June 2007
My Dear Brethren,
Ninety years ago the Holy Mother of God appeared to the three children at Fatima and foretold the three world wars which would afflict mankind, the third being Vatican II.
Warren H. Carroll’s book, 1917: Red Banners, White Mantle (Christendom Press, 1981) gives a masterful account of the events surrounding Fatima and is essential reading for those who would be true to Our Blessed Lady’s message. ‘It is not just another history of the First World War. Dr Carroll unveils for us “a contest that embraces Heaven, Earth, and Hell,” whose protagonists include the devilish revolutionary Lenin, the demonic Rasputin, the saintly Charles, last Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and above all Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared with a message of penance, conversion, and peace to three children in Portugal, who themselves knew nothing of the titanic struggle of the earthly powers in the Flanders’ fields. 1917 was truly an annus mirabilis, a year of wonders, of human blunders, madness, and desperation, of demonic energies unleashed in the world, yet for which the divine solicitude was revealed in the appearances of Our Lady at Fatima and confirmed with the miracle of the “the dancing sun.”
The errors of (Communist) Russia - materialism, Godlessness, naturalism, rejection of true order, the disregard for human life . . . - have indeed spread throughout the world and the situation worsens with each new piece of legislation.
‘Across a continent, across a cosmos, across the immense wreckage of Western Christian civilisation, they faced each other, the ultimate surviving antagonists of the apocalyptic year 1917: the girl-woman all in radiant white, with the lovely voice and the gentle serious mien, Queen of Heaven and earth, Mother of God, who had promised that her Immaculate Heart would one day prevail in Russia and bring peace to the world; and Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov called Lenin, with his jarring voice and his whip-crack laugh and his bald bullet head and his mighty brain, ready to take Russia and the whole world for himself and his atheist, materialist creed, certain that the time had come for him to strike and win.’
______________
I am delighted to announce that we have now acquired a new church for the Society in Gateshead (near Newcastle upon Tyne). Following years of protracted negotiations with regard to the derelict Church of Saint Cuthbert, notably through the relentless efforts of Mr David Oxley, another Church of England building came to light for which contracts have now been exchanged. Christ Church, in the Bensham district of the city, is a fine neo-Gothic building dating from the 1870’s and comes complete with many original furnishings,
including stained-glass windows, pews, a pulpit and a fine organ. The church has been in use until fairly recent times and is happily in a relatively good condition. Some renovation works however will be required to prior to the church being used for public worship, hopefully by the end of this year.
May I therefore call upon your generosity towards this project for which, I am happy to say, a certain amount of money has already been raised? Deserving of mention for generous contributions received to date are: ‘The Saint Cuthbert’s Trust,’ ‘The Catherine Cookson Trust,’ and several other private donors from amongst the faithful connected to the North-East.
Mrs Colleen Hammond’s conferences around the country have been well attended and much appreciated. I trust that these presentations will encourage the faithful in their efforts to lead truly Catholic family lives with a greater understanding of the principles and values in question. Copies of Mrs Hammond’s book and CD’s of her talks are available from Saint George’s House, and the summer issue of Mater Dei contains an interesting article by her on the topic of ‘screens in the home.’
O Sweet Saviour, kneeling humbly at Thy feet, we renew the consecration of our family to Thy Divine Heart. Be forever our King; we have full and complete confidence in Thee. May Thy spirit fill our thoughts, our desires, our words and our works. Bless our undertakings. Take part in our joys, our trials, and our labours. Grant to us to know Thee better, to love Thee more, and to serve Thee without fail. From one pole of the earth to the other may the cry resound: “Beloved, blessed, and glorified be everywhere and forever the Triumphant Heart of Jesus!” Amen.
With every good wish and blessing,
Father Paul Morgan
Superior
July 2007
My dear brethren,
Saint Paul writes in his last chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, “Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take unto you the armour of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect.”
As Father Barrielle, spiritual director at Econe until his death in 1983, writes in his pamphlet on Spiritual Discernment: ‘The devil does all in his power to make us believe that he does not exist or to think not of him. It is then that he is able to act with all freedom. This is the reason for all these attempts to deny the existence of the angels that we hear repeated sometimes even in the sacristies, because if there were no angels there would not be any devils, and yet, the angels, both the good and the bad, are found in Holy Scripture from the first chapter to the last. This, however, is not sufficient for them to believe in the existence of devils and angels. One has to wake up!’
