The Witch Next Door

 

When people hear the word witch the image of Margaret Hamilton as the ugly and evil "Wicked Witch of the West" in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz comes to mind for many people. Witchcraft, in all its forms, is part of the occult and stands solemnly condemned by the Church. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. (See Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Emphasis mine.) 

According to theologian Jone: Divination and sorcery are in themselves very grave sins since they contain an implicit or explicit invocation of the devil. (See Moral Theology, (1961), pg. 98: Emphasis in original). Witchcraft is a form of sorcery, which is any attempt to control events, nature, or other people (through spells, potions, charms, etc.), regardless of whether the intent is malicious or benevolent. 

Throughout the centuries of Christianity, witches/witchcraft were rightfully looked upon as evil and something to be avoided. Frank Baum sought to change that with The Wizard of Oz. Baum (1856-1919) was a practicing adherent of the occult Theosophy religion of Madame Blavatsky.

(See theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/sp-1469793668). 

Baum was the first to introduce the idea of "good witches" in modern culture. One only need to remember that his novel and the movie (The Wizard of Oz) contains Glinda "the good witch" that helps protagonist Dorothy get home to Kansas.

A brief survey shows the metaphorical connection between Theosophy and The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy represents the human soul on the path to enlightenment; the Yellow Brick Road of Oz begins as an outwardly expanding spiral. In occult symbolism, this spiral represents the evolving self, the soul ascending from matter into the spirit world; the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, represent the need to adjust your mind, emotions, and will in order to become "enlightened by secret knowledge;" and the Wizard (omnipotent and omniscient) is shown to be a fake--just like the Christian God according to Theosophy. The "good witch" Glinda tells Dorothy that the power to go home "lies within you"--that she is all-powerful; a recurring theme in the occult, that "god lies within you." 

However, witchcraft remained on the outskirts of society and was looked upon badly, or at best, as something done by eccentric weirdos. All that has changed.

Coming Out of the Broom Closet

Some may wonder why there is any need to take a look at witchcraft. After all, there is seemingly no end to which people will go in their eccentric beliefs or practices. The reason a topic such as this merits examination is precisely because witchcraft is becoming less eccentric and more mainstream. For example, in the summer of 2004 the Parliament of the World’s Religions convened in Barcelona, Spain. Representatives from many of the world’s religions were present to “seek peace, justice and sustainability and commit to work for a better world” as well as to “deepen spirituality and experience personal transformation.” (See cpwr.org/ 2004Parliament/welcome/index.htm).

Present at the 2004 conference (as well as the 1993 and 1999 conferences) were representatives of the Covenant of the Goddess, “the world’s largest religious organization for Neo-Pagan Witches,” as described by an elder of the organization. A common theme that comes up in the context of such conferences is the increasing emphasis on “interfaith.” According to one source:

The numbers of Americans who identify with Wicca (witches) or paganism has risen from 134,000 in 2001 to nearly 2 million today, according to Helen Berger, a resident scholar at Brandeis University's Women's Studies Research Center, who has conducted extensive research and authored four books about witches and pagans. The witch community in America has been growing steadily since the 1960s, she said, and "much of the recent growth is coming from young women."  (See https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/28/celtic-festival-samhain-2021-celebration-wicca-witches/6182226001/). 

Newsweek had this to say:

The number of witches and Americans practicing Wicca religious rituals increased dramatically since the 1990s, with several recent studies indicating there may be at least 1.5 million witches across the country. A Trinity College study conducted in 1990 estimated only about 8,000 Wiccans in the U.S., but the increase has been led by a rejection of mainstream Christianity among young Americans as well as a rise in occultism. (See newsweek.com/witchcraft-wiccans-mysticism-astrology-witches-millennials-pagans-religion-1221019; Emphasis mine). 

Even a "conservative" Vatican II sect source sees an alarming growth. EWTN reports last year that:

An estimated 1 to 1.5 million people say they practice Wicca or paganism, a rise from an estimated 8,000 Wiccans in 1990, and 340,000 in 2008.

In 2014, a Pew Research Center survey found about 0.4 percent of Americans identify themselves Pagan or Wiccan, a significant increase over prior years... the Pew data would suggest that there are more self-identified “witches” in the United States than members of some mainline Protestant denominations. For example, according to 2017 figures, there are 1.4 million practicing Presbyterians in the United States. (See ewtnnews.com/world/us/number-of-americans-who-say-they-are-witches-is-on-the-rise). 

A very scary development is that now there are at least 35 books for children meant to introduce them into modern witchcraft. Some titles include:

C is for Coven: A Witchcraft Alphabet Book by Andrea Stein

"C is for Coven is a reinterpretation of a classic alphabet book, matching each letter of the ABCs with a rhyming phrase that teaches kids about witchcraft."

Wee Witches by Beth Roth

"This ABC primer is a playful and richly symbolic introduction to the world of Wicca and the magic of Nature. Illustrated poems bring to light the Pagan Path, with each letter featuring a Wee Witch learning about the wheel of the year, tools of the Craft, rites of passage, faerie friends, and meaningful colors. This is a helpful and affirming tool for Pagan families, as well as an appealing collection of subtle, educational light verse for their budding Wee Witches, including A for Acorn, M for Maypole, and S for Spiderweb. Accurate symbols of Witches’ worldview are woven throughout the magical artwork, as well as hidden clues to a secret “Witch Name” revealed at the end of the book."

The Little Witch's Book of Spells by Ariel Kusby

The Little Witch's Book of Spells is an enchanting compendium of spells, potions, and activities for kids 8 to 12 years old. Young witches-in-training will discover spells to resolve problems, foster friendship, and engage with the natural world. This spellbinding book guides readers on how to craft a magic wand, befriend a fairy, and read tea leaves, as well as glossaries of magical terms and symbols."

What Witches Wear by Andrea Stein

"What Witches Wear is an engaging and colorful exploration of what it means to be a modern witch. Matching each color of the rainbow with a unique witch, What Witches Wear reminds us that witches are everywhere—as our teachers, healthcare workers, artists, librarians, and even next-door neighbors."

"Even next-door neighbors." 

(See flyingthehedge.com/2023/07/35-childrens-books-about-witchcraft.html; All titles can be examined on Amazon.com). 

Jesus’ command to have His One True Church preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations invariably includes witches. In order to do so, it is necessary that we understand who they are and what they believe. Knowing what we are up against is a primary element in being prepared to carry out His Great Commission. Hence, the purpose of this post.

Witch Basics

Witchcraft: (Also known as wicca, the craft, or the craft of the wise.) An antidogmatic, antiauthoritarian, diverse, decentralized, eclectic, experience-based, nature-oriented religious movement whose followers are polytheists and/or pantheists and/or panentheists, and in some sense believe in or experience and/or invoke and/or worship the "Mother Goddess" and generally her consort the "Horned God" as well. It is a generic term covering numerous perspectives on the subject.

Witch: Individuals who practice or concur with the views or experiences of witchcraft. Most view divinity as immanent in nature, seeing all life as sacred, thus, denying any sacred/secular distinction. They are nature-oriented and also see no ultimate distinction between matter and spirit—the material and the spiritual. They may believe in or invoke a pantheon of gods and goddesses, but they primarily experience, and/or invoke, and/or worship the "Mother" or "Triple Goddess" and her male consort, the "Horned God." Witches generally practice multiple forms of divination, participate in trance and other altered states of consciousness, and perform magical spells and incantations. Most observe seasonal holidays and festivals (e.g., the summer and winter solstices). Most believe in some form of reincarnation. The widely believed notion that a female is a witch whereas a male practitioner is a warlock or wizard is a misnomer. The terms witch or wiccan apply to both genders.

Witchcraft is a Worldview.

A worldview is the sum total of one’s view of the nature of reality. Everyone has a worldview even if only a few reflect on their own. One’s worldview encompasses one’s views of how reality is composed, how it works, and how we as humans fit in or relate to our universe. It can entail one’s views about the purpose of life and the origin and destiny of us all.

The chief tenets of witchcraft are:

Naturalism. Starting at the broadest level and working down, it is fair to say that the worldview of witchcraft is naturalism. Naturalism is the view that there is no transcendent reality such as God that can intervene in the natural world. Naturalism maintains that all of reality is interrelated and operates according to “laws.” Other expressions of naturalism would include materialism, which sees all of reality as being made up of matter that operates according to material laws.

