AK wrote about being given a crystal by a friend who said she should use it to find “clarity, atonement, and peace.” Certain that the object was given to her out of love and kindness, she now asks what she should do with it. “Do I just look at it as a pretty geode? Do I return it? I’m not interested in giving my friends the impression that I promote or believe in the power of crystals.”
Category Archives: Superstition
What’s Wrong with the Prayer of Jabez?
I was at a conference recently and one of the attendees said she kept the prayer of Jabez affixed to her bathroom mirror and wanted to know if this prayer is okay.
Is it Superstitious to Bury a Statue of St. Joseph?
LR writes: “I heard that burying a statue of St. Joseph upside down in yard to sell a house is superstitious. What about putting St. Benedict medals in corners of a home for protection and blessing. Is this superstitious?”
Don’t Rely on Charms to Protect You From Evil
Anonymous writes: “I heard that wearing a cimaruta symbol wards off evil. Is it okay to wear one? If it wards off evil, isn’t that a good thing?”
Ghost Tour Company Sells Creepy Doll to Children
SO writes: “I saw this doll advertised on a local channel. The webpage for it is scary. The ‘Warning’” are unsettling. Are they just scary fun? Or should we avoid bringing this into the house?”
Understanding the Difference Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The field of health care has a lot of new players these days – and many of them have little or nothing to do with conventional medicine. There’s complementary medicine, alternative medicine, whole medical systems, mind-body medicine, integrative medicine, etc. These fields are inundated with New Age practitioners, so it’s a good idea to learn what they are and what to watch out for.
Beware of So-Called “Church Approved” Coronavirus Prevention
Alleged revelations from Our Lady to a Costa Rican woman that call for the use of essential oils to prevent infection by the coronavirus have gone viral on the Internet. What should Catholics make of revelations such as these?
Can I Wish Upon a Star?
JB asks: “Is wishing on a shooting star new age or occulty? I personally don’t but should we avoid brands that show their characters wishing on stars?”
The Legend of the Church Grim
LM writes: “Are Church Grims a real thing? Are they of demonic origin? There are some that are considered benevolent (like the one at Boston College). Is it possible that some of these are of God?”
Can I pray to St. Expedite?
St. Expeditus (WikiCommon: Piotr Rymuza)
LB writes: “Is praying a novena to this saint okay? I’ve read different things about leaving an offering of pound cake and that some people that practice voodoo pray to this saint. So that concerns me and I don’t want to invite the wrong things into my life. I know he has a huge following in Brazil, but given that I’ve read different things about this saint, I wanted to be sure. Is he not considered a true saint because there is no historical record of an actual date of death? Please advise.”