Belief in the existence of devils is strengthened when one considers diabolical influence in its extreme manifestation, namely possession. In this regard I refer to the introduction to Fr Malachy Martin’s non-fictional work Hostage to the Devil (HarperSanFrancisco, 1992, first printed in 1976). “In the barrage of books on possession and exorcism . . . This is undoubtedly the most authoritative and convincing,” wrote The Washington Post Book Review. Unfortunately I cannot unreservedly recommend the book due to certain indecent and graphic descriptions of actual events, but I imagine it nonetheless constitutes “a wake-up call” to the modern reader. Indeed, the Detroit News credited the volume as being, “Unmatched . . . Martin’s polished contemporary sense of traditional theology entices even the sceptical . . . Stunningly pertinent . . . Will set you thinking - and thinking - and thinking.”
‘Now, in the America of the 1990’s, there is little question of demonic Possession as an entertainment. Among families everywhere and at every level of society, there is indeed a justifiable fear. Most of all this fear is for children. And in point of fact, there are few families not already affected in some way by Satanism. Even by Satanism - formal ceremonies and rites organised and performed by individuals and groups in professed worship of Satan.
For obvious reasons we don’t know everything about organised Satanist groups, or covens as they are called, in the United States. But the ample knowledge we do have justifies fear among average families, for their children and their way of life in the future.
We know, for example, that throughout all fifty states of the Union, there are now something over 8,000 Satanist covens. We know that in any major American city or large town, a Black Mass - almost always organised by covens - is available on a weekly basis at least, and at several locations.
We know that the average membership of Satanist covens is drawn from all the professions as well as from among politicians, clergy, and religious.’
‘No one lives far from a centre where such activity is carried out on a routine basis. No one lives far from some geographical area where some form of ritualistic Satanism is practiced. Ritualistic Satanism and its inevitable consequence, demonic possession, are now part and parcel of the atmosphere of life in America.’
‘That a more favourable climate exists now than ever before for the occurrence of demonic possession among the general population is so clear, that it is attested to daily by competent social and psychological experts, who for the mot part, appear to have no “religious bias.”
Our cultural desolation - a kind of agony of aimlessness coupled with a dominant self-interest - is documented for us in the disintegration of our families. In the break-up of our educational system. In the disappearance of publicly accepted norms of decency in language, dress and behaviour. In the lives of our youths, everywhere deformed by stunning violence and sudden death; by teenage pregnancy; by drug and alcohol addiction; by disease; by suicide; by fear. America is arguably now the most violent of the so-called developed nations of the world.’
‘Parents do have every reason to be concerned, then. For above all, the greatest changes in the conditions we have come to live over the past twenty years or so have meant that young people are left as the most defenceless against the possibility of possession. Raised more and more in an atmosphere where moral criticism is not merely out of fashion, but prohibited, they swim with little help in a veritable sea of pornography. Not merely sexual pornography, but the pornography of self-interest.’
‘Such pervasive cultural desolation is the most fertile ground one could possibly imagine for the causes of possession to take root and flourish in almost unimpeded freedom. It is in that context that Satanism - including ritualised Satanism - is causing such justified fear among so many parents for their children.
For, it is that context that at least some may be sought out by that Ancient Enemy of our race who, in the words of St Peter used in one of his letters, “prowls around like a lion seeking whom he can devour.”’
‘To describe that situation in which Satanist activity is flourishing around us is one thing. But it is essential to identify in an equally candid manner at least a few of the major cultural and religious factors that have contributed most importantly to such a state of affairs.’
‘In so doing, it is difficult to resist the conclusion that the vigorous state of ritualistic Satanism, and the difficulty of dealing with it effectively, are at lest enhanced by the noticeably changed mentality among Christian churchmen. As a Roman Catholic priest, I speak pointedly of Catholic bishops and priests . . . Since Hostage to the Devil was first published in 1976 diminished belief among Christian churchmen - including prominently, the Roman Catholic hierarchy and clergy - has relegated the very existence of Satan to the same fate as basic Roman Catholic teaching about Hell, angels, Purgatory, personal sin, and such essential Sacraments as Confession and the Eucharist.’
