Letters

New Age

Yana Di Pietro and Magenta Ray

Contents - Apr 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: New cardinals: Benedict XVI signals his intentions - Michael Gilchrist Conscience: Dissenters' appeal to Rome 'a real hoot' says Cardinal Pell - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Books: Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church EarthSong: Green Christianity or a new paganism? - Michael Gilchrist Salesian Missions: Cardinal Pell visits East Timor - Michael Lynch SDB Creation: Intelligent Design and the war against God - Stephen Hitchings The Domestic Church: The Christian Family Movement: re-evangelising through families - Leslie Sammut Has just punishment had its day? - Fr Matthew Kirby 1973 Decree: A Fourth Rite of Reconciliation for Queensland? - AD2000 Music and Culture: Benedict XVI, Mozart and the quest for beauty - Mark Freer Letters: Religious education - Saskia Ebejer Letters: Action needed - Kevin McBride Letters: New Age - Yana Di Pietro and Magenta Ray Letters: Translations - George Simpson Letters: National suicide - Greg O'Regan Letters: Anti-life politicians - Robert Bom Letters: RU486 - Brian Harris Letters: Courageous example - Arnold Jago Letters: Inclusive language - Ottavio Kos Letters: Overseas priests - Peter Gilet Letters: Leadership needed - Tom King Letters: Church of England - Jim Turley Letters: Religious life - Barbara Chigwidden Books: Swear To God: The Promise and Powers of the Sacraments, by Scott Hahn - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Mother Angelica, by Raymond Arroyo - Stephen Hitchings (reviewer) Books: Fr Martin D'Arcy: Philosopher of Christian Love, by H.J.A. Sire - Michael E. Daniel Events: Holy Week 2006: Classical Roman Rite in Melbourne Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: The redeeming Cross: at the centre of Christian faith - Cardinal George Pell

It was with great interest that we read Wanda Skowronska's article "New Age paganism's creeping influence within the Church" (February AD2000).

As ex-long-term New Agers who have recently converted back to the Church, we agree with Wanda that the New Age Movement has successfully infiltrated sections of the Catholic Church.

It is precisely because we had spent so many years in the New Age studying and practising its disciplines that we were able to detect its presence in our own parish.

Are you in a yoga class? Do you receive Reiki as a form of healing? Are you participating in any form of meditation or guided visualisation? Have you adopted astrology as a belief? Are you allowing an Alternative practitioner to perform spiritual healing or give you spiritual advice? Are mantras and affirmations a part of your daily routine? Do you study the kabbalah for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment? Do you believe crystals have the power to heal?

This is by no means a comprehensive list of New Age practices and serves only to initiate questions and conversations within the Church community. Ask your parish priest about the New Age. Ask him if it is in your parish and community

Our concern that most Catholics do not know what the New Age is, what its beliefs and practices are, how to identify it and most importantly, why it is not compatible with the teachings of the Church.

If you are concerned that the New Age Movement may have inadvertently led you astray then we suggest you read the Vatican document "Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life" at www.vatican.va for a full explanation of the New Age. We also recommend the book Ransomed From Darkness by Moira Noonan.

YANA Di PIETRO & MAGENTA RAY
Melbourne, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 3 (April 2006), p. 14