 and Edward B. Blanchard 2 Gender identity change in a conservatively diagnosed 21.year-old transsexual after faith healing was fortuitously observed, was objectively and independently measured, and is reported. This case, and other recent developments, suggests a reexamination of the possibilities of psychosocial intervention to modify atypical gender identity. INTRODUCTION The most effective treatment for the relief of suffering in transsexuals would seem to be sex-reassignment surgery (Green and Money, 1969). This radical and irreversible treatment for what is basically a psychological problem is indicated since the suffering of transsexuals is considerable and all efforts at treatment through psychotherapy have been ineffective (Pauly, t965; Benjamin, 1971; Green, 1974). Postsurgical reports from transsexuals have suggested a relief ...

By Fr. John Hampsch, C.M.F. PRAYER OF RELEASE FOR FREEMASONS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS If you were once a Mason or are a descendant of a Mason, we recommend that you pray through the following prayer from your heart. Don’t be like the Masons who are given their obligations and oaths one line at a time and without prior knowledge of the requirements. Please read it through first so you know what is involved. It is best to pray this aloud with a Christian witness or counselor present. We suggest a brief pause following each paragraph to allow the Holy Spirit to show any additional issues which may require attention. “Father God, creator of heaven and earth, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ your Son. I come as a sinner seeking forgiveness and cleansing from all sins committed against you and others made in your image. I honor my earthly father and mother and all of my ancestors of flesh and blood, and of the spirit by adoption and godparents, but I utterly turn away from and renoun...

Spiritual Warfare Prayer By Fr. John Hampsch, C.M.F. Make the Sign of the Cross My sins are forgiven through the blood of Jesus, and I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus out of the hands of Satan. The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is cleansing me now and keeping me clean from all sin. I am justified and made righteous by the blood of Jesus. I am sanctified, set apart for God by the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus now covers me and protects me against all evil. The blood of Jesus, sprinkled in Heaven, now speak on my behalf. I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus out of the hand of the enemy, out of the hand of the devil. I belong to Jesus Christ, God’s Son, in my spirit, my soul, my body. I desire Jesus to be my Lord. I am redeemed by His Blood shed on the cross for me, and because of the blood, Satan has no more power over me, he has no more rights over me, he has no more place in me. According to the Word of God, he is over-come by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimon...

Chicago Atheism Examiner: "Loughner no more represents the atheist movement than Hitler represented Catholicism or bin Laden Islam." http://www.examiner.com/atheism-in-chicago/atheists-should-be-quick-to-condemn-loughner "Another classmate, Lydian Ali, recalled the incident as well. "'A girl had written a poem about an abortion. It was very emotional and she was teary eyed and he said something about strapping a bomb to the fetus and making a baby bomber,' Ali said." Here's the Times' version: "After another student read a poem about getting an abortion, Mr. Loughner compared the young woman to a 'terrorist for killing the baby.'" So that's how the Times transformed Loughner from a sicko laughing about a dead fetus to a deadly earnest pro-life fanatic. (Never believe a news story written by Eric Lipton, Charlie Savage or Scott Shane of The New York Times -- or for simplicity, anything in the Times.) I wouldn't have ment...

By St. Francis De Sales All that remains is for us to state the necessary conditions to pray well. I know indeed that the ancients who treat this matter cite a great many such conditions; some count 15, others eight. But since this number is so large, I limit myself to mentioning only three. The first is that one be little by humility ; the second, that one be great in hope ; and the third, that one be grafted onto Jesus Christ crucified . Let us speak of the first, which is nothing other than that spiritual mendicancy of which Our Lord says: Blessed are the mendicant in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [Cf. Mt. S:3]. And although some of the Doctors interpret these words thus: How happy are the poor in spirit, these two interpretations are not opposed, because all the poor are mendicants [beggars] if they are not proud, and all mendicants are poor if they are not avaricious. In order to pray well, then, we must acknowledge that we are poor, and we must greatly humble our...