Father Richard Rohr, OFM (Wikicommons)
Anonymous asks: “I have a Protestant friend who is very interested in the writings/teachings of Fr. Richard Rohr. I’m afraid my friend may be getting wrong ideas about our Church. I don’t know why I have a strange feeling about this Priest, when I really know next to nothing about what he teaches. Do you know if his writings are orthodox and loyal to the Magesterium? Am I completely off-base, or should my friend be warned about Fr. Rohr?”
The enneagram is enjoying a new popularity these days, mostly driven by a new generation of Catholics who are seeking a connection with the transcendent in ways other than those proposed by mainstream religions. The fact that the Enneagram has occultic roots has kept many people away from the use of this device, but others are bypassing this rather significant roadblock by inventing a whole new Christian history of its roots. But how well does this new history stand up to serious scrutiny?
LL writes: “I have a son, Chris who is a reiki master and is now taking a course called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I did a bit of research on this and it looks very new age. Is this something you have touched on in your program before?”
CM writes: “I checked the Cochrane Collaboration for an answer to this question. They did not seem to have any info. What do you know about EDS (Electrodermal Screening) or EAV Meridian Assessment? My doctor uses this as one of his evaluation methods. . .
We have had numerous inquiries about a religious order based in Brazil known as the Grace Mercy Order which is promulgating alleged messages from Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph. Even though this order incorporates the Divine Mercy Chaplet into its activities, it is not a Catholic organization and does not reflect a Christian worldview.
GG asks: “I heard about people who are lighting candles at a certain time every night and reciting an incantation about how the united flames of the candles will eradicate the coronavirus. Is this the same thing Catholics do when they light votive candles?”
If you were listening to this week’s edition of Wacky Wednesday on Women of Grace Live radio, you heard about a strange new ritual that is cropping up across America since the COVID-19 pandemic began – howling at the moon at a certain time of night. What is this all about?
CP asks: “I have an acquaintance who is a member of something known as ‘The Temple of Gaia,’ in Seattle. She has been quite closed-mouthed about this organization; yet, on weekends, she attends services there while her husband attends Christian services. This seems odd to me and I do not trust whatever this is. It seems centered on women’s spirituality and green energy. The woman in question is a former Mormon and is hostile to that faith. Do you have a perspective on this?”
MC writes: “My sister has been going to a “life coach.” Can you tell me where did the Life Coaching movement come from? How is it tied to the New Age?”
During this time of international crisis, it’s very tempting to employ Eastern meditation techniques such as mindfulness meditation in order to escape our anxiety. But if we want the kind of peace that will carry us through this pandemic and beyond, we need to build it upon the right foundation.
