'Ghostbuster' clergy needed in every diocese, says churchman    

 EVERY diocese in the country should have a specialist who can be
 called on to assess possible supernatural occurrences such
 as "poltergeists, hauntings and demonic infestations", according
 to a leading writer on spiritual issues. 

 Vincentian priest Fr Pat Collins makes the call in the current
 issue of the religious periodical, "The Furrow".
 [http://www.thefurrow.ie/ Volume 56, Number 2, February 2005]

 He also says that a special conference to discuss these issues is
 needed that would bring together theologians, psychologists,
 parapsychologists and experienced exorcists which would aim to
 "explore this aspect of ministry". 

 Fr Collins, who has written books on spirituality, says he
 regularly receives calls from people around the country reporting
 "strange happenings" in their homes. "They range from footsteps,
 sounds of crying, smells, objects moving, to electrical
 appliances going on and off." 

 He writes that his usual practice is to refer such people to
 their local priest for help, but that they would "recount how
 the priests they had spoken to had either dismissed their stories
 in a sceptical manner; said Mass or prayers in the house without
 any discernible effect; admitted that they were not competent to
 help; or referred them to someone like myself."

 Fr Collins says that as a result of this lack of response from
 most priests, many Catholics are instead turning to "New Age
 practitioners, spiritualists, psychics and other non-Christian
 helpers". 

 He writes that the Church needs to find a more systematic way
 of responding to queries about possible supernatural phenomena
 and to this end each diocese should appoint a specialist or
 expert in the area. 

 "Those who want to deal effectively [with reported supernatural
 occurrences] need to be au fait with psychology, the paranormal,
 the notion of the restless dead, and the possibility of
 infestation by evil. Like good doctors they diagnose what the
 nature of the problem is, and then try to come up with an
 appropriate remedy. 

 "Not all priests would be expected to know about such things,
 any more than all doctors would be expected to know all about
 rare diseases. Good doctors refer difficult medical cases to
 specialists. 

 Surely priests should be able to refer difficult cases, to do
 with such things as poltergeists, hauntings, and demonic
 infestation, to diocesan specialists. Otherwise those who are
 afflicted may have recourse to New Age practitioners,
 spiritualists, psychics and other non-Christian helpers," he
 said. 

 Fr Collins calls for a conference designed to pool knowledge of
 the area. "For some time now I have felt that there was a need
 for a conference which would explore this controversial area
 with the help of such people as theologians, psychologists,
 parapsychologists, and experienced exorcists. It would aim to
 explore this aspect of ministry with a view to increasing
 experiential knowledge and forming an association of experts
 both clerical and lay," he said. 

 Fr Collins says that many Christians have given up belief in the
 supernatural because of the influence of secular ways of thinking. 

 He writes: "While they accept basic beliefs, such as the existence
 of God and the prospect of an afterlife, they are sceptical about
 ... angels, miracles, healings, exorcism, etc. They really don't
 believe in the possibility of pre-rational or extra-sensory forms
 of religious experience." 

 As a result, he says, "there is an increasing number of people in
 Ireland, including some clergy, who, for all intents and purposes,
 adopt a naturalistic or liberal point of view."

 http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1331096&issue_id=12024

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