A Personal Experience
Hi father, I’m writing to share with you a personal experience that has stayed with me and for which I’ve never been able to find an explanation. Some time ago, my father was terminally ill with cancer. After being released from the hospital, he returned home, where we knew he would spend his final days. He had confessed and received the sacraments. The day before he passed away, he could no longer speak and was completely bedridden. On that day, something strange occurred. The whole family was at home, quietly going about various things, when suddenly my mother’s phone rang. To our surprise, the screen showed that the call was coming from my father’s phone — even though he was lying silently in the next room, still alive. Confused, we went searching for his phone. He hadn’t used it in a long time, and eventually we found it tucked away in a drawer, resting on top of folded kitchen towels. It was a basic mobile phone, not a smartphone — just a simple keypad phone. To this day, we cannot understand how that phone could have somehow unlocked itself and dialed my mother’s number. My father passed away peacefully the next morning, at dawn. Could this be explained in any natural or spiritual way? I wonder if this kind of phenomenon has been encountered or recorded by others involved in spiritual ministry or deliverance. I would be truly grateful for any insights you could offer. With prayers and appreciation, Mihovil Depolo, Croatia
A Personal Experience
Hi father, I’m writing to share with you a personal experience that has stayed with me and for which I’ve never been able to find an explanation. Some time ago, my father was terminally ill with cancer. After being released from the hospital, he returned home, where we knew he would spend his final days. He had confessed and received the sacraments. The day before he passed away, he could no longer speak and was completely bedridden. On that day, something strange occurred. The whole family was at home, quietly going about various things, when suddenly my mother’s phone rang. To our surprise, the screen showed that the call was coming from my father’s phone — even though he was lying silently in the next room, still alive. Confused, we went searching for his phone. He hadn’t used it in a long time, and eventually we found it tucked away in a drawer, resting on top of folded kitchen towels. It was a basic mobile phone, not a smartphone — just a simple keypad phone. To this day, we cannot understand how that phone could have somehow unlocked itself and dialed my mother’s number. My father passed away peacefully the next morning, at dawn. Could this be explained in any natural or spiritual way? I wonder if this kind of phenomenon has been encountered or recorded by others involved in spiritual ministry or deliverance. I would be truly grateful for any insights you could offer. With prayers and appreciation, Mihovil Depolo Korčula, Croatia
A Personal Experience
Hi father, I’m writing to share with you a personal experience that has stayed with me and for which I’ve never been able to find an explanation. Some time ago, my father was terminally ill with cancer. After being released from the hospital, he returned home, where we knew he would spend his final days. He had confessed and received the sacraments. The day before he passed away, he could no longer speak and was completely bedridden. On that day, something strange occurred. The whole family was at home, quietly going about various things, when suddenly my mother’s phone rang. To our surprise, the screen showed that the call was coming from my father’s phone — even though he was lying silently in the next room, still alive. Confused, we went searching for his phone. He hadn’t used it in a long time, and eventually we found it tucked away in a drawer, resting on top of folded kitchen towels. It was a basic mobile phone, not a smartphone — just a simple keypad phone. To this day, we cannot understand how that phone could have somehow unlocked itself and dialed my mother’s number. My father passed away peacefully the next morning, at dawn. Could this be explained in any natural or spiritual way? I wonder if this kind of phenomenon has been encountered or recorded by others involved in spiritual ministry or deliverance. I would be truly grateful for any insights you could offer. With prayers and appreciation, Mihovil Depolo Korčula, Croatia
Soulnof the posesses?
Hi father! Just joined and have a question which has been on my mind for years. If a person dies while still possessed, especially full on , what do we believe happens to their soul? Does Jesus intervene at the moment of death to give salvation, or is the soul stolen and sent to hell???
