Toying With The Devil

Faithful Catholics have two more companies to add to their boycott list, namely Hasbro and Toys R Us. The reason? It has been discovered that the large toymaker recently created a new 'game' targeted at young girls. But it's not just any 'game' - it's a occultic Ouija board dressed up in pink. Apparently the satanic 'toy' has been sold by the large toy retailer Toys R Us since 2008. The retailer also sells a "glow-in-the dark Ouija board marketed to children 8-14 years old." A boycott of both companies has been launched. Warning to parents (and all persons!): Exorcists strongly condemn such 'games' and warn that they may provide an opening to evil spirits - with terrible consequences. Stay far away from these deadly 'games'!

"Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour." (St. Peter, 1 Pt. 5:8)

Related: Reflections: Evil / Satan (quotes from popes, saints, scripture...)

[2/6]

Thoughts on Halloween from Spanish clergy

Spanish clergy have "sounded the alarm" regarding secular Halloween activities, indicating that...

* Halloween is "not an innocent festivity", noting that it "has a background of the occult and anti-Christianity"

* Parents should focus on All Saints Day & celebrating the saints ("a festival that encourages life and not death") rather than encouraging their children to dress up for Halloween, which may be a "celebration of death" ("Children dress as witches, vampires, ghosts, masks, corpses, skeletons. And parents favour this type of festivities which plays with elements of death. But when a relative dies they prevent them from seeing the dead relative")

* They worry that "pagan" customs will "replace Christian customs like devotion to saints and praying for the dead" and note that "Christian piety recommends a visit to the cemetery to pray for them and for the families who experience the pain of human separation. For pedagogical reasons, it is necessary for children to discover the value of life and goodness, and not promote death."

* Hollywood horror movies may be partially blamed for the "growing popularity" of pagan Halloween celebrations

In contrast, traditional Catholic observances of All Hallows Eve (the vigil of All Saint's day) promote that which is good. The observation of All Hallows Eve "seems to have been held as early as the feast itself" (Catholic Encyclopedia), and the feast of All Saints Day itself may be traced back at least to the fourth century. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia...

"In the persecution of Diocletian the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all. The first trace of this we find in Antioch on the Sunday after Pentecost. We also find mention of a common day in a sermon of St. Ephrem the Syrian (373), and in the 74th homily of St. John Chrysostom (407). At first only martyrs and St. John the Baptist were honoured by a special day. Other saints were added gradually, and increased in number when a regular process of canonization was established; still, as early as 411 there is in the Chaldean Calendar a 'Commemoratio Confessorum' for the Friday after Easter. In the West Boniface IV, 13 May, 609, or 610, consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs, ordering an anniversary. Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary for 1 November. A basilica of the Apostles already existed in Rome, and its dedication was annually remembered on 1 May. Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on 1 November to the entire Church."

All Hallows Eve is traditionally a day of fasting and partial abstinence. In complete contrast to holy celebrations and practices traditionally employed by Catholics on All Hallows Eve, secular Halloween celebrations have roots in paganism and may celebrate evil & death. Furthermore, Halloween marks the tragic anniversary of Luther's nailing his 95 theses to the door of the church, starting the Protestant Rebellion which has cost many lives ("Protestantism was established and rooted by the shedding of torrents of blood") and, undoubtedly, leads to the loss of many souls.

"Luther's advocates might, if their eyes are not filmed, read with profit the following words which their master penned when he had genuine misgivings at the outset of his apostasy. 'How many times,' he writes, 'have I not asked myself with bitterness the same question which the Papists put me: Art thou alone wise? Darest thou imagine that all mankind have been in error for so long a series of years? I am not so bold as to assert that I have been guided in this affair by God. How will it be, if, after all, it is thou thyself who art wrong, and art thou involving in error so many souls who will then be eternally damned?' (Latin Works, Weim. ed., 8, p. 411 seq.)." (O'Hare)

[Also See: Traditional Prayers & Practices | Why Trust Martin Luther? | What Jesus Says vs. What Protestantism Says | Biblical References For Various Catholic Beliefs | The Importance of Being Catholic: Combating Religious Indifferentism]

[10/27]

Rebellious women religious

As previously announced, the Vatican has been conducting a "doctrinal assessment" and visitation of U.S. nuns. For orthodox Catholics familiar with the unprecedented situation of female religious in this country, such news may have brought a huge sigh of relief. It is well known that many "modern" sisters have been rebellious & unorthodox for years. Besides calling into question - or openly protesting - various doctrines of the Church, many of these modern, dissenting "feminist" nuns - who don't seem to want to look like, act like, or think like holy nuns of the past - are known to practice and promote witchcraft. They have also been advancing the occult and harmful New Age practices. Many openly question - or try to force a change in - Church teachings. In fact, simply reading about the state of many female religious communities in this country may turn the stomachs of faithful Catholics. Sadly, the problem is rampant in the American Church.

Unfortunately, however, certain females in religious life are resisting the request that they make a public profession of faith and take an oath of fidelity, even calling such actions "demeaning", "insulting", and "scandalous". Instead, they apparently wish to remain involved in their heresy, disobedience, and other shocking & scandalous behaviors which have engrossed them for decades. It is not yet clear how this matter will be resolved. Even though this investigation is certainly very late in coming, one can hope it won't be a case of "way too little, way too late".

In the meantime, unfortunately, supporters of these women are claiming the oath would make the nuns "slaves of men". They have also called the oath "totalitarian" and have compared the Vatican's request to an "Orwellian nightmare". These supporters seem to find nothing wrong with the nun's practice of witchcraft, their promotion of New Age practices & the occult, their spread of dissent, or their scorning of true Catholic doctrine. They only see a problem with having supposedly Catholic "brides of Christ" make a public profession of faith and take an oath of fidelity. Does anyone else wish we could also get a visitation and "doctrinal assessment" of Catholic laity?

[7/27]