Strange happenings

[WarriorAngel]

Thank you for the confirmation, @Michie .
Before quoting Fr. Ripperger, I wanted to be sure it would be okay to do so here.

What really struck me, when reading the Intro to Fr. R's book (Deliverance Prayers For Use by the Laity), was his discussion on authority.

When I was a Pentecostal Protestant, I was taught that we all have the spiritual authority to bind/cast out demons out of anyone.
But my beliefs on that have changed abit. mostly because of things I have seen and experienced. Things like spiritual 'retaliation'.
Spiritual retaliaton is a real thing; Fr. R talks about it. Even offers a prayer of protection against it.

But with regards to spiritual authority, below is what Fr. R believes and discusses in his book Intro.
(This isn't copied from his book ... I found it posted elsewhere on the internet.)

What Fr. Ripperger shares makes sense to me. But that's not why I share it ...
I share it because many Catholics consider him to be an expert on deliverance prayer.

BEFORE YOU SAY THESE PRAYERS​

Guidelines for Deliverance Prayers for the Laity

1) The prayers included in this section are for use by the Laity.

2) The prayers in this section are typically phrased to be used for praying over oneself. All individuals have authority over their own selves and bodies and thus they are free to use both imprecatory prayers (directly commanding demons to leave) and deprecatory prayers (prayers directed to God to cast out the demons).

3) In the case of praying these prayers for others who are not under their direct authority, we recommend the faithful adjust the prayers so that they are directed to God, thus making it a deprecatory prayer. For their own pastoral protection, we recommend that faithful not use imprecatory prayers, ie., directly commanding demons to leave, over others whom they do not have authority.

4) In accordance with natural law, the laity have authority over their own selves, their spouses and their children. In these cases, they have the authority to use imprecatory prayers.

I have found numerous Catholic prayers that use parenthesis to explain what the laity can pray and what the clergy pray.

There is a long version of the prayer to St Michael for the Church.

I have prayed for souls by offering up Mass, the Eucharist.
I have prayed over people with the Rosary.

Prayer must be consistent and daily.
I remember in my 40 day consecration prayer to St Michael that loved ones and personal items be protected... etc

And just rest in faith that somehow the consecration, most likely, marks us for protection. I've seen that in some prayer I pray.

So here's the thing...

For many years I have had dreams of loved ones passed asking me to 'watch over' this or that person/people.
Even including friends. So I pray over them and myself and I know I am supposed to.
And I sense who to pray over.

I had a very odd experience last month a man came to my store with some terrible ideas and he kept watching me and looking at me.
I don't wish to share what he said but I prayed and he seemed confused and finally left.
No idea who he was. But I didn't like him near me.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I remember reading a long time ago that the devil or demons can leave a stink behind if they come to "visit". I think it was in an article to do with spiritual warfare.

My "guess" is that is what you were experiencing. I suppose that in the annals of spiritual warfare it's probably not unusual.

I've often said that the night my father died he appeared in my room. The last I saw was him giving a terrifying scream and shaking from head to foot. Then he promptly disappeared.

I don't normally mention this but a few minutes later there was a strong stink in the room.

Prior to his departing scream we had a real conversation. Most of the time he was looking at something behind and above me with a look of awe on his face (I suspect he was looking at the judgement seat), or trying to hide his face behind his hands (at those times I think he was seeing less salubrious aspects of his life in the front of the divine gaze and he couldn't stand it).

I wasn't allowed to see whatever it was. Whenever I turned arouind to see what he was looking at all I could see was the wall. I probably would have been struck dead if I had viz. "No man can look at my face and live".

For what it's worth when he started the final episode he turned to my left. Had the divine throne been directly behind me then it would also have been to the "left" of the throne.

In anthropromorphic terms, Christ spoke about the sheep going to His right, and the goats to His left. But the episode with my father was private revelation, so you can do what you like with it.

As for the stink, I think my father had just disappeared into Hell with one almightly scream, and Hell was still sort of "present" in the room. I was an atheist at the time and so had no real idea what was going on. I did my best to ignore it but I'm afraid the memory was there to stay. And I don't remember dreams - I couldn't tell you the contents of a single dream in my life, but I remember that episode from 44 years ago almost word for word.