Question on how to support others under possible spiritual oppression
I live on a small cul-de-sac with 8 homes. The total number of residents in the homes is 24, with 16 being adults, 7 of the residents being teenagers, and one being a pre-teen. In 2 of the 8 homes, there are transgender teenagers, with one home having two, and one home having one, for a total of 3 transgender teenagers in the cul-de-sac. Given that 0.6% of the US population over the age of 13 is transgender, this odds of this concentration of transgenders in the area is somewhere between .0383% and .000737%. However, some studies show that the rate is as high as 3.8% among those born in 2004-05, so if we use these numbers, and only take into account the teenagers in the area, the odds of having three transgenders in the cul-de-sac is 0.141%. This leads to my question: the cul-de-sac appears to be a "hot spot" of transgender activity. That raises two separate questions: 1) Could the cause of this be some form of demonic activity or oppression, and more importantly, 2) what should my response as a Catholic be to this situation, especially if the cause is possibly some form of spiritual attack in the area of the cul-de-sac? Thus far, my response has primarily been limited to privately praying for the families. One of the families is led by a single mother who is a lapsed Catholic, and I am unaware of the other family having any Christian background whatsoever. I have minimal contact with either family, mostly because we are so different, but I try to be neighborly and be a good Christian example by engaging in light conversation with them when possible, and helping them out with various issues such as removing snow from their driveways, capturing runaway pets, etc. Aside from praying and trying to be a good neighbor, is there anything else I can do to help support them in this spiritual battle? In the case of one of the families, I'm not even sure they recognize the issue as being a problem.
Question on how to handle a situation
I live on a small cul-de-sac with 8 homes. The total number of residents in the homes is 24, with 16 being adults, 7 of the residents being teenagers, and one being a pre-teen. In 2 of the 8 homes, there are transgender teenagers, with one home having two, and one home having one, for a total of 3 transgender teenagers in the cul-de-sac. Given that 0.6% of the US population over the age of 13 is transgender, this odds of this concentration of transgenders in the area is somewhere between .0383% and .000737%. However, some studies show that the rate is as high as 3.8% among those born in 2004-05, so if we use these numbers, and only take into account the teenagers in the area, the odds of having three transgenders in the cul-de-sac is 0.141%. This leads to my question: the cul-de-sac appears to be a "hot spot" of transgender activity. That raises two separate questions: 1) Could the cause of this be some form of demonic activity or oppression, and more importantly, 2) what should my response as a Catholic be to this situation, especially if the cause is possibly some form of spiritual attack in the area of the cul-de-sac? Thus far, my response has primarily been limited to privately praying for the families. One of the families is led by a single mother who is a lapsed Catholic, and I am unaware of the other family having any Christian background whatsoever. I have minimal contact with either family, mostly because we are so different, but I try to be neighborly and be a good Christian example by engaging in light conversation with them when possible, and helping them out with various issues such as removing snow from their driveways, capturing runaway pets, etc. Aside from praying and trying to be a good neighbor, is there anything else I can do to help support them in this spiritual battle? In the case of one of the families, I'm not even sure they recognize the issue as being a problem.
Direct attacks on confession
I know that there are attempts to take away the confidentiality of confession by some states. Washington state specifically. As a Catholic, confession is a sacrament that I actually look forward to going to as it brings humility and healing. I know that we can pray and fast but are there any concrete actions we can take?
Can demons gather weak spots from our prayers?
Hello Father, Since demons like to gather intel about our weaknesses, is it possible for them to hear the appeals we send up to use against us? For example, if I were to say aloud, ‘Lord give me strength to not have a panic attack’, I sometimes wonder if there may be an eavesdropper ready to make use of this. Thank you.
Spiritualists
Father, I’m a catholic who while in a dating relationship the person suckered me into doing tarot cards and other forms of divination through a spiritualist witch. The spiritualist witch claimed to be catholic and had many statues of the catholic faith but had other various spirits she utilized. Eventually I was suckered in deeper with “protective chains” and charms. Needles to say this brought the most darkest times in life including demonic oppression. We broke ties with the spiritualist. Eventually found my way back to God and went to confession and follow prayers from Msgr. Rossetti. I am now married to this former follower and have children. My question is since my wife was born into this and hasn’t yet gone to confession (but attends mass) do I have the legal spiritual authority as the husband to break her chains she has had her whole life? If not, if she doesn’t self deliver will this affect our children’s spiritual lives?