Witchcraft, though an expression of naturalism, is not materialism. Witches recognize that reality extends beyond the realm of the material. This is sometimes confusing. A worldview can be naturalistic even if it accepts the reality of an immaterial realm; indeed, even acknowledging the existence of gods and goddesses does not preclude a worldview from being naturalistic. What stands in stark contrast to naturalism is a worldview that says that the natural realm (whether material, immaterial, or both) is the creation of a transcendent God. This is supernaturalism. This is the Truth taught by the Church. 

Occultism. Sharpening the focus, not only can we say that witchcraft is a worldview of naturalism, it is also a worldview of occultism. As I've written many times, the term occult is from the Latin occultus meaning “hidden,” or “secret.” The category covers a wide range of beliefs and practices that are characterized by two main points that are often thought to be “hidden” from the average person. First, the occult maintains that there is force or energy into which one can tap or with which one can negotiate to do one’s own bidding. This comes from a pantheistic/panentheistic grounding of the occult. "All is God" so you cab harness that "energy." 

The familiar term spell is applied to the technique of harnessing and focusing this power. The late witchcraft practitioner Scott Cunningham explains, “The spell is…simply a ritual in which various tools are purposefully used, the goal is fully stated (in words, pictures or within the mind), and energy is moved to bring about the needed result.” (See The Truth about Witchcraft Today pg. 7). 

Exactly what is the nature of this force or energy ("god"), according to the occultist, and what is the best way to work with it is what makes some of the main differences between the major occult groups such as shamanism, witchcraft, Satanism, New Age, and others.

Second, the occult maintains that human beings are divine. Obviously, if God and the world are one, or God is "within" the world, this idea logically follows. The practice of the occult arts is thus an endeavor to actualize one’s own divinity. As witchcraft practitioner Margot Adler claims, “A spiritual path that is not stagnant ultimately leads one to the understanding of one’s own divine nature. Thou art Goddess. Thou are God. Divinity is imminent in all Nature. It is as much within you as without.” (See Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, pg. ix)

Humanism. Witchcraft sees itself as a celebration of all life. This celebration involves the denial that there is anything wrong with the human race. Original Sin and the need of a Redeemer is thus denied. 

The Dangers of Witchcraft

1. Witchcraft is forbidden by God. The Bible makes it clear that witchcraft, sorcery, and divination are abominations to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). In Galatians 5:19-21, witchcraft is listed among the works of the flesh that are contrary to the Spirit. The Church has likewise always condemned it, and the approved theologians condemn any use of witchcraft as mortal sin. 

2. Witchcraft involves communication with evil spirits. Those who practice witchcraft often seek to communicate with evil spirits, which is expressly forbidden in the Bible (Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:11) and by the clear and constant teaching of the Church. Even those who do not believe in Satan may think it's "nature's secret's" they are tapping into, but it comes from the Father of Lies. 

3. Witchcraft can lead to demonic possession. The Bible records several instances of demonic possession resulting from witchcraft or sorcery (Acts 16:16-18).

4. Witchcraft can lead to spiritual deception. Satan is the father of lies, and those who practice witchcraft often fall under his deceptive influence. They may believe they are tapping into a higher power, when in reality they are being deceived (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

5. Witchcraft undermines Catholic morality. The practices associated with witchcraft most often involve immoral or unethical behavior, which can lead to more and more grievous sins. 

Witchcraft in Popular Culture

Movies

Hexed (2026): The movie, releasing in theaters November 25, tells the story of a young teenage girl named Billie, an outcast struggling to fit in. She soon discovers she has magical powers and enters a world called Hexe, where she learns more about witchcraft, spells, and how to channel her supernatural abilities. It shows "good witchcraft." 

The Craft: Legacy (2020): A reboot of the 1996 cult classic which increased curiosity about witchcraft, follows a new generation of four teenage witches. It explores contemporary themes of manifestation, sisterhood, and casting spells.

Social Media

WitchTok on TikTok: A massive subculture under the hashtag #WitchTok (with billions of views) where creators share tarot card readings, crystal healing guides, and small-scale spell tutorials. Prominent creators like Frankie Castanea (@ChaoticWitchAunt) document daily folk witchcraft practices and break down misconceptions.

Digital Sigils and Altars: Practitioners use design software like Canva to create personalized magical symbols (sigils). They embed these symbols into their Instagram or TikTok bios, email signatures, or use them as smartphone lock screens to "cast spells with every scroll."

Manifestation Trends: Content focused on the "law of attraction," positive thinking, and intention-setting frequently trends on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, functioning as a mainstream, accessible form of folk magic that leads to embracing witchcraft outright.

Witches of Instagram: Creators build aesthetic feeds featuring altars decorated with herbs, crystals, and tarot cards. Influencers blend makeup tutorials, cozy "cottagecore" lifestyle content, and modern pagan spirituality. 

How Did Witchcraft Get So Popular?

If you thought I would write "Vatican II," you're correct. More than any other factor the Occult Revival (as I have called it) has one major driving force: Vatican II and the man-made sect of Counterfeit Catholicism it created. Witchcraft is one major component of occult practices. 

Three major evils of Vatican II have caused the spike in witchcraft:

1. The Mass replaced with the Novus Bogus. The countless graces that come from the unbloody Sacrifice of the Cross and Holy Communion have been taken away for a Neo-Protestant bread and wine service. As the number of Masses decreases, the power of Satan increases. The Novus Bogus service is so vapid as to destroy any sense of the sacred. Even pagan sociologists note that by stripping-down or "rationalizing" the liturgy, the Church left a spiritual vacuum. Modern witchcraft and ceremonial magic grew rapidly during this era precisely because they offered a sense of something mysterious and reverent unlike "clown mass." 

2. The Denigrating of Marian devotion. 

The Blessed Mother is the model for all women to follow. Follow her and you get to her Divine Son. Women now seek false ideas of womanhood from feminism as exemplified in witchcraft with "Mother Goddess." 

3. Ecumenism. 

The heretical document Nostra Aetate of Vatican II taught that there are elements of the truth in false religions. It adopted the false ecclesiology of Lumen Gentium, that the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Christ are not one and the same. The Church of Christ "subsists" in the Catholic Church in its fullness, but it subsists in other religions too, more or less, according to how many "elements of truth" it has. To have all the elements is best, but just some elements are good too, and salvific. The new ecclesiology denies the dogma Outside the Church there is no salvation. 

Nostra Aetate stated, "The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions." "These religions" included Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. While witchcraft is never mentioned, the heretical principle applies: if ancient Eastern religions held valid spiritual truth, then perhaps older, pre-Christian European traditions (like paganism and earth-based witchcraft) were also worth exploring, and even joining--salvation is not exclusive to the Catholic Church according to Vatican II. 

Witchcraft's appeal to the young.

Why is witchcraft on the rise and why does it appeal particularly to young people? First, young people are drawn to Wicca/Witchcraft because it has no orthodoxy and has no concept of absolute good or absolute evil. This is greatly appealing to impressionable young people. There are some common practices, rituals, and sayings, but for the most part practitioners can add and subtract to it at will. It is a perfectly postmodern religion. 

Second, witchcraft appeals to young people because it promotes glorification of self. "You are god/goddess." There is also a very strong feminist component so the attraction for girls is even greater.

Third, many young people embrace witchcraft because they, like adult witchcraft devotees, are bound by a passionate love of nature. Witches love the earth and care deeply for the environment; however, they take it too far.

Combating Witchcraft

Reclaim Halloween. 

I wince when I see children dress up as the evil supernatural characters of witches, vampires, and demons. What can be done? Have children dress up as a saint, and have your child learn all he can about this saint. These are the role models children should aspire to be. Does your son like things medieval? Dress up as King St. Louis IX! Want to be a lawyer? St. Thomas More will fit the role. For girls, there is the martyr of purity, St. Maria Goretti, and the equally brave St. Joan of Arc. Parents should take their kids trick-or-treating so they can explain the costume with their children to others who inquire.

Consider "All Saints Day" parties at home instead of trick-or-treating; have a parade of saints and fun in the house!

Talking to a Witch.