‘On the other side of the coin - Lucifer’s side - the belief that he does not exist at all is an enormous advantage that he has never enjoyed to such a degree. It is the ultimate camouflage. Not to believe in evil is not to be armed against it. To disbelieve is to be disarmed. If your will does not accept the existence of evil, you are rendered incapable of resisting evil. Those with no capacity of resistance become prime targets for possession.’
The Church is the only element in society with the authority and the availing remedy to counteract such manifest evil. If, then, the officials charged with this basic duty of the Church deny the very legacy of that Church - if they turn their backs even on Scriptural descriptions of Christ casting out demons; if they characterise those accounts as false and as literary licence - then actual victims of true demonic activity are left with no hope.’
If to disbelieve is to be disarmed, the reverse is equally true. Given the general conditions that surround us in our present society, it becomes ‘all the more important to realise that even in the worst conditions, no person can be possessed without some degree of cooperation on his or her part. It is extremely important to be aware of at least some of the factors that are likely to facilitate collaboration between a possessing demon and the possessed.
Ample experience with the possessed has clearly demonstrated that there are certainly identifiable factors that dispose an individual to collaborate, in mind and will, with a possessing demon. These so-called disposing factors include: - “instruments” outside the individual, such as the ouija board and the spiritual séance; - “attitudes,” whether taught or self-learned, that are interiorised by the person. Transcendental meditation and the enneagram method are two of the most prominent in this category.
Among the vast array of disposing factors likely to lead to possession, the enneagram method is nowadays far and away the most common and pernicious,’ [and has been enthusiastically adopted and propagated by a number of Catholics]. . . According to enneagram teaching, there are exactly nine types of human personality, each of which is represented by one of the nine points of the enneagram figure. . . The basic presumption presented to the mind by the enneagram method is that each individual is self-perfectible, morally speaking, within that individual’s personality type.
The teaching of the enneagram method cuts both God and His grace out of the loop. The individual is cut off from effective knowledge of his or her dependence on God and His supernatural grace for ultimate perfection. He or she is confined to an inalterable personality type which has been laid out by enneagram masters.
Having fatalistically accepted one’s own category, the participant is dependant for perfection on the enneagramatic exercises suitable for one’s personality type. In other words, the soul of the enneagram disciple is opened out and made docile, with the goal of receiving the promised self-knowledge congruent with his or her type. The soul becomes an apt and classic receptor - an aspiring vacuum - ready for approach of an intending possessor.
In such a setting, the intending possessor may come as what St Paul described as an Angel of Light. But the danger is all the more insidious for that. For in such a situation, the condition commonly called “perfect possession” may be the result. As the term implies, a victim of perfect possession is absolutely controlled by evil and gives no outward indication, no hint whatsoever, of the demonic residing within. . . Because there is no will left to call the victim’s own - and because some part of the victim’s will is necessary for any hope of successful exorcism - remedy is unlikely to succeed even in the event the possession should somehow be uncovered and verified as the problem.’
* * *
The film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, goes part way to explaining why Almighty God does allow diabolical possession: people say that God is dead; but by making known the reality of the evil spirits, He brings people to realise the reality of His own existence. As the doctor in the film who witnessed the attempted exorcism of Emily Rose said, he began to pray following the horrendous events of that unforgettable occasion. Our prayers and lives might also be more fervent if we took the Devil’s existence more seriously!
__________________________
At this time of the year members of the Society in the northern hemisphere may receive news of new assignments. Before announcing these to you it is good to remember that whilst we are primarily concerned with the Society’s work in this country, we should not forget that our apostolate stretches over some sixty countries. Consequently the Superior General and his Assistants have to think of the common good which goes beyond the needs of any one country and which may dictate the appointments for a given year. So it is that the virtue of charity has a role to play in helping the faithful to accept these assignments over and above any self-centred considerations.
In the first place I would like to announce Fr Frank Kurtz’ new appointment as headmaster of our school in Wanganui, New Zealand, which has some 130 pupils, after having spent the past three years as headmaster at St Michael’s School, Burghclere. We are indebted to Fr Kurtz for his sure grasp of Catholic principles, especially in the realm of Catholic education, and for having displayed a sure hand in guiding the school through some challenging times! We wish him well down under! His successor is fellow American Fr Patrick Summers whom I worked with for a time in our large school and priory in Post Falls, Idaho. Fr Summers has been prior for these past two years of the Society’s mission in south India, and has shown himself to be an effective superior and administrator.
