What are paranormal events? 

Strictly speaking, a paranormal event is an  "other than normal," or supernatural, event for which their is no possible natural or scientific explanation. There are many different types of events which fall under this category.

On the upside, some of these include: visions and visitations of angels and saints and even Christ Himself, the reception of the stigmata, eucharistic miracles, bodies of holy persons which do not decay, and miraculous spiritual gifts like prophecies, words of knowledge, tongues, the ability to heal or to raise persons from the dead, and more. 

On the down side, we are taking about strange creatures, UFOs, ghosts, demons, and bizarre human abilities that sometimes don't seem so "friendly," like the ability to set things on fire by thinking about it.

 At Mary Mission, it is our firm belief that although many events in this world might go unexplained by any natural standard, ALL of them can be explained in the context of our beautiful Christian faith.

Through Catholic tradition (the ideas and stories passed on by the Holy Catholic Church that deepen and round out our understanding of Scripture) we know that many of the Saints experienced paranormal situations and continue to today. Thus we press forward in our faith that God will make the unknown "known" in the age to come and for now do the best to remain on the Holy side of the Spiritual reality..... disciplining ourselves for the purposes of godliness. 

The most common investigations of paranormal phenomena by paranormal research groups today revolve specifically around hauntings. As more and more people experience interactions with unseen spirits in their homes and daily lives, paranormal researchers have been able to gather more information and have now settled on a  classification system that categorizes hauntings into distinct groups: 

1. A Residual Haunt.

This is a haunting where events of the past are replayed by spirits over and over again. In it's essential form, this haunting is basically energy that repeats past events, occurring regardless of human interaction. (In other words, whether people are in the house or not, the haunt continues.) This haunting is characterized by repeated noises and visions that seem to loop themselves continually. Often if a physical object or person gets in the way of that cycle, it appears that the object or person is being interacted with when in actuality the spirit is only continuing to do the same thing. If you place the object or person out of the "path" of the spirit, there will be no interaction. This type of haunting is usually considered benign by paranormal research groups.

2. An Intelligent Haunt.

 This is a haunting where a spirit  or several spirits specifically interact with their human surroundings. These types of haunts vary in their activity and intensity, but are often characterized by attachments by a spirit to an object or person, are begun by "opening a door" (either through something as innocent as beginning renovations in a home, or through specific invitation such as using an ouija board, etc) In these haunts, people report all types of different phenomena. Some include hearing footsteps or voices, whispers, being touched, objects moving on their own, seeing fleeting shadows and doors opening and closing on their own. Paranormal researches further classify intelligent haunts into two categories: 

              Human Spirits

                Human Spirits seem to be spirits of persons who were once human, interacting with living souls. We find these human spirits sometimes want something, are sometimes lost or apparently confused, and have often been the victims of injustices. These can range in experience from benevolent to malevolent just as the range in human "goodness" in persons who are physically alive can vary. They can appear as children, adults, men and women. Just as we do in life, these spirits can demonstrate tastes, desires, emotions, and often a need for attention.

              Inhuman Spirits

                Inhuman Spirits are spirits which never were human to begin with. Paranormal researchers classify these entities as animal spirits, angelic spirits, and demonic spirits. Experiences vary widely  with inhuman spirits and these are often the most misdunderstood. One thing is certain, however. Even non-Christian investigators find that they will periodically encounter "dark" inhuman spirits and recognize their malevolent intent. Investigators vary in their choice of methods to remove or banish the presence if deemed "dangerous."

What does the Bible say? 

Christians know that the demonic realm can manifest in many, many forms. At Mary Mission, we believe that all inhuman spirits which are not specifically angelic in nature (bringing a message from God or a visitation or vision of a Saint)  are demonic. We are careful when naming "angels" as heavenly.... we believe, for instance, that the angels seen by Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and the "prophet" Muhammed, the founder of Isalm, did, in fact, exist. However, we know from Galatians 1:1 that if an angel from heaven bring a gospel different than the one Paul preached, they are actually accursed. Since both angels brought messages of "new and improved" gospels contrary to the ones preached in Scripture, we believe those entities to have been demonic in nature. We believe certain Marian apparitions are demonic in nature. We know that Scripture says that Satan is a "liar and the Father of lies." We also know that he takes certain truth and twists it with a nearly imperceptible lie for our destruction, just as in the garden. We also know he prowls the earth like a roaring lion, seeking those whom he could devour. We believe that his goal is the destruction of souls. 

We also believe that most intelligent haunts of apparently human spirits are actually disguised demonic entities looking for a foothold. In our experience, persons who are experiencing an interactive haunting activity are in danger of being coerced into seeking a relationship with otherworldly spirits masquerading as "lost souls." Too often we have seen a seemingly "innocent" haunt ( a little girl without a mommy, etc) start off benign and rapidly escalate to dangerous and out of control as the family develops a relationship with "her." When we act as consultants on a paranormal case, we tread very, very carefully no matter how "friendly" the haunt might seem to be. Experience and Scripture tells us that Satan is a very good liar.

We have found, however, that in some cases of residual hauntings, there was no real interaction, even when we attempted to provoke a spirit into manifesting. Thus, it is our personal belief (and Church teachings, of course, while not directly addressing ghosts, point to this truth) that some persons caught in a "residual" type haunt are actually souls in a state of purgatory--- reliving events of their lives in a purgative state, and that we are being allowed to see them to pray for the release of their souls towards heaven. In these cases, we have found that if we specifically intercede for these souls to be released from the sanctification process, they are often removed from the home or site and appear to "move on."

Last thoughts

Christians need to be guard at all times. The adversary is crafty, and unless we are rooted and grounded in Scripture, we are easily swayed into false doctrine and eventually won over. In paranormal research today, there is an obvious disconnect between a biblical worldview and what "appears" to be true. When dealing with the paranormal, it is crucial for the wellbeing of the human souls involved that adherence to Scripture and the tradition of the Church be the first resort of the person seeking help. We have too often seen persons turn to the help of "psychics," "witch doctors," "shamen" and the like to solve a paranormal problem, only to discover that the consequence was the loss of their eternal soul. We recommend always that persons dealing with paranormal events seek the help of experienced Christians who will lead them always towards Christ.

Be safe out there.