To convert a witch, it is important not to misstate their beliefs. You should always have on a St. Benedict medal. They will most likely attack alleged "witch burnings" and "Church persecutions." Don't let it go there. Ask what proof they have of "Mother Goddess" and their pantheistic worldview. Most are not well versed on it. Then, show the proofs of Christ's resurrection and also show the falsity of pantheism. Use my post on pantheism to help you: introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2018/07/east-meets-and-defeats-west.html. 

It is also important to point out gently where Wicca/Witchcraft is inconsistent. Without a God who is perfectly good, there are no absolutes, no standards by which to measure what is just or unjust. Witches borrow from Christian values of right and wrong. Witches might get upset at how women have been treated, but on what do they base their anger—that treating women poorly goes against their personal taste? Traditionalist Catholics believe mistreating women is wrong because God said so. We also believe that all life has dignity because we are made in God’s image. Witches don’t believe this, but without this belief they have only shaky ground on which to condemn injustice.

Conclusion

Witchcraft was once a rare thing. Now, it is becoming commonplace. As the number of those in witchcraft rises, it is important to understand it and combat it. We need to convert them, and not just in faraway lands. Thanks to Vatican II, you may need to convert your neighbor; the witch next door. 

Cultum Regi Regum: A Vindication Of Pope Pius XII

 

I have written before that Pope Pius XII is one of the most unfairly attacked pontiffs, especially among those purporting to be "Traditionalists." His Holiness has been attacked as "soft on Modernism," and his papacy allegedly "led to Vatican II." The charges are unfounded. He was one of the greatest popes in history, as I have always maintained. Years ago, my spiritual father, Fr. Gommar DePauw, JCD, told me that Pope Pius XII was planning a full-scale attack on Modernism. Father said that Pope Pius went to Judgement before it could be carried out. I took his word for it, as he was a truthful priest, but I only had his ipse dixit. Until recently.

The Pacelli archives (Eugene Pacelli being Pius XII's name) were opened in 2020. The German historian Matthias Daufratshofer found drafts of what would have been the most monumental encyclical of modern times. Researchers Sr. Sabine Schratz and Daniele Premoli published the reconstruction of the unpublished text of the encyclical, to be entitled Cultum Regi Regum---"Worship to the King of Kings."

The encyclical was to be a follow-up to the great Humani Generis, promulgated by Pope Pius XII in 1950, and which condemned "... some false opinions threatening to undermine the foundations of Catholic Doctrine." It was drafted by the great Dominican theologian Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. 

Its salient points include:

• Encyclicals usually speak to matters already expounded upon in doctrine; however, should the Pope pass supreme judgment on a disputed matter, it should be considered closed for discussion.

• Divine revelation was given by God as guidance for the Church to exercise Her living teaching authority, not for private deterministic interpretation.

• Some dispute the divine authorship of Scripture in part or in whole and interpret it on the basis of exegesis, looking for hidden meanings, instead of on the Church’s teachings.

• They claim that a new exegesis of the Old Testament would replace literal difficulties with symbolic/spiritual truth.

• Their claims oppose the norms of interpretation explained in previous encyclicals.

• Doubt regarding revealed truths is a result of this way of thinking. (e.g. Creation out of love, God’s eternal foreknowledge of men’s free choices, etc.)

• Angels, essence, the supernatural order, original sin, sin in general, the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice, and the Real Presence are all debated.

• The necessity and value of the Church and the faith itself is questioned.

• These errors are being pointed out herein because some Catholic theologians are committing them and are hereby censured.

• The Church relies on reason to understand the faith, God’s law, the mysteries, and even the existence of God. Reason comes with training and leads to truth.

• Teaching Authority only covers matters of faith and morals. "New" truth cannot overturn established truth, but it can correct errors.

• Priests must learn philosophy and Aquinas’ method is tried and true.

• Opponents claim that the traditional philosophy used by the Church is adequate for basic instruction but not for practical application, and that all other philosophies, albeit evolving, are ultimately compatible with Catholicism.

• They claim that the Church’s philosophy appeals to intellect and ignores the will and emotions; however, this is clearly and historically false, for the Church teaches that the will can see truth beyond what the intellect can deduce on its own.

• Theodicy and ethics (philosophical sciences) are threatened by these new opinions. Not only are they themselves debased, but so is the protection provided by the Church’s Teaching Authority.

• Discussion of theories not yet proven scientifically but merely hypothesized must follow. Theories can only be considered if they do not oppose Church teaching.

• Human evolution (origin of man from pre-existent and living matter) is up for discussion, but cannot contradict that God is the immediate creator of souls.

• Polygenism (origin from two or more distinct ancestors) is irreconcilable with the doctrine of original sin.

• The first eleven chapters of Genesis may not fit the modern concept of history, but any inclusion of folklore was done under divine inspiration.

• Thus, these are not imaginative myths but expressions of truth. Ancient sacred authors were clearly superior to secular ("profane") authors of the same period.

Hence, while condemning the modern errors, Pope Pius was careful to allow discussion on evolution of the body of humans, and a non-literal interpretation of Genesis in certain instances (which idea was advanced by Pope St. Pius X). 

Most importantly, Cultum Regi Regum, was to be promulgated in 1957, to mark the 50th anniversary of Pope St. Pius X's monumental condemnation of Modernism, Pascendi Dominici Gregis. It was to be called "the Pascendi of modern times." (N.B. This post is based on what I was able to gather from what the researchers [and commenters on that research] have written. Ergo, the information is not complete, and is subject to revision. It is not definitive as of this writing.---Introibo). 

What is Known: The Theologians Who Drafted It

On December 29, 1956, a commission of theologians was set up by Pope Pius XII to draft the encyclical. The commission was under the guidance of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, headed by the erudite and saintly Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani. At least five theologians are known:

1. Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange (1877-1964). A professor at the Angelicum, he championed a rigid scholasticism based on the philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He correctly held that the Church’s theological definitions were immutable and expressed in timeless, objective, metaphysical categories. 

Garrigou-Lagrange was a fierce opponent of the so-called Nouvelle Theologie (New Theology), which was a roll call of the most radical Modernist theologians, such as Henri de Lubac, Jean Danielou, and M. D. Chenu. These theologians held that truth is dynamic; its expression can evolve historically "without changing its essence."

 In 1946, things came to a fever pitch when Garrigou-Lagrange published a highly controversial article in the journal Angelicum entitled Where is the New Theology Leading Us? His answer was to the point: "It leads straight to Modernism." Garrigou-Lagrange used his significant influence as a consultor to the Holy Office to urge the pope to act. His efforts culminated in August 1950, when Pope Pius XII promulgated the encyclical Humani Generis, the document having Garrigou-Lagrange as its principal author.

As a result, several New Theology professors (including Henri de Lubac and Yves Congar) were censured and removed from their teaching positions. Some of their publications were censured as well. Garrigou-Lagrange was on the verge of total victory when Roncalli usurped the papal throne and rehabilitated all the censured Modernist theologians, welcoming them to the Robber Council. 

2. Abp. Paul Phillippe (1905-1984). A staunch Anti-Modernist, Phillippe was against the Modernists at Vatican II. After the Robber Council, he tried to stop as much damage as he could as Secretary of the Holy Office, now called "The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith." 

3. Fr. Sebastian Tromp (1889-1975). Tromp was a brilliant professor of dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 1929 to 1964. His sharp mind and absolute loyalty to traditional scholasticism earned him the trust of Pope Pius XII. Tromp was the principal draftsman behind Mystici Corporis Christi in 1943; the landmark encyclical which reaffirmed and made manifest the traditional ecclesiology on the nature of the Church as the "Mystical Body of Christ." In it, Tromp strictly equated the Mystical Body of Christ only with the visible Roman Catholic Church; "IS" not "subsists." Tromp is wrongly criticized for allegedly pushing "subsists" in Lumen Gentium at Vatican II, when he was actually trying to prevent an even more heretical wording. 

Tromp became the Holy Office's premier orthodox defender of the Faith under Cardinal Ottaviani. He was deeply involved in vetting publications, investigating suspected Modernist tendencies, and enforcing strict Catholic standards across the global Church. Fr. Tromp was the principal author behind several of the original, orthodox schemas presented to the Council Fathers in late 1962. These drafts were written in a scholastic Latin style designed to condemn modern errors and reaffirm existing dogmas. 