So my guess is that the OP was getttig a taste of demonic reality. After all if the criminals did repent and turn to Christ, the devil would not like it. He was making his displeasure known with the OP's prayers.

Whenever I get a bit of demonic hassling at night, I find the "Hail Mary" seems to be helpful. Catholic exorcists say Mary seems to be very important in exorcisms. Protestant exorcists of course use prayer and scripture (as do Catholics), but the Catholics seem to think Mary is very effective.

Exorcists Witness: Mary, Defender Against Demons - Catholic Exchange

Catholics traditionally consider the month of May as a time of particularly deep Marian devotion. Contemplation on the exalted life, mission, role and dignity

catholicexchange.com

Was your dad atheist, too?
I prayed over him, may he rest in peace, if he is able.
Pray anyway.
We cannot know what dreams actually mean for absolute certain.
There is the depths of purgatory a step over hell....

Also if he cannot receive any aid, someone else would. God Bless.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Thanks all for your comments and advise! When I was at my son's we were playing music on his porch. I put on gospel and prayed that the blood of Jesus be a force against the evil at that house. I felt a good feeling go through me then. When the people came out of that house, instead of giving evil stares and saying bad things, they just looked down at the ground and I could feel that they were feeling 'shy'. My son even commented on the same thing.
I've gotten into a spiritual battle and I'm not sure what else to do other than pray, pray and pray! I will use the St. Michael prayer along with the Our Father.
I'll check out your video, Michie. I need all the help I can get right now.
Thanks again all!

I am so glad.

I pray daily for my enemies.

It is so that despite some being terrible giving into temptations, He is Unconditional Love.
He LOVES all.
So despite the things I have dealt with, I pray for them.
This eliminates ill feelings in myself and it helps me to please Jesus, because He hurts that nobody offers up 'protection' for those in most need.
May our prayers for others help transform them.

 

[Chrystal-J]

Have you had a chance to talk to your priest about them? It sounds like it could be a sign of contradiction or something. Do you recall more specifics about the smell? Like rotten eggs?

I haven't been able to talk to my priest because he's mobbed by people after Mass. But I will go to confession soon and tell him then. The smell was similar to rotten eggs. It was awful and it filled the room.

 

[Chrystal-J]

Was your dad atheist, too?
I prayed over him, may he rest in peace, if he is able.

My dad is on the fence, but leaning toward Catholicism. The rest of the family was hardcore atheists. My son is an agnostic and his wife was into wiccan (I don't know if she still is.)
Thanks for the prayers!

 

[Chrystal-J]

Well, no clue how all that got lined out... but [yeah I do] and so I prayed...
because bugging...

And prayed to St Michael.

Thank you for the prayers.

 

[Chrystal-J]

I remember reading a long time ago that the devil or demons can leave a stink behind if they come to "visit". I think it was in an article to do with spiritual warfare.

My "guess" is that is what you were experiencing. I suppose that in the annals of spiritual warfare it's probably not unusual.

I've often said that the night my father died he appeared in my room. The last I saw was him giving a terrifying scream and shaking from head to foot. Then he promptly disappeared.

I don't normally mention this but a few minutes later there was a strong stink in the room.

Prior to his departing scream we had a real conversation. Most of the time he was looking at something behind and above me with a look of awe on his face (I suspect he was looking at the judgement seat), or trying to hide his face behind his hands (at those times I think he was seeing less salubrious aspects of his life in the front of the divine gaze and he couldn't stand it).

I wasn't allowed to see whatever it was. Whenever I turned arouind to see what he was looking at all I could see was the wall. I probably would have been struck dead if I had viz. "No man can look at my face and live".

For what it's worth when he started the final episode he turned to my left. Had the divine throne been directly behind me then it would also have been to the "left" of the throne.

In anthropromorphic terms, Christ spoke about the sheep going to His right, and the goats to His left. But the episode with my father was private revelation, so you can do what you like with it.

