We were recently called by the owners of a house used as a rental to pick up any material items inside the home we wished to have. The renters had recently moved out and are now living elsewhere. We always love calls like this.
One of our truck drivers (who spent time in the seminary) noticed, tucked away, in the corner of the basement, an altar dedicated to Satan, along with multiple demonic items, books, statues, swords and other things difficult to describe. It looked to him that something akin to incense was burned to evil spirits.
We found out that it was the couple’s son and girlfriend who were responsible for this and that the parents were unaware of the goings-on in the basement.
After the astute material donations specialist saw the spectacle, I received the call as what to do. After a brief conversation with our diocesan exorcist, I headed over to the house, along with my manual of minor exorcisms and holy water to bless and exorcise the home.
Upon arriving, I was met by our crew of men and the Catholic couple who owned the home. They were happy to see me, to say the least. Before long, the house was blessed and exorcised and the aforementioned objects and swords are now where they belong – in the city landfill.
After getting this call, I thought of a couple I know who bought a home that was infested with demonic spirits. After buying the home they learned that a satanic witch lived there and performed many demonic rituals prior to the purchase. During the night they heard doors slamming and scratching on the walls. All these things ceased after the home was blessed by a priest.
Just before typing these words, I talked to a cousin of mine who bought a home in Nebraska, and after moving in, felt a cool, evil breeze blow past her and her family members – despite the air conditioner and furnace being off and the windows being closed, along with the sense of evil. They later learned that someone committed suicide in one of the bathrooms. Now please do not read this to mean that all who commit suicide are damned! Like the home mentioned above, this all ceased after a house blessing by a Catholic priest.
Oh, the power of a priestly blessing! If people realized this more fully, we priests would be constantly giving blessings to people we meet while in public. That said; please remember that it is a good idea to have your home, business and car blessed.
And remember the power of blessed holy water. I have fond memories of my parents blessing us children at night with holy water after our nighttime prayers. Please also be reminded of the power of the St. Michael the Archangel prayer and the prayer to our Guardian Angels.
If you never have had your home blessed, please do not hesitate to call your parish priest. I am confident he will happy to come over along with some holy water. “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!”
