Darkness

[ithinkjesusiscool]

Pax!

Have you ever experienced a great darkness that really forced you to be afraid, so afraid that you can't even explain how afraid you were?

 

 

[Papist]

Fortunately, I have not.

[MIKolbe]

Only in a nightmare.

[jeffboom]

Only in a nightmare.

 

I have recurring nightmares about my grandmother's house. There is a woman there who I cannot see, but I know she is there. My mom and aunt who grew up there have very similar dreams. I have never seen the woman who is in the dream, but I know she is there. My mom has seen her face in a dream. 

 

I don't really believe in ghosts and all that stuff, but I am scared to go to my grandmothers house. There is something there that I can't explain. 

 

There is something extremely uncomfortable there. My grandparents moved there in 1969, but someone lived there from 65 - 69. One of the previous owners (described to me by my grandmother) matches the description of the woman my mom has seen in a dream. My mom and aunt were too young to remember seeing the previous owners. 

 

What is the official Catholic position on all of this supernatural stuff? I scoured the CCC and I wasn't able to find much information on this topic. 

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Houses can most certainly be inhabited by evil spirits, but from my understanding they are not human spirits. When humans die they either go to Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. Staying on Earth to torment and frighten living humans is not an option. 

 

So, if the house is in fact "haunted," it's by demons, and not by the house's previous owners. 

 

You can get a priest for that. They will exorcise the house if they believe it is truly possessed. 

 

In the mean time, you can get Holy Water and sprinkle it in the house, on the doorways into the house, etc, and say something along the lines of, "In the Name of Jesus Christ, stop bothering me!" This is not the same as exorcism and if the demon is a real stinker, he won't listen to you since you're not a priest. But it might make you feel better, and it might work. 

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Of course, it should be noted that demons can take the form of humans. So perhaps, if this is a true case, that is what is going on in your dreams and those of your mom and aunt. 

[jeffboom]

Of course, it should be noted that demons can take the form of humans. So perhaps, if this is a true case, that is what is going on in your dreams and those of your mom and aunt. 

 

The only thing that makes me believe that it is not some type of demonic presence is that I never feel threatened. It is frightening, but I do not feel in danger. I think she may have killed herself inside my grandmother's house. There may be other things we cannot completely understand. 

 

One theory that I've heard is that violent and untimely deaths can leave some type of non-physical mark on a place. A mark that causes people to experience hallucinations and encounters with deceased humans taking human form. 

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Deceased humans cannot come back to Earth. They are either in Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven. 

 

I urge you to discuss these things with your parish priest. 

[jeffboom]

Deceased humans cannot come back to Earth. They are either in Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven. 

 

I urge you to discuss these things with your parish priest. 

 

I am not saying she is physically on earth. But her suicide could have left some type of mark on my grandmothers house that causes my family to feel negative energy. After all, suicide is probably the most grave sin one can commit. There are many forces in the world that we do not understand as humans. If she is in purgatory, then she needs our prayers. I was under the impression that if you willingly take your own life you are most likely going to hell. 

 

Do you think souls in purgatory can be seen/ felt by living humans? 

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Actually, her lifeless physical body is indeed still on Earth, in the grave. Her soul is what is currently in either Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. At the end of time, her physical body will be re-united to her immortal soul. But right now the two are separated, the lifeless body here on Earth and the soul elsewhere. 

 

That is what death is. Death is the separation of the body from the soul. But they will be reunited in the end. 

 

No, the Church does not teach that those in Purgatory can be seen/felt by living humans. They are in Purgatory and we are on Earth. They pray for us and we pray for them, but that is the extent of our contact. 

[jeffboom]

Actually, her lifeless physical body is indeed still on Earth, in the grave. Her soul is what is currently in either Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. At the end of time, her physical body will be re-united to her immortal soul. But right now the two are separated, the lifeless body here on Earth and the soul elsewhere. 

 

That is what death is. Death is the separation of the body from the soul. But they will be reunited in the end. 

 

No, the Church does not teach that those in Purgatory can be seen/felt by living humans. They are in Purgatory and we are on Earth. They pray for us and we pray for them, but that is the extent of our contact. 

 

Why do so many people have experiences with human forms that cannot be human? Is it just a common human hallucination?

[ToJesusMyHeart]

People can have experiences with demons and angels, but not with dead humans. If they are experiencing what they think are humans, it is not. Like I said, demons can take the form of humans. They're playing "dress up," so to speak. 

 

But lots of times, people are just liars. 

 

Like all those TV shows about the haunted houses? Most of those are fake. 

 

Satan is the Father of lies, and demons like him know how to trick humans. If you and others are experiencing supernatural beings, they are not humans, I promise. 

[CatherineM]

We had to have our son's condo exercised. The man who lived there practiced voodoo and saranic worship. It was so infested by bad vibes that we couldn't get a contractor to work on it. Our assistant pastor had been stationed in New Mexico in an area where santoria is practiced so he had done it many times. Right in the middle of the exorcism, there was this loud bang on the front wall. The other side of that wall is the top of the stairwell landing, so 8+ feet off the ground. After the exorcism, it was like a whole new place.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Exorcism is amazing! So glad everything was resolved! :)

[PhuturePriest]

Houses can most certainly be inhabited by evil spirits, but from my understanding they are not human spirits. When humans die they either go to Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. Staying on Earth to torment and frighten living humans is not an option. 

 

So, if the house is in fact "haunted," it's by demons, and not by the house's previous owners. 

 

You can get a priest for that. They will exorcise the house if they believe it is truly possessed. 

 

In the mean time, you can get Holy Water and sprinkle it in the house, on the doorways into the house, etc, and say something along the lines of, "In the Name of Jesus Christ, stop bothering me!" This is not the same as exorcism and if the demon is a real stinker, he won't listen to you since you're not a priest. But it might make you feel better, and it might work. 

 

Theologically, it is either demons, or souls from Purgatory. Souls from Purgatory are not allowed to go after people and "haunt" them, however. They simply sometimes are here due to penitential reasons (Saint Padre Pio once saw a boy serving Mass over and over again, and when he asked, he said he was in Purgatory, and that God had sent him down because he was a careless altar server), or because they are trying to get your attention to pray for them.