Sects of New Religious Movements: A Pastoral ChallengeIssued May 3, 1986 by the Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, the Secretariat for Non-Christians, the Secretariat for Non-Believers, the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Secretariat of State
Multimedia
Astrology, Reiki and the EnneagramCatholic Answers Live interview with Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ, an exprert on the New Age Movement (requires RealPlayer)
Beware New Age CatholicismCatholic Answers Live interview with Moira Noonan, former New Ager (requires RealPlayer)
EnneagramCatholic Answers Live interview with Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ, expert on the New Age Movement (requires RealPlayer)
Gods of the New Age MovementCatholic Answers Live interview with Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ, an exprert on the New Age Movement (requires RealPlayer)
Are there Sects in the Catholic Church?by Christoph Schönborn OP. The Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna asks whether there are groups in the Church whose thinking constitutes sectarianism within the Church herself.
Better Marxist than Catho-Satanistby Giovanni Ricciardi. This article from 30Days discusses the proliferation of satanic-type sects since the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.
Course In Brainwashingby Tracy Moran. Catholics across the country are alarmed at the increasing popularity of a New Age phenomenon known as "A Course in Miracles," a system of spirituality proponents claim is the "Third Testament" of God to His people.
Course in MiraclesEd Hryczyk explains the movement known as 'A Course in Miracles' founded by Mrs. Helen Schucman who claims to receive channeled messages. The 'spirit' denies the divinity of Christ and claims to find errors in the Sacred Scriptures.
Dispelling The Charms of Wiccaby Mary Zurolo. An article about Wicca, a neo-pagan religion, its appeal to modern society especially teens, the risks involved and how you can recognize whether or not someone is involved in its practice. (from Catholic Faith & Family, 24 October 1999)
Keys to Understanding Growth of Esoteric CultsZENIT article on an address in Mexico by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, on the growth of esoteric cults and occult sciences being experienced by Western culture.
Pastoral Statement on Transcendental MeditationIssued in 1979 by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, on certain doctrinal aspects of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field.
Responding to ProselytismLetter of California's Hispanic Bishops concerning the drift of Hispanic Catholics to other religious communities.
Sophia, Goddess?'Among other aberrations many feminists seem to be trying to present Sophia, Wisdom, as a goddess.' Fr William Most comments.
Spiritualismby Fr Herbert Thurston SJ. Spiritualism was the precursor to today's New Age movement and is still a strong movement in its own right. An expert explains its dangers. (from This Rock, March 1995)
Statement on Fátima Crusaders (of Spokane)Bishop L. Welsh warns people of the errors of the group known as the Tridentine Latin Rite Church, also called the Fatima Crusaders (not to be confused with the magazine of Fr. Nicholas Gruner)
Teacher Lesson PlanThis program was used for several years in the Archdioceses of Philadelphia and New York, especially in the Catholic Schools. Covers the Sociology of Cults 1963-1981; Cults Ideologies; Cults Methodologies Recruitment and Mind Control; and Cult Guilt
Theosophy: Origin of the New Age (Part 1)by Fr CC Martindale SJ. The New Age movement had its start not in ancient times and not in our own time, but in the 19th century. The article identifies the culprits and dissects their beliefs. (from This Rock, February 1996)
Wanderer Interviews Richard Noll : Paul LikoudisRichard Noll is the author of The Jung Cult: Origins of a Charismatic Movement and a clinical psychologist and a post-doctoral fellow in the history of science at Harvard University.
New Age & Cults