Fortunately Fr Summers will be joining us as of July 5th and this should ensure sufficient time for a smooth handover in the course of the summer holidays. This is also relevant given the fact that Fr Robert Brucciani will be replacing Fr Summers in India, and each will need to profit from the experience and insight of the other! We appreciate the administrative skills Fr Brucciani has brought to Michael’s and I am confident that the various technical systems he introduced will continue to be put to good use in the years to come. It may be of interest to learn that Fr Brucciani had expressed an interest in the missionary apostolate, hence his being chosen for such a position now, and I am sure he will find the experience a worthwhile one, as I myself did during my own time out in Asia.
One does not have to be a rocket scientist to work out that these changes leave only two priests at St Michael’s, but I am confident that Fr summers and his collaborator Fr Holden will work well together to build upon the solid work accomplished to date, supported by the devoted staff of Brothers, Sisters, lay teachers and clerical or menial assistants.
After three productive years spent in London as District Secretary, Father Steven Webber has now been assigned to St Mary’s House, Preston, but will continue as priest responsible for the apostolate in Scandinavia.
My special thanks go to Father for his invaluable help in the District office these past few years! The presence once again of three priests in Preston will help consolidate the apostolate in the North and Scotland. We are grateful to Brother Hyacinth for his good works this past year at St Mary’s House and wish him well now as he returns to his native Philippines: “Hanggang sa muli!”
Ordained this 29th June at Econe, Father David Sherry, from Ireland, has been appointed to Saint George’s House in Wimbledon, and we look forward to welcoming him here and receiving his first blessing in August!
All these changes will take effect as of 15th August 2007.
In addition to the month of June being the time for new assignments, it was the occasion for the celebration of a number of priestly anniversaries: Bishop Fellay (25 years), Father Brendan King (20 years), Father Frank Kurtz (10 years). Our congratulations and prayers go to our Superior General and our confreres, and whilst wishing them ad multos annos, we look forward to making a presentation to Bishop Fellay in person when he comes to bless the new church in Gateshead. The date will be announced in due to course, but depends of course upon the completion of renovation works (expected December 2007 . . .) and His Lordship’s own schedule.
With regard to this church, may I point out an error in the last newsletter which mistakenly identified the photos as being those of St Cuthbert’s Church, when they were indeed those of Christ Church? I am happy to announce here that the church will be dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, thereby conserving Our Blessed Lord’s name but without causing confusion as to the church’s new use.
Similarly, please note that there will not in fact be a girls’ summer camp this year at Burghclere due to reasons of feasibility. Sister Mary Elizabeth and the community of Oblate Sisters will be busy instead preparing for the new school year in view of one or two changes of staff. Whilst assuring all the staff at the Junior and Infants’ School of our sincere appreciation, particular thanks are due to
Mrs. Annalisa Webb who is now moving on to a new teaching position elsewhere.
I was happy to have attended the ordination to the Sub-deaconate of Mr Håkan Lindström at the seminary of Zaitzkofen on the Vigil of Pentecost, and to had a chance at the same occasion to speak with our three Swedish seminarians. Reverend Mr Lindström was also ordained Deacon on June 30th at Zaitzkofen, and we look forward to seeing him in the course of his summer apostolate in this country.
Bishop Williamson’s conference on ‘Pushkin and Hollywood Love’ in London last month was well attended and much appreciated. His Lordship’s previous talk on Shakespeare has been included in the latest issue of Mater Dei with Part I dealing with the importance of human nature and true culture in the life of grace.
I have included in this newsletter Cardinal Hoyos’ address to the Bishops of South America for your interest as it sheds some interesting light on the much delayed, and yet to appear, motu proprio . . .
With the advent of the smoking-ban in public places this July 1st I regret to inform smokers that this ban also covers church halls, but they may find some solace in knowing that smoking-thuribles can still be used during the sacred ceremonies!
