A Catholic Friendly Approach to Ghosts

I  talk about the paranormal and paranormal investigation on my Paranormal page. But I'd like to share some specific recommendations here, as well. 

A Word on Ghosts 

While the Church has no definitive teaching on ghosts, many Catholics (including Church sanctioned exorcists and demonologists) believe that human spirits can contact the living - with the express permission of God - in order to ask for prayer or to make simple amends.

And this is it.

If a spirit tries to feed you information, initiates a relationship or attempts any kind of ongoing communication it is ALWAYS demonic. 

For more on the topic, I recommend the book Purgatory Explained By the Lives and Legends of the Saints by Fr. F.X. Schopppe, S.J. (affiliate link) which bears an 1893 Imprimatur.  This book shares many stories of souls in purgatory who asked the saints for prayer.  While ordinary people rarely get such requests, it does happen.

Spirits may appear in dreams, visions or as dark shapes or shadows.  There may be a strong feeling of being watched, unexplained sounds or any other phenomena for which there is no apparent explanation.

Paranormal investigation may lead to an increase in this kind of activity because investigators may unintentionally attract evil spirits.  I do not recommend it.

A Catholic Friendly Approach

If you feel you've had a visitation or have encountered a presence in your house, get the house blessed by a Catholic priest (or the faith leader of your denomination).  If phenomena persists or reoccurs, it's a good idea to contact that priest again.

Initiating contact with spirits is NEVER a good idea.  Consider the following as an appropriate response to any unusual phenomena you experience:

1. Make a good confession, go to Mass and receive Holy Communion. 
2. Ask you parish priest to bless your home or location.
3. Utilize the prayers from Fr. Chad Ripperger's Deliverance Prayers for the Laity (affiliate link) as recommended in the book.
4. Put blessed holy objects in every room and hang a blessed crucifix over all outside doors.
5. Utilize sacramentals like holy water and exorcized salt.
6. Pray the Rosary daily in a central part of the house. Aloud if possible.  If you understand Latin, pray at least some of the Rosary in Latin.*
7. Play Gregorian chant (sung by actual Catholic monks) in your home. Playing this softly in your room at night is also helpful.
8. Pray for the departed loved one you may have encountered and the Holy souls in purgatory. Arrange for a Mass for that loved one if possible.

Please note.  You do NOT have to be Catholic in order to pray for the Holy souls in purgatory.  Demons are always looking for a way to tempt us (often by making us feel special or popular or privy to some sort of secret knowledge).  

Given half a chance they WILL outsmart us.  

___________

*If you're interested in learning the Rosary in Latin, I have Latin-English Rosary printable trifold in my Etsy shop for $1.25 USD. You can see it here. 

Please check out my podcast on the dangers of the paranormal featuring an actual EVP I recorded when I was a paranormal investigator here.

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links.  If you make a purchase using one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.