4. Fr. Marie-Rosaire Gagnebet (1904–1983). Gagnebet was a major French Dominican theologian, historical researcher, and Roman curial advisor. He was Anti-Modernist yet was criticized for some methods used by Modernists. Gagnebet used it, however, not to move past Aquinas, but to restore Thomism to its original 13th-century purity and make it more rigorous. 

He helped craft the heretical Lumen Gentium. He thought that by actively helping to write the document, he could ensure that it did not contain actual theological errors or heresy. He was (obviously) wrong and became compromised. 

5. Fr. Augustin Bea (1881–1968). A snake-in-the grass if there ever was one. Bea served as a professor and later Rector of the prestigious Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1930 to 1949. He was a master of biblical archaeology and ancient languages. From 1945 until 1958, Bea served as the personal spiritual director and confessor to Pope Pius XII. since he held an intimate position of trust, Bea was able to convince Pope Pius XII that certain clergymen were orthodox (or had been rehabilitated) and were worthy of promotion to the cardinalate or episcopacy. (The pope is not protected by the Holy Ghost in making ecclesiastical appointments). Bea was, by all outward indications, an Anti-Modernist. 

Even Fr. DePauw thought so. 

As soon as Roncalli came into power as the false "Pope" John XXIII, Bea showed his true colors as an ultra-Modernist. Roncalli wasted no time in making Bea a "Cardinal," and in 1960, Roncalli created the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity with Bea as its head. The purpose of the Secretariat was to promote radical ecumenism as it operated independently of the Holy Office and, therefore, Cardinal Ottavianni could not stop what they did.  

Bea raged against the anti-Modernist preparatory schemas. In 1962, Bea stood up on the Council floor and fiercely attacked them, arguing that the texts "lacked charity," a "pastoral spirit," and any understanding of modern biblical research. Bea's forceful opposition helped convince the Council Fathers to reject the curial drafts entirely and pave the way to the Great Apostasy. 

During Vatican II, he was a major drafter of the Modernist documents, specifically:

• Unitatis Redintegratio which officially committed the Catholic Church to heretical ecumenism

• Nostra Aetate which lauded paganism, Islam, and denied that the Jews are justly called the Deicide Race

• Dignitatis Humanae which declared all humans have a "right" to religious freedom, a complete repudiation of Church teaching on religious tolerance and the axiom that "error has no rights." 

Therefore, of the five theologians we know were on the commission, four were solidly Anti-Modernist at the time (I would argue Garrigou-Lagrange was never compromised as he died in 1964), and only one was a closet Modernist. The encyclical would be a theological masterpiece considering the authors. We must wait for the researchers to publish the exact Latin verbiage. 

What We Know of the Encyclical

The draft was dated on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in 1958. It was sent to be considered by the full commission on September 27, and Pope Pius XII died twelve days later, on October 9, never having signed it. It went through many revisions so the intended release in 1957 never came to pass.  Cultum Regi Regum was to consist of six chapters. Here is the breakdown:

Chapter One: The Nature of Religion

Highlights:

• It forcefully rejects Modernism and "vital immanence" ---the idea that religion does not start with intellectual beliefs or external doctrines. Instead, it begins as a blind, subconscious feeling; often described by Modernists as a "religious sense" or a sentiment of the heart. The encyclical says religion is a virtue, not a feeling or identity

• Religion consists in the adoration owed to God alone ("consistit in cultu latriae")

• Strong condemnation of the failure by individuals and society in not keeping Sunday holy  

Chapter Two: Liturgical Worship and Private Devotion

Highlights:

• As if seeing the future, the Novus Bogus type service is firmly rejected. The teaching of Mediator Dei is expanded upon

• Antiquarianism is condemned as is concelebration of Mass except in special or rare circumstances; "One Mass at which one hundred priests assist is not equal in value to one hundred Masses offered separately"

•  The priest is not the leader of an assembly the efficacy of whose actions depend upon collective participation of the people

• Private devotions are to be kept and encouraged, especially the Rosary 

Chapter Three: Moral Theology

Highlights: 

• Natural Law is to be emphasized and subjectivist moral theories rejected

• Condemnation of those who deny or call into doubt that the primary end of marriage is for the procreation and education of children, thereby making the mutual support of the spouses (the secondary end) equal to the primary end

• Consecrated virginity is the highest state and superior to marriage (reaffirming Trent)

• The dangers of materialism are condemned

Chapter Four: The Profession of Faith

Highlights:

• Catholics must boldly profess the One True Faith whole and entire, not partially, and never to compromise even on one point of doctrine 

• In regard to false religions, cooperation for the common good is permitted but doctrinal differences may never be set aside for a false notion of "brotherhood" ---"a healthy doctor may work beside a physician with a contagious disease, but closer work requires more vigilance against infection"

• True ecumenism consists in bringing those in false religions into the One True Church, and not in downplaying or failing to mention Catholic truths that offend them

Chapter Five: Authority and Freedom in the Church

Highlights:

• Our religion is "via auctoritatis et obedientiae," a way of authority and obedience

• Theologians have a vital role, however only when united and approved by the Magisterium

• Renewed and more expanded condemnations of the "New Theology" and Modernism

Chapter Six: The Religious Order and The Secular Order

Highlights:

• Quas Primas is reaffirmed; the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ

• Every State must strive to be a Catholic State because every State owes public recognition to the One True Church. A religiously neutral State is against the Will of God and all must strive to make it Catholic

• The views of John Courtney Murray are condemned

• The Social Kingship of Christ is a conclusion about human nature and not nostalgia for old times. Communities cannot organize themselves as if God is irrelevant

(Reference: Journal of Modern and Contemporary Christianity: “L’Enciclica Pascendi dei tempi moderni. Il progetto per l’ultima enciclica di Pio XII (1956-58).” Vol. 3, No. 1 (April 2024). 

A Greatly Misunderstood Pontiff

It is apparent that Pope Pius XII was no "Modernist." Much of the charges come from a misunderstanding of Catholic principles. Pius was trying to make Catholicism "combat-ready" against the attacks of the 20th century. As countries became more secularized, it was harder to get time off to attend the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Evening Mass was introduced, and with it the mitigated three hour Eucharistic Fast so all could receive Holy Communion.

The Holy Week reforms are often unjustly criticized as "reductions in prayers." If brevity means "less holy," then what are we to think of Pope St. Pius V? In his reform of the Roman Missal, he removed late medieval "farcings" (interpolated, localized tropes or poetic insertions added into standard chants like the Kyrie and Gloria) and doubtful accretions, while the number of liturgical sequences were reduced down to just four. St. Pius V also removed some localized sanctoral feast days and duplicate saints' celebrations to clear up a crowded calendar. In some dioceses, a Mass could take a very long time. Is the Missal of 1570 somehow "less traditional" or "less holy" since certain prayers and feasts were removed?     

Conclusion: A Vindication of a Great Pope

To those who have attacked Pope Pius XII as "soft on Modernism," on being "liberal," on "introducing novelties" in the liturgy, this encyclical that could have been shows a great Pontiff who loved the Catholic Faith and defended the One True Church. 

Far from being an "innovator," Pope Pius XII used Catholic principles to meet modern needs while simultaneously defending the One True Church from Her enemies. I can't help but wonder what would have happened (or not happened) had Cultum Regi Regum been promulgated. Could Vatican II have thus been prevented? Only God knows. One thing is now clear: Pope Pius XII was a true pope and therefore he was no Modernist. He had no sympathy for Modernism and was in complete possession of his faculties until the end. Let his critics be silenced. Should the papacy ever be restored, we may see the canonization of Eugene Pacelli as Pope St. Pius XII.

Recognizing The Occult---Part 5

 

This is the fifth (and final) post I will publish on occult symbolism. I've written much on occult practices and how it influences things like music and movies, but not so much on occult symbols. Sometimes my friends will ask, "I want to buy [certain item they show me] but a writing or a picture on it looks strange. Is it occult?" Good question. Sometimes someone will know something is occult, but they don't know exactly why it's bad, other than the general condemnation of the occult by the Church and found in the Bible. 