Do manifesting demons really talk in such coarse language with constant swearing and name calling?
Thank you all for your hard work making this podcast. During the dramatized episodes... Do manifesting demons really talk in such coarse language with constant swearing, name calling, and profaning everything sacred? I just didn't know how much of this was dramatization versus as close to an actual depiction of the real events. I was just surprised how crude the demons were in speaking to father Martin and/or other priests.
Question for the relic guy…
I was looking into plenary indulgences and completing a pilgrimage for this jubilee year. (Which I may have some questions about on a later AMA.) Im surprised to find that my old elementary school St. Catherine Labouré is a location that you can make a pilgrimage, and that it also has a relic of hers. Father, My question is how long has it been there, and do you have any information on the hand bone that’s kept in the shrine and its significance?
Question about Remarriage Being a Barrier to Eucharistic Communion
Thanks for the podcast friends! As a protestant, I was curious about remarriage after divorce and how Catholics are not permitted to take communion if remarried without an annulment. I agree we probably have been too lax on Jesus teaching from Matthew 5 and Mark 10 for instance and in many protestant circles, we seem to openly allow and perform marriages after divorce for reasons even outside of adultery. I am also a little puzzled by the annulment process in the catholic church however and how that openly seems to allow another marriage by stating the first marriage never was valid to begin with. It seems some 80-90% of annulments are granted and there are vast numbers of annulments in the US every year alone. It is difficult to believe so many marriages were invalid from the start. Isn't this much the same as divorce anyways? Can you enlighten us on the annulment process and reasons for it?
Demonic attacks
Demonic possession seems like an extremely rare occurrence, especially if one avoids the various gateways discussed in the podcast. Are you ever going to do any episodes about spiritual warfare on levels below possession and/or physical manifestation? How would someone know they were being attacked by demons in more subtle ways?
Bonus episode question for Fr. Dan
At the beginning of the "BONUS: The Tales of 2 Exorcists, Part 2" episode, Fr. Dan shares three examples of individuals who were sexually assaulted by demons. In each case, no information was given regarding any doorways these people might have opened to cause the demons to appear in the first place. Can you elaborate on the circumstances of any of these cases?
Question about ed and Lorraine Warren
Hello Father, I am writing to inquire about your thoughts on Ed and Lorraine Warren, the renowned “Ghost Hunting” duo responsible for the investigating infamous Amityville house haunting. They were devout Catholics who engaged in exorcisms and deliverances for individuals afflicted by paranormal phenomena. While they appeared to be virtuous individuals, there is one aspect that concerns me: Lorraine Warren who had a devotion to Padre Pio was a self-proclaimed “psychic” who conducted séances like prayer sessions and other paranormal activities. Notably, one source asserts that her abilities were evaluated by a psychic research center in California, and she achieved exceptionally high scores. Ed Warren, on the other hand, was a “lay” demonologist who may have held beliefs in reincarnation (I encountered this information in a popular book, but I am uncertain of its veracity). Additionally, it is reported that they were worked with the Catholic Church, to help people who needed exorcisms and that Cardinal Ratzinger, reportedly approved of their work. Given these positive attributes, my siblings hold the Warrens in high regard, and I believe they genuinely provided assistance to others. However, their methods and teachings have left me troubled.
Charisms
I loved the episode on charisms! I found an inventory on charisms, then asked friends and family for feedback. The inventory was a Catholic one and included 24 charisms and was from a parish; it wasn’t one of those bogus psychology tests where you “find your truth”🙄Their feedback matched my inventory. How do I develop my charisms? Is it ok to ask for a specific one?