With every good wish and blessing in the Precious Blood,
Father Paul Morgan
Superior
My Dear Brethren,
Ninety years ago the Holy Mother of God appeared to the three children at Fatima and foretold the three world wars which would afflict mankind, the third being Vatican II.
Warren H. Carroll’s book, 1917: Red Banners, White Mantle (Christendom Press, 1981) gives a masterful account of the events surrounding Fatima and is essential reading for those who would be true to Our Blessed Lady’s message. ‘It is not just another history of the First World War. Dr Carroll unveils for us “a contest that embraces Heaven, Earth, and Hell,” whose protagonists include the devilish revolutionary Lenin, the demonic Rasputin, the saintly Charles, last Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and above all Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared with a message of penance, conversion, and peace to three children in Portugal, who themselves knew nothing of the titanic struggle of the earthly powers in the Flanders’ fields. 1917 was truly an annus mirabilis, a year of wonders, of human blunders, madness, and desperation, of demonic energies unleashed in the world, yet for which the divine solicitude was revealed in the appearances of Our Lady at Fatima and confirmed with the miracle of the “the dancing sun.”
The errors of (Communist) Russia - materialism, Godlessness, naturalism, rejection of true order, the disregard for human life . . . - have indeed spread throughout the world and the situation worsens with each new piece of legislation.
‘Across a continent, across a cosmos, across the immense wreckage of Western Christian civilisation, they faced each other, the ultimate surviving antagonists of the apocalyptic year 1917: the girl-woman all in radiant white, with the lovely voice and the gentle serious mien, Queen of Heaven and earth, Mother of God, who had promised that her Immaculate Heart would one day prevail in Russia and bring peace to the world; and Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov called Lenin, with his jarring voice and his whip-crack laugh and his bald bullet head and his mighty brain, ready to take Russia and the whole world for himself and his atheist, materialist creed, certain that the time had come for him to strike and win.’
______________
I am delighted to announce that we have now acquired a new church for the Society in Gateshead (near Newcastle upon Tyne). Following years of protracted negotiations with regard to the derelict Church of Saint Cuthbert, notably through the relentless efforts of Mr David Oxley, another Church of England building came to light for which contracts have now been exchanged. Christ Church, in the Bensham district of the city, is a fine neo-Gothic building dating from the 1870’s and comes complete with many original furnishings,
including stained-glass windows, pews, a pulpit and a fine organ. The church has been in use until fairly recent times and is happily in a relatively good condition. Some renovation works however will be required to prior to the church being used for public worship, hopefully by the end of this year.
May I therefore call upon your generosity towards this project for which, I am happy to say, a certain amount of money has already been raised? Deserving of mention for generous contributions received to date are: ‘The Saint Cuthbert’s Trust,’ ‘The Catherine Cookson Trust,’ and several other private donors from amongst the faithful connected to the North-East.
Mrs Colleen Hammond’s conferences around the country have been well attended and much appreciated. I trust that these presentations will encourage the faithful in their efforts to lead truly Catholic family lives with a greater understanding of the principles and values in question. Copies of Mrs Hammond’s book and CD’s of her talks are available from Saint George’s House, and the summer issue of Mater Dei contains an interesting article by her on the topic of ‘screens in the home.’
O Sweet Saviour, kneeling humbly at Thy feet, we renew the consecration of our family to Thy Divine Heart. Be forever our King; we have full and complete confidence in Thee. May Thy spirit fill our thoughts, our desires, our words and our works. Bless our undertakings. Take part in our joys, our trials, and our labours. Grant to us to know Thee better, to love Thee more, and to serve Thee without fail. From one pole of the earth to the other may the cry resound: “Beloved, blessed, and glorified be everywhere and forever the Triumphant Heart of Jesus!” Amen.
With every good wish and blessing,
Father Paul Morgan
Superior
July 2007
My dear brethren,
Saint Paul writes in his last chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, “Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take unto you the armour of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect.”
As Father Barrielle, spiritual director at Econe until his death in 1983, writes in his pamphlet on Spiritual Discernment: ‘The devil does all in his power to make us believe that he does not exist or to think not of him. It is then that he is able to act with all freedom. This is the reason for all these attempts to deny the existence of the angels that we hear repeated sometimes even in the sacristies, because if there were no angels there would not be any devils, and yet, the angels, both the good and the bad, are found in Holy Scripture from the first chapter to the last. This, however, is not sufficient for them to believe in the existence of devils and angels. One has to wake up!’