This post will continue to expose occult symbolism. While many things today are occult, not every symbol or writing we don't understand is automatically "occult." We must learn to discern. You may be better equipped to help a family member or friend who has some occult symbol in his/her possession and may not realize it, thinking it harmless. My first post in this series was published on 4/27/26.  It is well worth reading first if you have not already done so--it gives some background on symbolism which I will not repeat here. This final post will deal with explicitly occult symbols most people recognize but may not understand exactly what it shows. I was not going to show these symbols since they are mostly known for what they are, but I thought it might be good to expose them fully. I think it is a fitting way to end this series of posts. 

I claim no credit for any of the material in this post. All I did was compile the research on the occult into a terse and reader-friendly installment on this blog. The material comes from many online and print resources.  I hope you find it useful. Please comment and let me know if you got something out of it.

God bless you all, my dear readers---Introibo

Explicitly Occult Symbols

The Pentagram

Meaning: A geometric declaration of mastery. It visualizes the occult claim that the universe is a battery the human will can drain. The star represents the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) as raw materials to be ruled by the fifth point: Spirit (the self). When enclosed in a circle (the Pentacle), that boundary represents a containment field —a “magic circle” designed to keep spiritual energies in and dangerous influences out. It says, “I am the captain of my soul; I command the elements and bind the spirits.” 

Origin:The Pentagram has a long diverse history, even being used by medieval Christians to represent the five wounds of Christ. However, its modern meaning comes from 19th-century occultist Eliphas Levi. He established the distinction used today: the star pointing up represents “white” magic (control), and the star pointing down represents “black” magic (rebellion). 

Uses Today: The upright pentacle is the primary symbol of Wicca, worn as a protective talisman and displayed on altars. Wiccans use the pentacle in rituals to consecrate tools, invoke or banish elemental forces, and cast protective circles. It is also worn as jewelry to identify practitioners and ward off negative energy. It has also been used by Satanists. 

Why it is so evil: The Pentagram claims the elements contain divine power we can direct. However, from a Traditional Catholic worldview, creation is a masterpiece, not a battery. We don’t manipulate the painting to get power; we talk to the Artist who holds every atom together (Colossians 1:17). True authority isn’t seized; it’s received from the One who said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (St. Matthew 28:18). 

The Sigil of Bathomet

Meaning: A deliberate visual blasphemy. Encircling the image are Hebrew letters which, winding “widdershins” (against the natural order), spell Leviathan). Historically, this counterclockwise motion was believed to “unwind” creation, reverse blessings into curses, and defy the divine order. By writing the name of the biblical chaos-monster in this direction, the symbol is a display of rebellion—invoking an ancient enemy of God to champion the inner beast. The inverted star (two points up) symbolizes the material world and carnal instincts ruling over the spirit. It tells the wearer that their basest instincts are not sins to be mortified, but "gods" to be worshipped. 

Origin: This icon wasn’t found in ancient ruins; it was constructed to shock. Éliphas Lévi created the “Sabbatic Goat” in 1856 as a fusion of opposites (male/female, man/beast) to represent “equilibrium” and wholeness through embracing contradictions. Lévi inscribed SOLVE (dissolve) and COAGULA (congeal) on its arms. In 1966, Anton LaVey adopted it for the Church of Satan, adding the Hebrew text to create the “preeminent visual distillation of Satanism.” 

Uses Today: The primary emblem of the Church of Satan, worn as a badge of identity by atheistic and theistic Satanists alike. (Atheistic Satanists consider Satan to represent "doing your own will" and disavow belief in the supernatural which hinders people from doing what they want. Theistic Satanists believe in the devil and worship him as such). The symbol appears on jewelry, tattoos, album covers, and public monuments erected to challenge Christian displays. 

Why it is so evil: The Sigil of Baphomet promises that embracing our animal nature brings freedom and wholeness. Scripture says the flesh and the Spirit are at war (Galatians 5:17), and feeding the flesh never satisfies—it kills (Romans 8:6). Real joy isn’t found by indulging in our sinful nature; it’s found in God’s loving and glorious presence, where there are “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). 

Leviathan Cross

Meaning: A badge of sulfurous pride. It takes the alchemical symbol for sulfur (brimstone)—the very substance of biblical judgment—and wears it as a crown. The infinity symbol at the bottom represents the eternal, autonomous self, while the double Cross of Lorraine symbolizes balance and protection. It creates the occult paradox “Fire of Water”—fiery will thriving in the abyss of the subconscious—declaring, “I would rather burn in my own kingdom than serve in Yours.” 

Origin: Originally a notation for sulfur (brimstone) in 17th-century alchemy (representing the soul or “animating fire” within matter), it was hijacked by Anton LaVey in the 1960s as the central emblem of the Church of Satan. He twisted this ancient chemical glyph into a modern symbol of defiance and self-sovereignty, renaming it after the biblical chaos-dragon, Leviathan. 

Uses Today: The official symbol appears in The Satanic Bible and is worn as jewelry and tattoos by practitioners and non-practitioners alike. Beyond fashion and occult circles, it has also spread through video games like The Binding of Isaac (2011), where millions of young people encountered it as the “Brimstone” power-up before discovering its occult meaning. 

Why it is so evil: It turns the picture of judgment (fire and brimstone) into a badge of personal sovereignty. The irony is heartbreaking: they wear the very badge of their own destruction, celebrating the flame that will consume the rebellion they cherish. Jesus Christ took the punishment we deserved so we could have eternal life with Him instead of eternal agony. 

The Sigil of Lucifer

Meaning:  The promise of forbidden knowledge. In modern Luciferianism (a belief system distinct from Satanism that views Lucifer not as a devil but as a liberator and bringer of light) the sigil represents the pursuit of knowledge (Gnosis), enlightenment, and the independence of the human mind. It is the visual representation of the “Light Bringer” (Lux + Ferre), symbolizing the “spark” of intellect that Luciferians believe was gifted to humanity in the Garden of Eden against the will of a "tyrannical Creator."

Origin: This design comes straight from a dusty instruction manual for summoning demons. It first appeared in the Grimorium Verum (The Grimoire of Truth), a textbook of magic likely from the 18th century, where it served as a tool to invoke and bargain with the spirit of Lucifer. 

Uses Today: The sigil is used in contemporary Luciferian and occult practices as a symbol of enlightenment, individualism, and self-empowerment. It is used as a tool of invocation—a “phone number” to the spirit realm to establish a connection with the “Light Bringer.” It appears widely as jewelry, tattoos, and fashion accessories, adopted by both practitioners committed to its spiritual meaning and those attracted to its aesthetic or countercultural associations. 

Why it is so evil: The Sigil of Lucifer celebrates the serpent’s lie—“You will be like God”—as the original act of enlightenment. St. Paul warns that Satan still disguises himself as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). 

Conclusion

What I wrote as the conclusion in the first four parts of this series is perennially true and is a fitting final word on occult symbols:

Symbols have deep meaning and are important. They link things tangible to realities that are intangible. We can't see love, but when a man brings red roses to his wife, love is symbolized. The ultimate symbol of love is the crucifix, God died so we may live forever. Those are wonderful symbols. However, when the symbol is linked to intangible evils by symbolizing heresies, immoralities and calling upon (evil) spirits for "protection" they become an invitation (wittingly or not) for evil to enter your life. Invite evil in and it will take you up on your request.

Off To The Races

 

The subject of race relations is a hot potato. On the one hand, the "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion" (DEI) lunacy is toxic and false, and so is "Critical Race Theory" (CRT) now being taught in many schools/colleges. On the opposite side, you have Hitler Fan Boys/Girls promoting superiority of race even in matters of religion. While most Traditionalists will not subscribe to DEI indoctrination, there are (unfortunately) those who hold to false theories regarding race. 

This week's post will be in two parts. Part One will focus on exposing the evils of CRT (from which DEI springs forth). Part Two will give an insight into true Church teaching regarding race from a pre-Vatican II priest who wrote on moral topics. (I have compiled the information in this post from many sources, both in print and online. I take no credit other than putting everything into a terse post and adding some commentary---Introibo). 

Part One: What is CRT and Why is it Evil?

Critical Race Theory is part of "Critical Theory," which is an umbrella term that encompasses many different critical social theories including entire disciplines like cultural studies, postcolonialism, critical pedagogy, postmodernism, feminism, black feminism, queer theory, in addition to critical race theory. So, what are the ideas at the heart of contemporary CRT?

