There are several red flags in this story. The fact that Aunt I. doesn't speak but has a concerned look on her face, may mean that her aunt is in purgatory and God has allowed her to appear to ask for prayer. This is usually the case when a spirit appears and does not speak, merely stands there looking forlorn or sad or suffering.

However, the therapist doesn't suggest this, which I would expect to do being a devout soul. The Lord would surely communicate to her in some way, perhaps through her spiritual director, why He was allowing this visitation. Her peculiar behavior after one sighting, of leaving the room as if to collect herself, and then coming back and offering no further information, is also disturbing.

The only other possibility is if this woman is engaging in the occult art of necromancy, in which case I would suggest she be avoided like the plague, regardless of how devout she might seem. Many mediums claim to be Catholic and can appear to be very devout. For instance, Teresa Caputo (Long Island Medium) has a Blessed Mother statue on her front lawn and claims to be a practicing Catholic. Another medium named John Edward sometimes prays the Rosary before contacting deceased relatives for his Catholic clients.

In fact, I have heard of a case of an Extraordinary Minister who claims to be able to “see” dead people standing alongside congregants who come forward for Communion. This person, just like so many other mediums, sincerely believes that this is a “gift” from God.

It’s not.

And it’s a perfect example of how Satan operates.

First of all, he’s more than capable of knowing what your “Aunt I.” looks like and communicating this to a medium. He can appear in bodily form, speak, or transmit information about a deceased loved one as easily as you and I can gobble down a piece of freshly-made cheesecake. Remember, even though Satan fell, he is still possessed of enormous preternatural powers that the human mind cannot comprehend, let alone discern without help from God.

He’s also more than capable of assuaging the Catholic medium’s conscience by convincing him or her that this is a special ability that sets them apart from others – which naturally appeals to our tendency toward pride. If he’s dealing with someone who is devout, he’ll also convince the person that what they are doing is an act of compassion and mercy, that their ability to contact a deceased loved one and give messages to survivors will bring great relief to bereaved families and help them to get on with their lives.

In other words, he’s very, very good at disguising himself so it should never surprise us when even a person who listens to EWTN all day and attends daily Mass falls into his trap. If the greatest saints can fall for Satan’s lies, so can the rest of us. (For example, St. John Vianney was convinced three times by Satan to give up his parish work in Ars to join a monastery. It wasn’t until a wise Abbott discerned the ruse and sent him back to his parish that the devil was found out and vanguished.)

The therapist mentioned in this email is being duped by Satan and should be encouraged to repent of her “gift” both personally and sacramentally. Because she was in direct personal contact with evil spirits, she should also see a priest who is adept in the occult to help her overcome any bondage that might have occurred as a result of her involvement in this practice.

As for the rest of us, the first thing to do is never fall for the temptation to believe you’re too spiritually advanced to be fooled by Satan. This is one of his most successful tricks! We can all be fooled and the only way to avoid it is to come to an ever deeper understanding of our own misery through sincere self-knowledge. The more convinced we are of our own weakness, the more likely we are to turn to God for help rather than rely on ourselves. God is the only One who can vanquish this dreadful foe.

Second, arm yourself with Mary and let her fight your battles! Consecrate yourself to her, preferably through the methods outlined by St. Louis de Montfort in True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Follow this up with investiture in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and wear it with confidence that Our Lady will keep her promises of protection.

Third, make a daily habit out of specifically praying for spiritual protection. It can be something simple, such as, “Jesus, please keep me safe from the evil one today” or a prayer written for that purpose.

Fourth, get better acquainted with your guardian angel. Remember, your angel has all of the same preternatural powers as Satan and is more than capable of going to battle for you. All you have to do is ask!

Last, regardless of how “holy” the person may appear to be, always remember what the Lord says in Scripture about those who practice necromancy:

“There must never be anyone among you who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire of sacrifice, who practices divination, who is soothsayer, augur or sorcerer, weaver of spells, consulter of ghosts or mediums, or necromancer. For anyone who does these things is detestable to Yahweh your God . . .”

There are no exceptions to this rule. Regardless of who is practicing it, the Lord regards necromancy as an abomination and would never contradict Himself by allowing for so-called “devout” people to practice it, even to console others.

Needless to say, the person who wrote this email was advised to find another therapist.