Belief in the existence of devils is strengthened when one considers diabolical influence in its extreme manifestation, namely possession. In this regard I refer to the introduction to Fr Malachy Martin’s non-fictional work Hostage to the Devil (HarperSanFrancisco, 1992, first printed in 1976). “In the barrage of books on possession and exorcism . . . This is undoubtedly the most authoritative and convincing,” wrote The Washington Post Book Review. Unfortunately I cannot unreservedly recommend the book due to certain indecent and graphic descriptions of actual events, but I imagine it nonetheless constitutes “a wake-up call” to the modern reader. Indeed, the Detroit News credited the volume as being, “Unmatched . . . Martin’s polished contemporary sense of traditional theology entices even the sceptical . . . Stunningly pertinent . . . Will set you thinking - and thinking - and thinking.”
‘Now, in the America of the 1990’s, there is little question of demonic Possession as an entertainment. Among families everywhere and at every level of society, there is indeed a justifiable fear. Most of all this fear is for children. And in point of fact, there are few families not already affected in some way by Satanism. Even by Satanism - formal ceremonies and rites organised and performed by individuals and groups in professed worship of Satan.
For obvious reasons we don’t know everything about organised Satanist groups, or covens as they are called, in the United States. But the ample knowledge we do have justifies fear among average families, for their children and their way of life in the future.
We know, for example, that throughout all fifty states of the Union, there are now something over 8,000 Satanist covens. We know that in any major American city or large town, a Black Mass - almost always organised by covens - is available on a weekly basis at least, and at several locations.
We know that the average membership of Satanist covens is drawn from all the professions as well as from among politicians, clergy, and religious.’
‘No one lives far from a centre where such activity is carried out on a routine basis. No one lives far from some geographical area where some form of ritualistic Satanism is practiced. Ritualistic Satanism and its inevitable consequence, demonic possession, are now part and parcel of the atmosphere of life in America.’
‘That a more favourable climate exists now than ever before for the occurrence of demonic possession among the general population is so clear, that it is attested to daily by competent social and psychological experts, who for the mot part, appear to have no “religious bias.”
Our cultural desolation - a kind of agony of aimlessness coupled with a dominant self-interest - is documented for us in the disintegration of our families. In the break-up of our educational system. In the disappearance of publicly accepted norms of decency in language, dress and behaviour. In the lives of our youths, everywhere deformed by stunning violence and sudden death; by teenage pregnancy; by drug and alcohol addiction; by disease; by suicide; by fear. America is arguably now the most violent of the so-called developed nations of the world.’
‘Parents do have every reason to be concerned, then. For above all, the greatest changes in the conditions we have come to live over the past twenty years or so have meant that young people are left as the most defenceless against the possibility of possession. Raised more and more in an atmosphere where moral criticism is not merely out of fashion, but prohibited, they swim with little help in a veritable sea of pornography. Not merely sexual pornography, but the pornography of self-interest.’
‘Such pervasive cultural desolation is the most fertile ground one could possibly imagine for the causes of possession to take root and flourish in almost unimpeded freedom. It is in that context that Satanism - including ritualised Satanism - is causing such justified fear among so many parents for their children.
For, it is that context that at least some may be sought out by that Ancient Enemy of our race who, in the words of St Peter used in one of his letters, “prowls around like a lion seeking whom he can devour.”’
‘To describe that situation in which Satanist activity is flourishing around us is one thing. But it is essential to identify in an equally candid manner at least a few of the major cultural and religious factors that have contributed most importantly to such a state of affairs.’
‘In so doing, it is difficult to resist the conclusion that the vigorous state of ritualistic Satanism, and the difficulty of dealing with it effectively, are at lest enhanced by the noticeably changed mentality among Christian churchmen. As a Roman Catholic priest, I speak pointedly of Catholic bishops and priests . . . Since Hostage to the Devil was first published in 1976 diminished belief among Christian churchmen - including prominently, the Roman Catholic hierarchy and clergy - has relegated the very existence of Satan to the same fate as basic Roman Catholic teaching about Hell, angels, Purgatory, personal sin, and such essential Sacraments as Confession and the Eucharist.’