As for the stink, I think my father had just disappeared into Hell with one almightly scream, and Hell was still sort of "present" in the room. I was an atheist at the time and so had no real idea what was going on. I did my best to ignore it but I'm afraid the memory was there to stay. And I don't remember dreams - I couldn't tell you the contents of a single dream in my life, but I remember that episode from 44 years ago almost word for word.

So my guess is that the OP was getttig a taste of demonic reality. After all if the criminals did repent and turn to Christ, the devil would not like it. He was making his displeasure known with the OP's prayers.

Whenever I get a bit of demonic hassling at night, I find the "Hail Mary" seems to be helpful. Catholic exorcists say Mary seems to be very important in exorcisms. Protestant exorcists of course use prayer and scripture (as do Catholics), but the Catholics seem to think Mary is very effective.

Exorcists Witness: Mary, Defender Against Demons - Catholic Exchange

Catholics traditionally consider the month of May as a time of particularly deep Marian devotion. Contemplation on the exalted life, mission, role and dignity

catholicexchange.com

After my mom died, I dreamt that I was in a house that was filled with demon-looking zombies. I ran out of the house and ran to safety behind a wall, but I could hear my mom's voice. She was trapped in the house. She yelled to me over the wall "It IS bad, you were right."
I pray daily that she's in purgatory. But, only God knows where she is. Seeing my atheist relatives dying makes me sad and worried. But, I have to remember that they made their own decisions and I have to accept that.

 

[WarriorAngel]

After my mom died, I dreamt that I was in a house that was filled with demon-looking zombies. I ran out of the house and ran to safety behind a wall, but I could hear my mom's voice. She was trapped in the house. She yelled to me over the wall "It IS bad, you were right."
I pray daily that she's in purgatory. But, only God knows where she is. Seeing my atheist relatives dying makes me sad and worried. But, I have to remember that they made their own decisions and I have to accept that.

I prayed over her. Pray.

 

[WarriorAngel]

My dad is on the fence, but leaning toward Catholicism. The rest of the family was hardcore atheists. My son is an agnostic and his wife was into wiccan (I don't know if she still is.)
Thanks for the prayers!

There are no real atheists, just bitter angry and ignorant folks.
I shall pray with you for them.
HUGS

 

[Bob Crowley]

Was your dad atheist, too?

He was atheist, but had been baptised Catholic. Somewhere along the line he lost his faith. My mother said that when he was young he was an altar boy to the Archbishop of Sydney (that would have been way back in the 1930's when I believe his family lived in North Sydney somewhere).

I prayed over him, may he rest in peace, if he is able.
Pray anyway.
We cannot know what dreams actually mean for absolute certain.
There is the depths of purgatory a step over hell....

Also if he cannot receive any aid, someone else would. God Bless.

In his OWN words on the night he died "It's too late for me ... all I was expected to do was to look after my own family and I didn't even do that!"

At another point he blurted out "Son! You've got to forgive me!" I snarled back "You treated me like dirt and now you expect forgiveness!"

He replied "Son, it's not for me. It's for you. It's too late for me ...." Then he added "If you don't (forgive me) you'll destroy yourself!"

Like I said I still remember pretty much what we said on that night 44 years ago.

I do pray for him along with other family members, former neighbours, work mates, suicides etc once a week as I have a weekly schedule of different categories so to speak.

But I don't hold out much hope for him to be honest, and I don't miss him one little bit. If he hadn't changed, I wouldn't like to be stuck with his bad tempered vindictiveness for eternity.

I'll add a bit more of a private revelation. My old Presbyterian pastor said to me once in his office "I think when I get up there, I'll ask to see him (ie. my father)". He never met him incidentally - my father had been dead for nearly four years by the time I met the pastor.

Sometime later I had what I think was a vision of the pastor eventually meeing my father and the exchange went something along the lines of ...

Pastor - "You've been down there all that time (13 years by the time the pastor died) and you still haven't learnt anything!!"

My father (almost sneering) - "What's there to learn?? That I'm doomed!!"

Pastor (after a moment's silence) - "Yes, well, you can go back now." When he said that my father turned away, screamed and disappeared.

