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Satan, it would seem, does not act in an arbitrary manner to tempt us. Rather, he is more of a master hunter who carefully sets traps, or a skilled fisherman who, having studied our behavior chooses just the bait he thinks most effective. He’s calculating, and clever.Sadly most of us, by comparison, are far less calculating and clever in seeking to avoid temptation and sin. We seem more often to engage in the wishful thinking that no trouble will befall us, and our strategy seems to live more with dumb luck. Would that we were as ingenious in holiness as...

Is the devil real? Here is Msgr. Ronald Knox on that: “It is stupid of modern civilization to have given up believing in the devil, when he is the only explanation of it.” Monsignor Knox, eminent British convert, author, retreat master and translator of the Bible, may have been indulging in irony. But irony doesn’t change the fact that the devil and his demonic associates exist. I came across the Knox quote in Manual for Spiritual Warfare, newly published by Tan Books and edited by Paul Thigpen. “Like it or not,” Thigpen begins his thoughtful introduction, “You are at...

What Is Temptation, Why Does God Permit It, and What Are Its Sources? By: Msgr. Charles PopeI will be on the Catholic Answers radio show today (Monday, March 23) at 6:00 PM Eastern Time. The topic will be temptation: what it is and how to avoid and overcome it.  I’ve assembled some notes in preparation and I’ll present them (in two parts) in the blog. Today’s post focuses on what temptation is, why God allows it, and what its sources are. Tomorrow I’ll present the second half of the notes, which center on how to avoid and overcome temptation.What is Temptation? A seminary teacher of mine once defined...

This rare and disturbing footage has been released of a woman writhing around on the floor and screaming as an exorcism is performed on her in Argentina. The 22-year-old woman, identified only by her first name Laura, is pinned to the ground as Bishop Manuel Acuna, 52, drives the evil spirits out of her. As she screams ‘No, No’ and spits ‘Whore’ at one of the women holding her down, Bishop Acuna is heard muttering: "Leave, leave her now." Before the exorcism, locals gathered at the Lutheran Charismatic Church in the capital Buenos Aires, praying for her soul and redemption....

How Can a Demon, Driven Out, Return With Seven More? A Meditation on a Puzzling Parable By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe Gospel for the Third Sunday of Lent in the Extraordinary Form features the puzzling parable about the cast-out demon who returns with seven other demons. What is most puzzling is that finding the house (soul) “swept and clean” brings further trouble. One would think a house that is swept and clean is a good thing.How can we understand this parable? As is often the case, recourse to both the subtleties of the Greek text and the context can help us.For reference, here...

Satan at His Most Subtle: A Reflection on the Temptations and Traps of the Pious By: Msgr. Charles PopeWhat is temptation? Temptation is the work of Satan to drag you to Hell. And Satan can read you like a book and play you like piano. Do not exaggerate his power, but do not underestimate it either.Some of his subtlest work is done in the area of religious observance. There, he can cloak himself quite easily in the lamb’s clothing of piety, but, wolf that he really is, distort it, either through excess or defect, thereby destroying you with what...

A Parable on the Lies of the Devil and the False Promises of the World By: Msgr. Charles PopeOne of the great illusions under which we labor is that if we just get one more thing from this world, then we’ll be happy. Perhaps if we just had a little more money, or a better job, or the latest iPad, or if we were married to so-and-so, or if we just lived in a better neighborhood … then we’d be satisfied and content at last. But “at last” never comes, even if we do get some of the things...

<p>In the worst tragedy in seven years at the annual Muslim pilgrimage, 244 worshippers were trampled to death and hundreds more were hurt beneath a crush of people making their way to a ritualistic stoning of the devil.</p> <p>Panic ensued when a few pilgrims fell on a bridge, and others tried to escape the push of the oncoming crowd, authorities said. Safety measures were in place at the site -- one where fatal stampedes have been frequent -- but "caution isn't stronger than fate," Saudi Hajj Minister Iyad Madani said.</p>

When And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the...