1. Racism is endemic, normal, permanent, and pervasive.

 

2. Racism is concealed beneath ideas like colorblindness, meritocracy, individualism, neutrality, and objectivity.

3. Lived experience is critical to understanding racism. 

4. Racism is one of many interlocking systems of oppression, including sexism, classism, and heterosexism. 

Let’s now survey each of these central ideas individually.

Racism is endemic, normal, permanent, and pervasive.

The idea that racism is a normal part of American society is perhaps the most foundational idea of CRT. It is first on the list of the “Basic Tenets of Critical Race Theory” provided by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic: “First, racism is ordinary, not aberrational—‘normal science,’ the usual way society does business, the common, everyday experience of most people of color in this country.” (See Delgado and Stefancic, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction. pg. 8). 

CRT rejects a strictly traditional definition of racism that rests squarely on individual racial prejudice or explicitly discriminatory laws. While CRT certainly agrees that individuals and laws can be racist, it offers a much broader definition of racism that includes systems and structures that perpetuate the racial status quo, regardless of whether they are accompanied by racial hatred or even discriminatory intent.

So, according to CRT, how exactly does racism operate today? That brings us to a second central idea of CRT:

Racism is concealed beneath ideas like colorblindness, meritocracy, individualism, neutrality, and objectivity.

The immediate response is often “Which laws and policies are racist? Didn’t civil rights legislation prohibit discrimination on the basis of race? Isn’t there now equal opportunity for everyone under the law? Isn’t interpersonal racism waning? Isn’t there genuine social pressure to not be racist? Aren’t we moving toward a color-blind society in which people are judged as individuals, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character?” These questions point to another central component of CRT—namely, that ideas like colorblindness, meritocracy, individualism, neutrality, and objectivity are ideological in nature. From the perspective of CRT, they are actually not remedies for racism but are instead mechanisms that preserve the racial status quo.

Delgado and Stefancic write: “[F]or the critical race theorist, objective truth, like merit, does not exist, at least in social science and politics. In these realms, truth is a social construct created to suit the purposes of the dominant group.” (Ibid, pg. 104). CRT challenges the very notion that objective truth exists when it comes to merit, morality, law, and politics. 

Lived experience is critical to understanding racism.

Critical race theorists believe that contemporary views on race were shaped by particular hegemonic narratives about colorblindness, meritocracy, and social progress. These narratives needed to be challenged and overturned by counternarratives offered by people of color who had come to recognize their own oppression. To hear these stories, we need to “look to the margins,” to people whose voices, stories, and narratives had been excluded, ignored, or hidden by society’s dominant ideologies. Yet the evidence for this is all but non-existent.

Racism is one of many interlocking systems of oppression, including sexism, classism, and heterosexism.

Critical race theory’s insistence that one cannot separate CRT’s analysis of racism from (alleged) sexism, heterosexism (pro-sodomites), classism (pro-Marxism), and other forms of "oppression" is especially important when trying to assess the question of whether Christianity and critical race theory are compatible (the answer is NO!). 

Traditional Catholicism and CRT: Worlds Apart

Traditionalist Catholicism and CRT have different worldviews. Most philosophy texts define a worldview as the comprehensive framework of beliefs, values, and assumptions through which a person views and interprets reality. Derived from the German word Weltanschauung, it functions like an overarching lens that shapes how individuals understand existence, morality, purpose, and their place in the universe. It is not an overstatement to view contemporary critical theory as a worldview for many who embrace it. Its nature (its intrinsic features, characteristics, and functions) is indicative of a worldview. Its telos, (i.e., its full expression and ultimate goals) is indicative of worldview.

A comparison will immediately make the mutual exclusivity of Traditionalist Catholicism and CRT apparent: 

Worldview question: What is a human being?

Church answer: A creature made in the image and likeness of God.

CRT answer: A member of various social groups locked in a struggle for dominance.

Worldview question: What is the fundamental human problem? 

Church answer: Sin.

CRT answer: Oppression.

Worldview question: How can the fundamental human problem be solved?

Church answer: Redemption through the One True Church of Christ.

CRT answer: Activism and solidarity.

Worldview question: What is my primary moral duty? 

Church answer: Doing God's Will and saving your soul.

CRT answer: Dismantling unjust structures and systems.

Worldview question: How do I know the truth?

Church answer: Reason and Revelation.

CRT answer: Lived experience.

Worldview question: What is the final destiny of humanity?

Church answer: The General Judgement and either Heaven or Hell.

CRT answer: Social justice on Earth. 

The Illogical and Immoral Claims of CRT

CRT claims that America is systemically racist and that the entire social system disadvantages "people of color" (POC)---a term that includes all non-White people, but which usually refers to African Americans. Any discrepancy in the achievements between POC and White people is due primarily, or entirely, to this systemic racism, which is supposedly “baked into the system.” The claim of systemic racism is often accompanied by the idea that America has been racist from its beginning. The 1619 Project, a long-form journalism project of the New York Times that aims to reframe national history, claims that America was founded on racism when the first slaves were brought here in 1619. 

(See “The 1619 Project,” New York Times Magazine, August 14, 2019, nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html)

Any idea of “American exceptionalism” (in the good sense) is therefore deemed racist, xenophobic, white supremacist, and so on.

All White people are racist, say CRT advocates. They grant that not all White people harbor explicit ill will toward POC, but since they are part of a racist system, they participate in racism simply by being White. They must be taught to realize this, which is the goal of the popular book White Fragility (Beacon Press, 2018) by Robin DiAngelo. White people, particularly heterosexual White males, are the oppressors in society. This is, itself, racist in addition to being both insulting and looney. 

“White privilege” refers to the alleged condition of unearned and unjust benefits (economic, cultural, and emotional) that POC and sexual minorities do not experience. “White supremacy” is the ideology that says White people will fight to keep their white privilege over POC, even if they do so unconsciously. This is a redefinition of the older definition, which emphasizes a conscious belief that Whites are superior to Blacks and should, therefore, control them.

“Racial essentialism” is a tricky term. On the one hand, CRT says that race is “constructed” socially and not inherent in people. In this sense, it is postmodern. On the other hand, race is what determines whether one is oppressed or an oppressor. How this conflict is resolved escapes me, but perhaps it can be claimed that racial conceptions are constructed by the oppressors in order to oppress. As such, they are real. However, in terms of one’s objective being, they are false.

“Standpoint epistemology” is the belief that, unlike White people, POC and "sexual minorities" (sodomites and other perverts) have a privileged perspective on matters of racial oppression. Their “lived experience” defines objective reality. If someone questions that perspective, he or she is assumed to be racist. Thus, former CNN host Don Lemon would often speak of “his truth” of experiencing racism and "homophobia" as a sodomite Black man, as do others seeking to advance this agenda. This approach denies any objective approach to truth.

Summary: CRT is Contrary to Church Teaching

• Worldview: CRT replaces a Traditionalist Catholic worldview, which views all people as made in the image of God, and replaces it with a framework centered on group power struggles and oppression

• Identity: CRT defines human identity primarily by race, (and to a lesser degree by gender and social class) rather than by spiritual standing as creatures of God with an eternal destiny

• Sin: CRT redefines sin as systemic or structural oppression rather than a personal moral failure against an All Holy God

• Salvation: CRT looks to human activism, equity programs, and societal deconstruction for liberation instead of looking to the cross of Jesus Christ

• Justice: CRT replaces God's justice, which requires impartial fairness and truth, with an ideology that favors certain groups based on their social status

Part Two: The Church and Race

This section is taken verbatim from an article in the Liguorian Magazine of August 1956. It was written by Fr. Donald Miller, a priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists). Like their founder (St. Alphonsus Liguori), Redemptorists examine various issues from the perspective of Moral Theology. Fr. Miller was addressing the problem of segregation in the United States. The principles he expounds upon are applicable to all situations involving race. I found it interesting as to the wisdom taught by the Church and as explained by Fr. Miller.---Introibo

 Is racial segregation as a theory or principle contrary to the Will of God and the Natural Law?

The theory of segregation on the basis of assumed innate inferiority of one race to another is absolutely contrary to the Divine Will and the Natural Law. It has been condemned often by the Church as racism, on the ground that God created all men of all races equal in essential nature, equal in capacity for redemption by the Blood of Christ, equal in their destiny for the Beatific Vision in Heaven.  