I think praying for him is a waste of time. I don't think he went to Purgatory.

As CS Lewis remarked in one of his essays, "The gates of Hell are locked on the inside." For some reason they don't want to change.

As an aside, my old pastor said to me once "I think Catholics soft pedal judgement. I think they do anyway."

I suspect that in our compassionate humanity we hope everyone gets to Purgatory. I don't think so.

It wasn't a dream. He turned up that night and I think he was told to apologise for the way he had treated me, as that's how the exchange started.

I'm not the only one either - a lady who lives in a retirement village not far away said something white sat on the foot of the bed on the night her husband died. She said she was freaking out - she wondered what the hell was going on! Then this thing spoke - it was her husband and he apologised for all the abuse he'd given her. But what interested me even more was that her eldest daughter had exactly the same experience - he apologised to her as well. She said that of all the children he was most abusive to her by far.

What happened after that I don't know - it may have stopped at an apology. But I think he was sent to apologise to both of them immediately after he died.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I'll another aside. I saw a psychiatrist for a few years, originally for depression. I was on Prozac for some time and it helped. As the psychiatrist said "When you've been depressed for a long time, your brain chemistry changes. Prozac very slowly changes it back again."

But he was also quite spiritual, and like me a Catholic convert from Protestantism, although he made his commitment at a much younger age. I think part of it was a "double whammy" (his words) which is like a very strong breath going through you in waves from head to foot. In his case I think he was running around an oval and pondering whether to become Catholic or not. In my case the first time it happened was at "Scripture Union" camp when I was wondering if my new Christian faith was based on reality or just a psychological prop.

When I copped the "double whammy" I knew it was real, although nobody else knew about it unless I chose to tell them. God remained hidden as ever.

But in one of our chinwags about 3 or 4 years ago he said to me "Something strange happened last weekend!" I asked him what it was.

He said he'd been going to a Catholic church in a suburb called Indooroopilly when they announced a parishioner had died that morning. But she'd also been a patient of his so he knew her well.

He went on "She was in the church!" He could see her. He said she seemed to be trying to get his attention, but after a while gave up and moved to the other side of the church. He said he thought she might have had family members on that side of the church.

If you're wondering why he didn't say anything to her, I can think of a couple of reasons. First there would have been the element of complete surprise and second he was probably the only parishioner who was allowed to see her. Try talking to a "ghost" in church that only you can see and see what happens. He'd have been referred to psychiatric care himself!

With hindsight I sometimes wonder if he was given that experience as a sort of backup for my own story of my father turning up in my bedroom the night he died. I suppose I could have said "Well, I've told you often enough about my father turning up the night he died. Now you've had your own experience, so you don't have much of an excuse for not believing me!"

And I'll bet there are quite a number of people who could claim similar experiences but in our cynical atheist society they don't say anything for fear of being ridiculed.

The irony is that the atheists will find out one day just how WRONG they were!

Like my father.

 

[WarriorAngel]

He was atheist, but had been baptised Catholic. Somewhere along the line he lost his faith. My mother said that when he was young he was an altar boy to the Archbishop of Sydney (that would have been way back in the 1930's when I believe his family lived in North Sydney somewhere).


In his OWN words on the night he died "It's too late for me ... all I was expected to do was to look after my own family and I didn't even do that!"

At another point he blurted out "Son! You've got to forgive me!" I snarled back "You treated me like dirt and now you expect forgiveness!"

He replied "Son, it's not for me. It's for you. It's too late for me ...." Then he added "If you don't (forgive me) you'll destroy yourself!"

Like I said I still remember pretty much what we said on that night 44 years ago.

I do pray for him along with other family members, former neighbours, work mates, suicides etc once a week as I have a weekly schedule of different categories so to speak.

But I don't hold out much hope for him to be honest, and I don't miss him one little bit. If he hadn't changed, I wouldn't like to be stuck with his bad tempered vindictiveness for eternity.

I'll add a bit more of a private revelation. My old Presbyterian pastor said to me once in his office "I think when I get up there, I'll ask to see him (ie. my father)". He never met him incidentally - my father had been dead for nearly four years by the time I met the pastor.

Sometime later I had what I think was a vision of the pastor eventually meeing my father and the exchange went something along the lines of ...

Pastor - "You've been down there all that time (13 years by the time the pastor died) and you still haven't learnt anything!!"

My father (almost sneering) - "What's there to learn?? That I'm doomed!!"

Pastor (after a moment's silence) - "Yes, well, you can go back now." When he said that my father turned away, screamed and disappeared.

I think praying for him is a waste of time. I don't think he went to Purgatory.

As CS Lewis remarked in one of his essays, "The gates of Hell are locked on the inside." For some reason they don't want to change.

As an aside, my old pastor said to me once "I think Catholics soft pedal judgement. I think they do anyway."

I suspect that in our compassionate humanity we hope everyone gets to Purgatory. I don't think so.

It wasn't a dream. He turned up that night and I think he was told to apologise for the way he had treated me, as that's how the exchange started.

I'm not the only one either - a lady who lives in a retirement village not far away said something white sat on the foot of the bed on the night her husband died. She said she was freaking out - she wondered what the hell was going on! Then this thing spoke - it was her husband and he apologised for all the abuse he'd given her. But what interested me even more was that her eldest daughter had exactly the same experience - he apologised to her as well. She said that of all the children he was most abusive to her by far.

What happened after that I don't know - it may have stopped at an apology. But I think he was sent to apologise to both of them immediately after he died.

Your dad is in purgatory.
BUT he was looking out for you and he was humbled.
He showed great love.
Mostly to protect you over himself.

And alas, you should forgive him. Remove that last angry argument from your heart and let him move towards Heaven.

You see it one way, but in truth he was pleading for you.
An act of love is what takes us to Heaven... but we must purge.

 

[Michie]

Nobody can say where anyone is residing after death…that’s up to the Lord.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I'll another aside. I saw a psychiatrist for a few years, originally for depression. I was on Prozac for some time and it helped. As the psychiatrist said "When you've been depressed for a long time, your brain chemistry changes. Prozac very slowly changes it back again."

But he was also quite spiritual, and like me a Catholic convert from Protestantism, although he made his commitment at a much younger age. I think part of it was a "double whammy" (his words) which is like a very strong breath going through you in waves from head to foot. In his case I think he was running around an oval and pondering whether to become Catholic or not. In my case the first time it happened was at "Scripture Union" camp when I was wondering if my new Christian faith was based on reality or just a psychological prop.

When I copped the "double whammy" I knew it was real, although nobody else knew about it unless I chose to tell them. God remained hidden as ever.

But in one of our chinwags about 3 or 4 years ago he said to me "Something strange happened last weekend!" I asked him what it was.

He said he'd been going to a Catholic church in a suburb called Indooroopilly when they announced a parishioner had died that morning. But she'd also been a patient of his so he knew her well.

He went on "She was in the church!" He could see her. He said she seemed to be trying to get his attention, but after a while gave up and moved to the other side of the church. He said he thought she might have had family members on that side of the church.

If you're wondering why he didn't say anything to her, I can think of a couple of reasons. First there would have been the element of complete surprise and second he was probably the only parishioner who was allowed to see her. Try talking to a "ghost" in church that only you can see and see what happens. He'd have been referred to psychiatric care himself!

With hindsight I sometimes wonder if he was given that experience as a sort of backup for my own story of my father turning up in my bedroom the night he died. I suppose I could have said "Well, I've told you often enough about my father turning up the night he died. Now you've had your own experience, so you don't have much of an excuse for not believing me!"

And I'll bet there are quite a number of people who could claim similar experiences but in our cynical atheist society they don't say anything for fear of being ridiculed.

The irony is that the atheists will find out one day just how WRONG they were!

Like my father.

Souls cannot pray for us in hell and have them answered [to my knowledge].

And I will gander that your dad has prayed in purgatory for your conversion so as not to suffer as greatly.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Nobody can say where anyone is residing after death…that’s up to the Lord.

