Saturday, October 8, 2016

Braintree's Fr. Paul Clifford is having an Adults Only Evening with a Sorcerer



Saint Clare's parish in Braintree is having an Evening of Magic for Adults only. Be dazzled and amazed at this Performance on Friday, October 14 at 7 p.m. in the parish hall, downstairs of church.

What is the matter with these people?

What's next?

A parish trip to Hooters to play with ouija boards?

CC 2117: All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others – even if this were for the sake of restoring their health – are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.

UPDATE

A few comments have reminded me that we should be clear about Catholic teaching on magic in general and what makes this particular event at Golgotha so screwball.

Simply stated, 'magic' becomes problematic when the 'magician' does things that violate laws of nature.

Card tricks, pulling a rabbit out of a hat, pulling a quarter from behind your ear and other slight-of-hand tricks that use distraction - these are not problematic.

Let's use David Copperfield as an example of what can go awry when you dance on the border of 'magic'. Most of Copperfield's 'tricks' involving sophisticated equipment and flexible women are harmless. About twenty years ago his illusions graduated to making building and statue of liberty 'disappear' in front of live audiences. The tricks were done with obstacles and lights and were not a problem in substance. Yet this starts to get out of my comfort zone. Copperfield has the money and time but we don't have the same kind of confidence about a local guy who could take you to the parking lot of a KofC and make the building disappear.

Again, making things 'disappear' using distraction and optical illusion is harmless but similar tricks could be used by people using power only the devil can supply. Why on earth would I want to give my children the impression it's all harmless? We open the door to things and people who would introduce harmful things. It's a stupid thing to do.

On it's face, it is very little difference to the uncatechized. They won't know the difference. Our people do not have the skills to know the difference. Children do not have the skills to know the difference.

Consequently, any kind of 'magic' show does not belong in your parish hall. The Church hall is not a public event venue for money changers and all forms of entertainment. It's a place reserved for things for teaching, a gathering place for people who have just received the Body and Blood of Christ, a place to bring a speaker or hold an event that is Catholic. You are ten feet away from Golgotha. You are standing on holy ground. Guard this space in your parish accordingly. Just like Christ did.

Any kind of 'magician' that involves or appears to involve mind reading or a stranger having personal knowledge or communications about you, your family, your dead relatives, your future or your past is a form of divination.

2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility.

2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future.48 Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone


What is wrong with this particular event?

1. It's an inappropriate use of holy ground.
2. It pastorally opens up stupid people and the uncatechized to events and people who are using divination and powers of the devil.
3. It's an R-rated-adults-only event, which should alert lucid people that something is askew. Thecontent could be sexual or vulgar in nature or includes some form of divination.


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Want to go, we can throw Holy Water at them! This is too much!

Anonymous said...

This is Jorge's Church! What else would you expect but blasphemy, sacrilege, perversion and a bit of archaic, vestigial Catholicism to augment the deceit.

This is EXACTLY how subterfuge works.


Karl

Anonymous said...

"Be dazzled and amazed" by "the god of surprises" and "make a mess" and "pay no attention to the man behind the booth or that lightning strike on St. Peter's".

Jefe' said...

Good luck with this crux.. according to their bulletin the performer has down his show at holy cross. see below:

WOW2IT’S MAGIC! Adults, you will be dazzled and amazed at this Magic Show (adults only, please) on Fri- day, October 14th at 7:00 PM in St. Clare’s Parish Hall. Jack Ryan is past President of Boston’s Society of Ameri- can Magicians and his show is very entertaining so please join us! He’s performed at Holy Cross, for Big Brothers Association and on TV. He’ll perform “magic of the mind” as well as classic magic with audience participation. Don’t miss this performance! Desserts will be served. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased now thru Oct. 9th at St. Clare’s before and after all Masses. Any questions please contact the Parish Office at 781 848 7480.

Felix M said...

Let's not be too hasty. It may simply have been magic tricks, such as producing a rabbit from a hat or guessing which card someone selected. No sin involved in stuff like that.

Restore-DC-Catholicism said...

Here it is in their bulletin, on page 3. https://content.parishesonline.com/bulletins/03/0550/20161009B.pdf

Anonymous said...

Carol, it's time to pull the plug on the post conciliar church and go back to just being Catholic. There is Catholic Mass downstairs at the Cathedral ever Sunday morning, go with the tried and true. Just let the rest go with their magic, their gaming of Catholic teachings to please the world and the rest of the nonsense.

TTC said...

Thanks Jeff and Janet!

I have questions all right!

Felix, what part of adult entertainment of "the magic of the mind" do you not get is likely not pulling a rabbit out of a hat and card tricks? That would not be something restricted to over 21 would it?

The room under the sanctuary is not a function hall open to money changing and magIc shows.

TTC said...

Felix, I've updated the post to be more clear about what's wrong with this event.

TTC said...

Anon,

Where do you park when you go in? I had problems finding a space last time I went in.