‘On the other side of the coin - Lucifer’s side - the belief that he does not exist at all is an enormous advantage that he has never enjoyed to such a degree. It is the ultimate camouflage. Not to believe in evil is not to be armed against it. To disbelieve is to be disarmed. If your will does not accept the existence of evil, you are rendered incapable of resisting evil. Those with no capacity of resistance become prime targets for possession.’
The Church is the only element in society with the authority and the availing remedy to counteract such manifest evil. If, then, the officials charged with this basic duty of the Church deny the very legacy of that Church - if they turn their backs even on Scriptural descriptions of Christ casting out demons; if they characterise those accounts as false and as literary licence - then actual victims of true demonic activity are left with no hope.’
If to disbelieve is to be disarmed, the reverse is equally true. Given the general conditions that surround us in our present society, it becomes ‘all the more important to realise that even in the worst conditions, no person can be possessed without some degree of cooperation on his or her part. It is extremely important to be aware of at least some of the factors that are likely to facilitate collaboration between a possessing demon and the possessed.
Ample experience with the possessed has clearly demonstrated that there are certainly identifiable factors that dispose an individual to collaborate, in mind and will, with a possessing demon. These so-called disposing factors include: - “instruments” outside the individual, such as the ouija board and the spiritual séance; - “attitudes,” whether taught or self-learned, that are interiorised by the person. Transcendental meditation and the enneagram method are two of the most prominent in this category.
Among the vast array of disposing factors likely to lead to possession, the enneagram method is nowadays far and away the most common and pernicious,’ [and has been enthusiastically adopted and propagated by a number of Catholics]. . . According to enneagram teaching, there are exactly nine types of human personality, each of which is represented by one of the nine points of the enneagram figure. . . The basic presumption presented to the mind by the enneagram method is that each individual is self-perfectible, morally speaking, within that individual’s personality type.
The teaching of the enneagram method cuts both God and His grace out of the loop. The individual is cut off from effective knowledge of his or her dependence on God and His supernatural grace for ultimate perfection. He or she is confined to an inalterable personality type which has been laid out by enneagram masters.
Having fatalistically accepted one’s own category, the participant is dependant for perfection on the enneagramatic exercises suitable for one’s personality type. In other words, the soul of the enneagram disciple is opened out and made docile, with the goal of receiving the promised self-knowledge congruent with his or her type. The soul becomes an apt and classic receptor - an aspiring vacuum - ready for approach of an intending possessor.
In such a setting, the intending possessor may come as what St Paul described as an Angel of Light. But the danger is all the more insidious for that. For in such a situation, the condition commonly called “perfect possession” may be the result. As the term implies, a victim of perfect possession is absolutely controlled by evil and gives no outward indication, no hint whatsoever, of the demonic residing within. . . Because there is no will left to call the victim’s own - and because some part of the victim’s will is necessary for any hope of successful exorcism - remedy is unlikely to succeed even in the event the possession should somehow be uncovered and verified as the problem.’
* * *
The film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, goes part way to explaining why Almighty God does allow diabolical possession: people say that God is dead; but by making known the reality of the evil spirits, He brings people to realise the reality of His own existence. As the doctor in the film who witnessed the attempted exorcism of Emily Rose said, he began to pray following the horrendous events of that unforgettable occasion. Our prayers and lives might also be more fervent if we took the Devil’s existence more seriously!
__________________________
At this time of the year members of the Society in the northern hemisphere may receive news of new assignments. Before announcing these to you it is good to remember that whilst we are primarily concerned with the Society’s work in this country, we should not forget that our apostolate stretches over some sixty countries. Consequently the Superior General and his Assistants have to think of the common good which goes beyond the needs of any one country and which may dictate the appointments for a given year. So it is that the virtue of charity has a role to play in helping the faithful to accept these assignments over and above any self-centred considerations.
In the first place I would like to announce Fr Frank Kurtz’ new appointment as headmaster of our school in Wanganui, New Zealand, which has some 130 pupils, after having spent the past three years as headmaster at St Michael’s School, Burghclere. We are indebted to Fr Kurtz for his sure grasp of Catholic principles, especially in the realm of Catholic education, and for having displayed a sure hand in guiding the school through some challenging times! We wish him well down under! His successor is fellow American Fr Patrick Summers whom I worked with for a time in our large school and priory in Post Falls, Idaho. Fr Summers has been prior for these past two years of the Society’s mission in south India, and has shown himself to be an effective superior and administrator.