No Catholic can hold for the essential inferiority of the Negro race to the white race without denying these essential qualities, which denial becomes the basis for many sins against justice and charity. 

The differences which God created in various races, or which, as some maintain, God permitted to develop over the course of history, through climate, environment, living conditions, etc., are not sufficient evidence of a mandate of God that races at all times be segregated. Rather, the sameness of the essential nature, faculties, destiny and privileges of all human beings of whatever race manifests a much clearer mandate of God that, when members of different races are found in the same community, they live together in peace, justice, and charity. This means that they live together without an artificial and enforced segregation. 

If skin color is so important as to manifest the Divine Will in favor of segregation, why stop there? Or where shall we stop? Why not say that differences of hair color, or different shades of blonde and brunette also manifest a Divine basis for segregation between these types of human beings? Everybody can see the absurdity of such an idea; yet differences of skin color are just as accidental to human nature itself as differences of hair color. 

So, you approve of inter-racial marriage?

We merely state this truth: inter-racial marriage is prohibited by no Natural, Divine, or ecclesiastical law. The local civil laws forbidding such marriages, and the popular antipathy against them, are part of a heritage of prejudice. 

Does not the fact that Communists are known to be trying to stir up trouble over the racial issue create the danger that Catholics will be serving the Communist cause if they campaign against segregation? Are not many well-meaning but duped Catholics thus being sucked into the Communist conspiracy?

Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical on Atheistic Communism, pointed out the truth that Communism thrives on actual social injustices; when injustices are removed from society, the appeal of Communism is nullified. Certainly, Communists are using racial discrimination to foment strife, and as long as discrimination continues, Communism will make converts. That is one of the important reasons for opposition to such discrimination.

If what you say is true, why has not the Catholic Church officially pronounced on this matter during the long history of segregation? By Her silence, She seemed to approve of segregation. Even today there is no official pronouncement of the Pope on the subject.

There have been many pronouncements of Popes that have a bearing on the morality of segregation. They have condemned "racism," which is a belief, taught as a theory or manifested in practice, that one race or class of people is inferior to another. They have often proclaimed the doctrine of the unity and solidarity of the human race, according to which all men are children of the same Father, redeemed by the same Blood of Christ, destined for the same Heaven, endowed with the same inalienable rights. All that has been said above is merely an application of these truths to a current situation. 

 The Teaching of the Church

Here is some of the Church teaching alluded to by Fr. Miller in the previous section. ---Introibo

In his first encyclical, Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum (1914), Pope Benedict XV declares that the relations between people should be one of brothers and sisters, i.e., of those who are one in nature because they are of the same family created by God. Discussing the ravages of the First World War (1914-1918), His Holiness writes, "Who would imagine as we see them thus filled with hatred of one another, that they are all of one common stock, all of the same nature, all members of the same human family?" (para. #3; Emphasis mine). 

In Mortalium Animos (1928), Pope Pius XI teaches, "... it is easily understood, and the more so because none now dispute the unity of the human race, why many desire that the various nations, inspired by this universal kinship, should daily be more closely united one to another." (para. #1; Emphasis mine). The same holy pontiff ordered the Sacred Congregation for Seminaries and Universities to compose a letter refuting and condemning racism and Nazi "Aryan race" ideology in order to prevent it from infecting Catholic educational institutions. The result was a privately circulated document entitled Instruction Concerning Racism, Its Doctrinal Errors and the Measures to be Employed Against Their Spread (hereinafter "Instruction"). The Instruction was dated April 13, 1938 and a complete English translation was made by canonist Bouscaren in the Canon Law Digest-Supplement 1941 (pgs. 165-167). The Congregation's Instruction condemns no less than eight (8) propositions as being both "pernicious" and "absurd:"

I. The human races, by their natural and immutable characters, are so different from each other that, the humblest of them is further from the highest race than of the highest animal species.

II. We must by all means, preserve and cultivate strong race and purity of blood, so that all which leads to this result is therefore honest and permitted.

III. It is blood, seat of the characteristics of the race, that all the intellectual and moral qualities of man derive as their main source.

IV. The basic purpose of education is to develop the characters of the race and inflame the minds of a burning love of their own race as the supreme good.

V. Religion is subject to the law of race and must be adapted to it.

VI. The first source and the supreme rule of law and order is racial instinct.

VII. There exists only the Cosmos or living universe; all things, including humans, are only various forms growing over the ages of universal life.

VIII. Each man exists only by the State and for the State. All that he rightly possesses derives exclusively from a concession to the State.

It shouldn't be too hard to understand that racism is inexorably linked to the damnable doctrine of Social Darwinism. It is taken from the false teaching of Charles Darwin (d. 1882) regarding evolution. The term "evolution" is used to refer to the general theory that all life on earth has evolved from non-living matter and progressed to more complex forms with time; humans are not special in any way--both body and soul (or "consciousness")-- comes from brute matter. This stands condemned by the Church.

Conclusion

"Crazy Race Theory" is anti-Christian, pseudo-intellectual claptrap. It must be firmly rejected. We must learn from the Church the correct view of race and avoid the extremes of CRT and divisive hatred based on racism. "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." (Apocalypse 7:9). 

Pharmakeia

 

It read like something out of a violent "slasher" horror movie. In April of 2018, Chad O’Melia met Bryn Spejcher and her Siberian Husky at a dog park. They immediately hit it off and began dating. At the time he was 26 and she was 27. Their relationship came to a brutal end a month later on May 27th in their hometown of Thousand Oaks, California. 

Spejcher went to Mr. O’Melia’s apartment where both took several hits from a "bong" (water pipe used to smoke dope) loaded with marijuana. Bryn almost immediately heard voices. Dark, guttural voices. She went to Chad’s kitchen and returned with a knife in each hand. She began to stab him. “Keep going,” the voices commanded. “Don’t stop. You’re almost there.”

She obeyed. She later testified that she felt like something else had taken control—as if she were watching her own body from the outside.

Bryn stabbed Chad over one hundred times, penetrating every major organ. Then she turned and began stabbing her own dog. When police arrived, she was kneeling over Chad’s lifeless body, plunging a serrated bread knife into her own neck. What terrified officers wasn’t just the blood. It was the strength--and the look in her eyes.

They tased her four times. She didn’t react. They struck her nine times with a steel baton, breaking her arm in five places. She kept going. Bryn had no history of mental illness. One of her professors testified that of the thousand graduate students he had taught, “none has ever been better than Bryn Spejcher.” (Spejcher worked as an audiologist). 

In December of 2023, Spejcher was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to an underwhelming two years of probation and no prison time with a mandated 100 hours of community service. Her defense to the crime was "cannabis induced psychosis" and the case was referred to as "Refer Madness."  (Compiled from multiple sources---See e.g., toacorn.com/articles/jurors-find-spejcher-guilty-of-manslaughter; and https://www.vcdistrictattorney.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/23-141-Spejcher-Nafziger-Convicted-SW.pdf). 

So, is this some made-up defense, like the so-called "Twinkie defense" (a reference to the1979 trial of Dan White, who killed San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. His lawyers argued he had a diminished mental state from severe depression, shown partly by eating junk food); or is there something more to it? 

The Horror Stories Continue

Robert Corry was the attorney who legalized recreational marijuana in Colorado in 2012--the poster child for cannabis advocacy, the legal mind who assured America that marijuana was safe. What supreme irony that he would become the male version of Spejcher. 

In 2019, Corry was arrested for waving a sword at strangers in Denver. Weeks earlier, he had kidnapped a woman at Denver International Airport, hijacked her car, crashed through the airport parking garage gate, and told her he would kill her if she didn’t stay quiet. He claimed he was being chased by “Arabs with a helicopter.” (See denver7.com/news/crime/denver-attorney-rob-corry-arrested-again-after-allegedly-threatening-people-with-sword; See also cbsnews.com/colorado/news/robert-corry-arrested-kidnapping-case-denver-international-airport-arabs).

To be clear, Cory was not some 18-year-old punk with a rap sheet. This was a seasoned, high-powered attorney coming apart like a man possessed. Cannabis-induced psychosis. The top marijuana lawyer in America was undone by the very drug he championed. Today, he admits the errors of his ways and fights against the drug-genie he let out of the bong. 

