JJB asks: “Is it possible for a devout Catholic who practices the faith to be cursed?”Yes, it is possible for a devout person in a state of grace to be the victim of a curse, but exorcists say the impact of the curse will be limited by God.
A curse is a form of an evil spell generally worked by a sorcerer, witch, or wizard who is involved in the dark arts. Some refer to their spell casting as “white magic” which is being done for good, “red magic” which regards the sphere of sexuality, or “black magic” which is to do harm to another. However, exorcists say there is no such distinction when it comes to magic.
“All turn to the same preternatural entity, the wizard, who, in all these cases, resorts to the power of Satan in order to obtain the invoked result,” writes Father Amorth in his book, An Exorcists Explains the Demonic. “Therefore, there is no difference among them, ‘black,’ ‘white,’ or ‘red.’ It is enough to see the effects of all of them.”
Is a person in God’s grace protected from the effects of these magical rites?
Yes, says Father Amorth. “It is certainly more difficult to strike a person in such a state, although it is not impossible; being that each thing is freely at God’s disposition, an evil can be permitted to be transmitted through a magical act and to do damage to one who lives in communion with God.”
In other words, any effect that a curse has upon a person depends upon God’s permission, not the will of the curser. Rather than being a guaranteed mechanism, a curse is at most a petition to evil, not an effective force on its own.
A person who prays and lives in God’s grace is protected and the stronger one’s sacramental life and prayer the greater the protection and the less vulnerable to demonic influence.
“First and foremost,” says Father Chad Ripperger, “just lead a normal Catholic life. And by normal, I mean getting to confession, getting to Mass on Sundays and all the holy days of obligation, but getting to confession on a regular basis, receiving the sacraments, and doing your prayers, which the Church has all said.”
However, this protection does not mean absolute immunity from all effects of a curse. God may still allow us to be tempted (both ordinary and constant) and, more rarely, to experience external oppression or harassment. Suffering may be allowed for sanctification, such as in the case of St. Pio and others. Even though holy people can be externally afflicted, their soul remains protected and the demon cannot override their will without our consent.
In his book, An Interview with an Exorcist, Father Jose Fortea says the persons most likely to be impacted by a curse is the person who is doing the cursing, and the person who requested the curse.
“…The first thing that has to be said is that whoever does the curse—as well as the person who may have asked for the curse to be done—will be the first ones affected by the demonic. Without a doubt, they suffer some type of demonic influence, possession, or sickness. The evil they wish on another will come back to them. A demon is never invoked in vain.
"But is a curse effective against the person to whom it is directed? This depends on the will of God. That is to say, it is the same as with accidents, illnesses, or misfortunes. During our time on earth, God allows us to experience both good and evil because this life is a period of trial, of purification. Of course, the person who prays and lives in God’s grace is protected. The more one prays and lives a spiritual life, the more one is protected.”
How does one know if they have been subjected to a curse?
According to Father Amorth, “It is difficult, although possible, that a person subjected to an evil spell may never be aware of it. Above all, it is necessary to say that spells do not always reach their targets, either because the person may be well protected in his life of grace, or because God may not permit it, or because the wizard or sorcerer may not succeed.”
He refers to cases involving people who didn’t know they were cursed until they were casual participants in a prayer of liberation or healing service.
“In that circumstance they suddenly began to feel sick, to shout, and to curse, which for them was absurd and unthinkable behavior. After they discovered the evil spell, they immediately began to repair the situation by beginning a serious journey of faith — which is always necessary — by participating in prayer and exorcism.”
Notice he said they had to begin a serious journey of faith, implying that the person was probably not living a life close to God.
Although the devout can be impacted by curses to at least some degree, a basic rule of spiritual warfare is to resist becoming so fearful of what Satan might do that we forget that God is more powerful. Fear can open the door to demonic influence because of how it weakens our trust in God. We must always reach for faith over fear.
As Father Amorth summarizes, “Prayer can counter evil spells, and if done with faith and love, it reaches its objective, which is the heart of God. We know that God Himself will dispose of things according to a plan whose ultimate end is always a greater good: eternal life. Each prayer prayed with this intention is effective. And at times, the Lord, in His infinite goodness, will grant us assistance and graces that are much greater than the fruit of our prayer.”
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