Fortunately Fr Summers will be joining us as of July 5th and this should ensure sufficient time for a smooth handover in the course of the summer holidays. This is also relevant given the fact that Fr Robert Brucciani will be replacing Fr Summers in India, and each will need to profit from the experience and insight of the other! We appreciate the administrative skills Fr Brucciani has brought to Michael’s and I am confident that the various technical systems he introduced will continue to be put to good use in the years to come. It may be of interest to learn that Fr Brucciani had expressed an interest in the missionary apostolate, hence his being chosen for such a position now, and I am sure he will find the experience a worthwhile one, as I myself did during my own time out in Asia.
One does not have to be a rocket scientist to work out that these changes leave only two priests at St Michael’s, but I am confident that Fr summers and his collaborator Fr Holden will work well together to build upon the solid work accomplished to date, supported by the devoted staff of Brothers, Sisters, lay teachers and clerical or menial assistants.
After three productive years spent in London as District Secretary, Father Steven Webber has now been assigned to St Mary’s House, Preston, but will continue as priest responsible for the apostolate in Scandinavia.
My special thanks go to Father for his invaluable help in the District office these past few years! The presence once again of three priests in Preston will help consolidate the apostolate in the North and Scotland. We are grateful to Brother Hyacinth for his good works this past year at St Mary’s House and wish him well now as he returns to his native Philippines: “Hanggang sa muli!”
Ordained this 29th June at Econe, Father David Sherry, from Ireland, has been appointed to Saint George’s House in Wimbledon, and we look forward to welcoming him here and receiving his first blessing in August!
All these changes will take effect as of 15th August 2007.
In addition to the month of June being the time for new assignments, it was the occasion for the celebration of a number of priestly anniversaries: Bishop Fellay (25 years), Father Brendan King (20 years), Father Frank Kurtz (10 years). Our congratulations and prayers go to our Superior General and our confreres, and whilst wishing them ad multos annos, we look forward to making a presentation to Bishop Fellay in person when he comes to bless the new church in Gateshead. The date will be announced in due to course, but depends of course upon the completion of renovation works (expected December 2007 . . .) and His Lordship’s own schedule.
With regard to this church, may I point out an error in the last newsletter which mistakenly identified the photos as being those of St Cuthbert’s Church, when they were indeed those of Christ Church? I am happy to announce here that the church will be dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, thereby conserving Our Blessed Lord’s name but without causing confusion as to the church’s new use.
Similarly, please note that there will not in fact be a girls’ summer camp this year at Burghclere due to reasons of feasibility. Sister Mary Elizabeth and the community of Oblate Sisters will be busy instead preparing for the new school year in view of one or two changes of staff. Whilst assuring all the staff at the Junior and Infants’ School of our sincere appreciation, particular thanks are due to
Mrs. Annalisa Webb who is now moving on to a new teaching position elsewhere.
I was happy to have attended the ordination to the Sub-deaconate of Mr Håkan Lindström at the seminary of Zaitzkofen on the Vigil of Pentecost, and to had a chance at the same occasion to speak with our three Swedish seminarians. Reverend Mr Lindström was also ordained Deacon on June 30th at Zaitzkofen, and we look forward to seeing him in the course of his summer apostolate in this country.
Bishop Williamson’s conference on ‘Pushkin and Hollywood Love’ in London last month was well attended and much appreciated. His Lordship’s previous talk on Shakespeare has been included in the latest issue of Mater Dei with Part I dealing with the importance of human nature and true culture in the life of grace.
I have included in this newsletter Cardinal Hoyos’ address to the Bishops of South America for your interest as it sheds some interesting light on the much delayed, and yet to appear, motu proprio . . .
With the advent of the smoking-ban in public places this July 1st I regret to inform smokers that this ban also covers church halls, but they may find some solace in knowing that smoking-thuribles can still be used during the sacred ceremonies!
With every good wish and blessing in the Precious Blood,
Father Paul Morgan
Superior