Mystics of the Church have conversed with souls.
We ourselves cannot judge their worthiness.
But for some, the Lord gives the gift of knowing where they are in purgatory for His own reasonings.

 

[Michie]

Mystics of the Church have conversed with souls.
We ourselves cannot judge their worthiness.
But for some, the Lord gives the gift of knowing where they are in purgatory for His own reasonings.

Sketchy at best imo. We rely on God’s mercy and He will apply prayer where He see’s fit. Personal revelation is not worthless but we should not take these things for granted either.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Sketchy at best imo. We rely on God’s mercy and He will apply prayer where He see’s fit. Personal revelation is not worthless but we should not take these things for granted either.

I see his dad as 'transforming' before death.
His dad pleading for him to change...
Jesus said He would pay the last hour of workers as the same as the ones who worked all day.
The fact he was seeking to help Bob came from a place of selflessness.
That he did not get to confess his sins leaves a long time in purgatory but he could be saved through the fire.

'He worked' in the last hour. He confessed his error [humbled] and sought to help/protect his son from the error of his ways in teaching him.

IMHO, The Lord was seeking to save him and Bob.

 

[WarriorAngel]

The depths of purgatory are similar to hell.

I knew a guy who passed and in a dream he asked me for help. [prayers]
In someone else's dream they saw him being beaten and whipped [in a place very sensitive] next to a man who was half a torso also being beaten.
And fire...
IF I remember, and I do not precisely, he was also on a cross being beaten which I think is a punishment for disavowing the Church.
And or attacking the Lord or holiness before seeking forgiveness.
Anyway the one who dreamed this has no concept of religion.
He later dreamed of the same man dressed up in a bright light and smiling at him... to which he was upset because who this man was to him and what he did.
TBH he was a pedarest.
He was raised Catholic and the one who dreamed of him was so so angry with him.
[as you can understand why]
So when I tried to explain purgatory and Heaven and him seeking forgiveness before death but having to suffer he was not happy.
So much so he never talked to me again.
He was actually hoping he was suffering. But he had so many issues to get through may he find it in his heart to forgive and not take the hate and anger with him.

 

[Michie]

I see his dad as 'transforming' before death.
His dad pleading for him to change...
Jesus said He would pay the last hour of workers as the same as the ones who worked all day.
The fact he was seeking to help Bob came from a place of selflessness.
That he did not get to confess his sins leaves a long time in purgatory but he could be saved through the fire.

'He worked' in the last hour. He confessed his error [humbled] and sought to help/protect his son from the error of his ways in teaching him.

IMHO, The Lord was seeking to save him and Bob.

You have a lot more nerve than I do WA, I’ll say that.

 

[mourningdove~]

It wasn't a dream. He turned up that night and I think he was told to apologise for the way he had treated me, as that's how the exchange started.

I'm not the only one either - a lady who lives in a retirement village not far away said something white sat on the foot of the bed on the night her husband died. She said she was freaking out - she wondered what the hell was going on! Then this thing spoke - it was her husband and he apologised for all the abuse he'd given her. But what interested me even more was that her eldest daughter had exactly the same experience - he apologised to her as well. She said that of all the children he was most abusive to her by far.

What happened after that I don't know - it may have stopped at an apology. But I think he was sent to apologise to both of them immediately after he died.

I believe it wasn't a dream.
And thank you for sharing your experiences.

Many years ago, my first husband suddenly died.
We had a nice lunch together in our home and then I went back to the office for the afternoon.
When I got home at 5:30, I found him lying still on our back patio.
He had gone into cardiac arrest and died, while doing one of his favorite things ... yard work.

We never got the opportunity to say goodbye ... or so I thought.
For shortly after he died, one night he did come to 'visit' me ... to say 'goodbye', in his very special way.
It is something I will always remember.

We do not understand so much about death, the spiritual things surrounding death, things happening afterwards, as some of us might like to think that we do. Some things will remain a mystery to us, untll we meet in the next life with the Lord and He explains these things to us ...

But we do know that we belong to a loving and merciful God, Who knows what we need, and when we need it.
And when He knows we need it, He will provide it. That's the kind of Loving Heavenly Father He is!