"Do Catholics Communicate With the Dead?"


A snippet adapted from The New Catholic Answer Bible, insert E - 1.

Preliminary note:

This Bible is overall of a definite Roman Catholic orientation.

Most of the so - called American Catholic slant is found in footnotes, or in the introductions to a specific Gospel like that of Mark.

In Mark's case, the usual American Catholic taint is easily detected in this phrase of truly classic bravo sierra genre: "Modern research often proposes as the author an unknown Hellenistic Jewish Christian, possibly in Syria, and perhaps after the year 70."

The year 70 is critical, since if we docilely accept it, we also docilely accept that Mark -- to put it simply! -- was frankly putting the words into Jesus' mouth himself when he quotes Jesus saying in Mark 13:1-2: "As he was making his way out of the temple area one of his disciples said to him, Look teacher, what stones and what buildings! Jesus said to him, Do you see these great buildings? There will not be one stone left upon another that will not be thrown down.

Then these same American Catholic bravo sierra technicians go on to outdo themselves in this footnote: "13, 1-2 The reconstructed temple with its precincts ... was completed only some seven years before it was destroyed by fire in A.D. 70 at the hands of the Romans...."

And so, folks, if Mark lied about Jesus' ability to prophesy, even if only in this one occasion, then guess what?

All Four Gospels are so many bags of wind and hot air.

It is that simple.

It is that cut.

And it is that dried.

And these sworn enemies of Jesus Christ and His Gospel know what they are doing!

Go on: just use your head and think about it! :)


The otherwise good news?


This overall fine New Catholic Answer Bible is available at a fine price through any of our hardworking St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish Charismatic / ACTS Retreat Team Members -- Don, Nora, Corina, Lourdes, Janie, Becky, David etcetera.

Or you can show up at our regular Parish Charismatic Group weekly meeting on Mondays and pick one up for cash from their existing stock.

While they last!


But! Now it's back to the answer to the original question!


"Do Catholics Communicate With the Dead?"


Here, then, is the Roman Catholic answer!


"The eerie story of King Saul's dealings with the medium at Endor illustrates the dangers of necromancy -- the attempt to initiate communication with the dead (see 1 Sm 28:3-19).

"Saul himself had previously driven mediums out of the land, in keeping with God's consistent warning to the Israelites against adopting this practice of their pagan neighbors.

"So grave was the crime of necromancy, and so pernicious its consequences, that God actually prescribed the death penalty for it (see Lv 20:6, 27).

"Why is the matter so serious?

"Because human beings cannot converse at will with the souls of the dead.

"When they attempt to do so, they often open themselves to diabolical deception.

"On the other hand, God himself may at times permit a departed soul to appear to the living (this is called an apparition) and even to disclose things unknown to them.

"This would be true even in Saul's case.

"If the apparition of the prophet Samuel was indeed genuine, it was not because the medium had any powers to summon the dead, but simply because God took the opportunity to rebuke the king through the otherworldly visitor he was seeking out.

"The gospel accounts provide much clearer cases of departed souls' being allowed by God (or even sent by God) to encounter the living.

"When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, while Peter, James and John watched and listened, the departed Old Testament saints Moses and Elijah appeared and conversed with him (see Mt: 1 - 9).

"After our Lord's resurrection, a number of departed saints returned to Jerusalem and appeared to many (see Mt 27:52 - 53).

"When Catholics talk about prayer to the saints, then, or about apparitions of Mary or the other saints, they are not advocating necromancy.

"Asking for for the saints' intercession is not an attempt to conjure up the dead; it simply acknowledges that those who are in heaven, perfected in Christ, are able and willing to help us by God's grace.

"After all: He is not God of the dead but of the living" (Mk 12:27; see also Why do Catholics Pray to Saints and Angels? H - 4).

"At the same time, genuine apparitions of the saints are typically a startling surprise to those who experience them, not the result of someone seeking out a contact beyond the grave.

"Mary or another saint appears unexpectedly with a message, sent from God, that calls us to repent, believe, and draw closer to him.

"Nothing could be further from necromancy."

See too, these related Scriptural passages referred to by the editors:

1 Sm 28:3 - 19; Lv 20: 6, 27. Dt 18:10-12, 2 Mc 15:16, Wis 3:1-6; Mk 9:2-8; Matthew 17:1-9, 27:52 - 53 + Luke 9:28 - 36 etcetera.

Then, we also have their selection from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, abbreviated in cites simply as CCC:

CCC 946 - 962.

CCC 2683.