Himalayan saltJB writes: "Salt inhalation therapy is reported to provide natural relief for allergies, asthma, and respiration conditions. A friend of mine had good results using a dry salt inhaler, and I have read many positive anecdotal reports about this. Is this a new age therapy?"
MM asks: Is there anything wrong with Mindfulness Meditation? It sounds like it's nothing more than living in the present moment. Could there be anything wrong with that?
During a popular video podcast in Peru, self-proclaimed visionary Erica Serrano told listeners in this predominantly Catholic country to use a consecrated host in a purification ritual and to ward off “toxic people.”
During his annual address to the world’s ambassadors to the Vatican yesterday, Pope Francis called for an international ban on the “deplorable” practice of surrogacy, saying that it “represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child.”
KB writes: "My husband practices this mindfulness type of meditation, including a body scan meditation. He does a shorter one in the morning, about 15 or 20 minutes, and the body scan in the afternoon, which takes about 45 minutes, for stress reduction and as a way of dealing with anxiety. The other day he chose to skip family prayer time in favor of this meditation . . . "
Catholics are still dying for the Faith. In 2023, 20 men and women from nearly every continent laid down their lives for Christ, including a mother and daughter who were killed in Gaza as they walked into a Catholic church, two young students who were killed when a bomb was detonated at a Mass in the Philippines, and a Nigerian priest who was burned alive in his rectory.
BS write: "I read your article that stated the Vatican considers Chiropractic new age. You give the history of chiropractic treatment and it’s definitely a concern to me after reading it. Do you really consider Chiropractic dangerous? My Chiropractor is a practicing Christian and never talks about any energy fields or healing touch which would have definitely been a red flag for me. I have been helped so much by Chiropractic. But want to know if you really think I am playing with the occult."
KM writes: "I have tried to teach my children, the prayer of silence, where I ask them to sit and close their eyes and just to focus on God and to try not to think of anything else. Is that O.K? I thought that was what contemplation was, but sometimes it’s difficult to figure out. I hope that is not the Catholic equivalent of mind-blanking."
MN asks: "Is there anything wrong with taking the family pet to a holistic vet? Our cat has had bladder problems in the past, and we are buying special food for him from the vet, but he has put on weight and we would rather consult with a vet who can recommend a homemade cat food recipe that is less expensive and healthier for him. We have had a history with our pets getting cancer, and we are concerned that commercial pet foods may be partially responsible."
To begin a new series of catechesis on the virtues and vices, Pope Francis spoke about the necessity of understanding the dynamics of evil and temptation and why it is so important to guard the heart against the wiles of Satan.