Perhaps the first clue, or the ten thousandth, was when many Democrats opposed the reinsertion of God into their party’s platform in 2012 and booed the judgment that the measure to do so had passed. But now it’s all but official: The Democrats are the party of the Devil. Here’s the story, courtesy of CBS Boston: Ruth Provencal is a devout Catholic whose favorite phrase when saying goodbye has now thrust her into controversy. “I would say ‘thank you for voting, God Bless you,’” Provencal explains. After serving as an election volunteer five times, the 67-year-old was told to stay...

The Satanic Temple of Florida has submitted coloring books and satanic fact sheets to Orange County schools for consideration and possible distribution. The book is filled with satanic imagery, from horned goats to books with eyes and tongues. Here are some of the pictures the satanists hope students will color in the near future:

Pope Francis greets the faithful at St. Stanislaus parish in Rome on May 4, 2014. Credit: Lauren Cater/CNA. Vatican City, Oct 30, 2014 / 08:53 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his homily on Thursday, Pope Francis said that the devil is more than an idea, and in order to fight him, we must follow St. Paul’s instructions and put on the armor of God which protects us. “In this generation, like so many others, people have been led to believe that the devil is a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil. But the devil exists and we must...

Father John Hunwicke writes, "The Holy Father has criticised the fault of 'wanting to close oneself within the written word, and not allowing oneself to be surprised by God, by the God of surprises; within the law, within the certitude of what we know and not of what we still need to learn and to achieve'. (He went on to make balancing criticisms of other and contrary attitudes.) When the first wave of Ordinariate clergy were being 'formed' at Allen Hall, our teaching was solidly, insistently, based upon the Conciliar and post-Conciliar Magisterium. This meant the written words of Vatican...

Divisions among Christians “hurt the Church and they wound Christ,” Pope Francis said to tens of thousands of visitors gathered in Saint Peter’s Square Wednesday morning. During her journey through history, “the Church is tempted by the devil who tries to divide it,” the Pope said, and unfortunately, “she has been marred by serious and painful divisions.”

So the greatest trick of the Devil is convincing people he doesn’t exist? Pope Francis is not impressed. Starting with his very first homily as the bishop of Rome, Pope Francis has regularly reminded believers that the Devil is real, that we must be on guard, and that our only hope against him is in Jesus Christ. Here are are 13 of Pope Francis’ most direct quotes on the matter. Read all the quotes here: http://www.churchpop.com/2014/10/07/13-pope-francis-quotes-oldest-foe-devil/

(CNSNews.com) – Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a Marxist and long-time friend of Communist Cuba and who Ronald Reagan once described as a “little dictator,” criticized Israel’s actions against Hamas terrorists as genocidal and said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “appears to be possessed by the Devil” and “needs Pope Francis to exorcise it.” "Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to be possessed by the Devil, he needs Pope Francis to exorcise it, to become appeased,” Ortega was quoted as saying on Aug. 1 in Globovision. Ortega also said that Israel is “committing genocide” in Gaza, a crime so “terrible that it is...

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.( Revelation 12:1-3)We return to the vision of John the apostle, in Revelation 12, which explains the spiritual reality behind the phenomenon of anti-Semitism. The woman is Israel. As in Joseph’s dream, she...

Despite always believing in the existence of good, evil and God, ex-New York Police Department sergeant Ralph Sarchie didn’t consider himself a particularly religious guy — that is, until he began battling what he says are dangerous, supernatural forces. Sarchie, a self-described demonologist who was once a cop for the 46th police precinct in New York City — and the inspiration for the new Hollywood film “Deliver Us From Evil” — told TheBlaze that he believes possessions and infestations are on the rise. “It’s definitely on the rise. I hate to say it,” Sarchie said in an interview. “As society...

If I Were the Devil If I were the Prince of Darkness I would want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I'd have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. So I should set about however necessary, to take over the United States. I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whispers to you as I whispered to Eve, "Do as you please." To the young I would whisper "The Bible...

Men and women chatting through social network commit a sin because it could lead to a relationship that is prohibited in Islam, a senior Saudi scholar has said. Sheikh Abdullah Al Mutlaq, a member of the Gulf Kingdom’s seven-man Supreme Scholars Committee, urged men and women to avoid such conversations even if they include medical or religious advice by male or female experts. “These conversations amount to illegitimate male-female meetings and are an act of the Devil,” he said, quoted by Arar newspaper. “Most of these conversations are personal and only God knows what they include…but the Devil is there...