I warned against legalized marijuana and the abuse of prescription drugs in my home state of New York. Now, in the wake of legalization, that warning is being proven correct. I can't go out without smelling marijuana everywhere. Drug-induced crimes have skyrocketed. Even young children are being caught in the drug web. If Johnny misbehaves, mother increases his Ritalin dose; and to keep herself on an even keel, she takes Prozac. A large percentage of Americans no longer know how to stand up to adversity and thereby develop strength of character. Instead of facing their problems and working through to a solution, they insist upon a wonder drug to assist them with every difficulty.

Got a problem? Take a drug. Want to relax? Take a drug. Can't get a prescription? There's always legal marijuana. While I have read many good articles on the mental and physical harm of drug abuse (in all its forms), hardly any discuss the doorway they open to the demonic. Hence, the purpose of this post.  

(The information in this post comes from myriad sources, both in print and online. I take no credit except for compiling it into a terse post and adding some commentary.---Introibo).

What's Going On?

The doctors don’t know exactly what they’re dealing with, but they see what "safe" drugs do; especially the marijuana now legalized (as of this writing) in 24 states and Washington D.C.  

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse since 2003, has watched the data pile up for two decades: We are seeing a very significant rise in psychosis associated with the consumption of marijuana. And the higher the content of THC, the higher the likelihood of a psychotic episode. 

(See thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/potent-marijuana-strain-in-us-causing-psychosis-time-bomb-v2zfxd9km).

Dr. Leslie Hulvershorn, chair of psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine, sees it firsthand in her patients: When I see youths with psychotic symptoms, they’re almost always using lots of cannabis. (See nbcnews.com/health/health-news/teens-marijuana-use-mental-disorders-research-rcna153344).  Science has documented the symptoms, but it is beginning to realize it is staring into something it can never comprehend---the demonic.

A Problem Not Just Physical But Spiritual 

Society has been telling us that alcohol and marijuana are "harmless." Yet we are seeing the opposite. While alcohol can be used in moderation, the use of marijuana cannot without loss of reason to one degree or another. 

The Teaching of the Church on Drugs

 According to theologian Jone, "Since morphine, opium, chloroform and similar drugs can also deprive one of the use of his reason temporarily, that which was said of intoxicating drinks holds also for narcotics. To use narcotics in small quantities and only occasionally, is a venial sin if done without a sufficient reason. Any proportionately good reason justifies their use, e.g., to calm the nerves, dispel insomnia, etc. Such use becomes gravely sinful if it creates an habitual craving for 'dope' which is more difficult to overcome than dipsomania and more injurious to health. To use drugs in greater quantities so as to lose the use of one's reason is itself a mortal sin; but for a good reason it is permissible. Such a good reason is had in case of an operation, i.e., that the patient be rendered insensible to intense pain, or that one might remain calm under the knife. In like manner one may administer opiates to one who is suffering greatly in order to alleviate his pain." (See Moral Theology, [1961], pgs. 57-58; Emphasis mine). 

Since narcotics are under the same general rule as alcohol, here's what moral theologian O'Connell has to say about the loss of reason: "It is not requisite...[to] be rendered utterly stupid and helpless...[rather] that one would do things inordinate which otherwise he would not do...The malice of drunkenness consists in the fact that, without a sufficient reason, a person in a violent way deprives himself of the use of the noblest of his faculties." (See Outlines of Moral Theology, [1958], pg. 168; Emphasis mine).

As you keep in mind these principles of Church teaching, also consider that we know so much more about the effects of drugs today than when theologians O'Connell and Jone were writing in the late 1950s-early 1960s. Then came the Great Apostasy and the drug culture of the late 1960s. I can only imagine how Church teaching would have further developed on this issue in light of all we now understand.

The Devil is in the Details

What modern doctors are only now discovering, ancient physicians saw two thousand years ago.

Alex Berenson, a former New York Times investigative reporter, and author of the extensively researched book Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence, unearthed a chilling historical warning. The Pen-ts’ao Ching, the first comprehensive pharmacopeia ever created, warned Chinese physicians around 100 AD that excessive cannabis use caused users to see “devils” (See Berenson [2019], p. xxiii) They also had “stimulated uncontrollable violence and criminal inclinations.” (Ibid) They believed the drug acted as a spiritual catalyst, a doorway to evil.  Seeing devils. Uncontrollable violence. Two thousand years ago!

Berenson didn’t stop with ancient warnings. Working with a Columbia University professor of clinical biostatistics, he analyzed modern data and they documented a sharp and undeniable rise in emergency room visits, violent crime, and schizophrenia tied directly to cannabis use.

Ancient doctors said it caused “seeing devils.” Modern doctors say “psychosis” and “schizophrenia.” The language has changed, but the pattern hasn’t. The “devils” seen by the ancients are now filling our modern psychiatric wards.

In the 1960s, Timothy Leary, "the Pied Piper of Harvard," led mesmerized youth into spiritual experiences that materialistic scientism had told them did not exist. Leary’s LSD (and other psychedelics) turned out to be the launching pad for mind trips "beyond the physical universe of time, space, and matter" to a strange dimension where anything was possible. For millions it was a “mind-blowing” experience that forever changed their lives.

The drugs of abusers put people into an altered state of consciousness; hence, the attraction. Those of you who read my series of posts called "Singing For Satan" (published August 2017-August 2019), know that almost all of the musicians were drug users, and most claimed contact/inspiration from "spirits"--Eminem, The Eagles, etc. They used drugs and entered into an altered state of consciousness which makes one susceptible (like hypnosis) to demonic forces. So-called "shamans" (pagan "witch-doctors") take drugs for this very reason; it enables them to make "contact with the spirits." Leary called the Beatles “the four evangelists.” Listening to the Beatles’ album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Leary said, “The Beatles have taken my place. That latest album—a complete celebration of LSD.” (See Jay Stevens, Storming Heaven: LSD and the American Dream, [1987], pg. 345). 

In the Apocalypse 22:15, we read, "Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." According to theologian Haydock, "the dogs" refer to unbelievers (See The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with a Comprehensive Catholic Commentary, reprint from 1859, pg. 1656), and "sorcerers" comes from the Greek word pharmakeia from which we get the word "pharmacy." The word does not only mean the sorcery that comes from idolatry but can also refer to the use or administration of drugs. We see that pagans often used drugs to call on their "gods" (demons), so it's not surprising that Holy Scripture seems to link the two. 

Aldous Huxley (d. 1963), the famous author of Brave New World, and philosopher, was known to experiment with LSD and mescaline. He was deeply involved in the occult. On his deathbed, he asked his wife to shoot him up with LSD so he could "trip" into the afterlife. She complied, and I cannot imagine what horrors he found that never end, unless he somehow repented by a miracle of grace. In a speech he delivered to a California medical school, two years before his death, he made the following chilling prediction:

There will be, in the next generation or so, a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude, and producing dictatorship without tears, so to speak, producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies, so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them, but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda or brainwashing, or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods. And this seems to be the final revolution.  (See academyofideas.com/2018/06/aldous-huxley-brave-new-world-dark-side-of-pleasure; Emphasis mine). 

Conclusion

A woman commits an unspeakably violent act resulting in the death of a man and she gets a slap on the wrist because of "cannabis induced psychosis." Where is the outrage to make marijuana illegal again? Both Bryn Spejcher and Robert Corry were educated, law abiding adults with no history of mental illness. Both smoked dope on a regular basis with no sign of any problem. Then it hits out of the blue. It can happen only once or more often---they felt possessed and committed crimes. 

It's not fully understood by medical science, yet the Church has always taught the sinfulness of drug abuse or pharmakeia --a form of sorcery used by pagans and occultists to call on demons. When people sin and alter their mind, the door to evil is opened. Ask demons into your life, and they will take you up on your offer. As the push for legalization of marijuana in all 50 states continues, groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) aggressively push to end the "War on Drugs". They advocate for repealing all laws criminalizing the possession, use, and delivery of controlled substances. (See nacdl.org/Landing/DrugLaw). 

Dr. Carl Hart, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, has been a highly visible proponent of legalizing all drugs for "responsible adult use," arguing that prohibition creates more harm (!) than the substances themselves. We will be seeing much more violence and madness. Enjoying their drugs, the masses do nothing. The supremely evil Karl Marx said, "Religion is the opium (drug) of the people." He got it backwards. Truly, "Opium is the religion of the people" today.