Dear Jon:

When I was doing Therapeutic Touch I had abandoned God. In fact, I said God was nothing more than cosmic plasma. When I was with God, before and since then, I instinctively knew such things as asking questions to a spirit was wrong. "Instinctively" refers to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit that is within every single validly baptized person. The Holy Spirit was still in me when I had abandoned Him, but He was under a lot of garbage. It was the fact that the Holy Spirit was with me, even when I wasn't with Him, that saved my life and brought me back to Him.

When you said you became "suspicious" that was the Holy Spirit speaking to you. My point is that huge number of Catholics apparently do not listen to the still small voice, and do not pay attention intellectually to their faith. If they did listen to the Holy Spirit and pay attention to their faith these people would not get into these things which are obvious occult matters on their face in the first place. One doesn't even have to be a first grader in the faith, let alone a expert in the occult, to listen to the Holy Spirit and pay attention to his faith.

We live in a time in which several generations now do not pay attention. Of teenagers in the United States, for example, 11% cannot even identify the United States on a unmarked globe. That is not a result of bad teachers or bad schools, that is kids not paying attention. These same kids have no problem knowing where the South Sea island is for the TV show, "Survivor". Apparently they pay attention to some TV.

However, any person who walks across the room when the weather is broadcast can see a map of the United States. There is no excuse for an American teenager not identifying the United States on a map.

Our "faith literacy" is equally as bad, not only among Catholics, but amongst many other denominations. Interestingly enough, the fundamentalist denominations, such as the Baptist, usually have no problem instinctively knowing to stay away from occult matters. It is a scandal that Baptists have a higher faith literacy than Catholics who belong to the only True Church in the Fullness of the Faith established personally by Jesus Christ.

I am sorry if you are offended by my previous and these remarks, but instead of being offended and defensive, I suggest you learn your faith. Do not rely solely upon a priest. Read for yourself the Catechism of the Catholic Church, from cover-to-cover, and refer back to it often. It has excellent indexes in the back to look up specific topics.

Now, in your case, with severe depression, your ability to make sound judgments is probably impaired. But is not non-existent. To help you in learning and making sound judgments it is good that you ask questions. That is how one learns.

As to your questions:

You need to stop worrying about all this and rather live your life as a good Catholic as best your can. You are focusing on the wrong things Focus on Christ. Keep your eyes on Christ, and not the storms around you, and you can walk on water (Matthew 14;24-31).

1. Is it possible that something bad could result from all this in the future? (disease, tumors, bad luck) I've been told by a very religious person that tumors can result as a result of occult involvement. Do you think your health problems are a result of your involvement with Ther. touch?

Disease comes from natural causes. On rare occasion a disease may have a demonic influence. Anything is possible. Such questions, however, is what got you in trouble in the first place. It is not for us to know the future. Trust in God. Jesus said, (Matt 6:34)  "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Mat 6:34  "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. "

2. I don't understand "sins of the fathers". Because of my past involvement, should I not have children? I don't want the same sins repeated in my offspring, just b/c I was born first.

This question reveals the lack of your knowledge in the faith. If you get married, unless you or your wife are sterile, you are to have children, since the marital embrace is always to be open to life. If you intend to not have children then you cannot be validly married in the eyes of God.

The sins of the Fathers refers mostly to the fact that children learn what they see. They watch their parents and will tend to make the same mistakes as their parents. If they see anger, they will be angry, if they see a lack of trust in God, they too will lack trust, if they see worry about the future, then too will worry about the future, etc. 

3. Iss it likey that my offspring would repeat the same sins

See 2 above.

4. has the "door been closed" from affecting a future line of the family, since all has been confessed and I said the prayers you recommended. Does this shut off the sins of the fathers scenario, especially since I yet to have children?

In terms of the "sins of the fathers" on the spiritual level, each generation should pray the prayer to Renounce Ancestral Sins. Each generation needs to close the door for themselves while they are adults. While the kids are under the protection of the parents the parents closing the door does so for the kids while they are children.

There is a pattern here. You are concerned about the future. You are not trusting God and thus you are made vulnerable to Satan's temptations to worry about the future and try to find out about it. STOP IT. This is not about depression, this is about scrupulosity (obsessiveness) about the future .

As Jesus said, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."

I want you to repeat that verse three times a day for the next three months and each time you are tempted to distrust God about the future. even after the three months.

We will certainly be praying for you.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary