ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on May 12, 2004

Dear Tannianly: Thank you for your question. The questions on this forum are not really to Joe or me. I am the primary Host and Joe is co-host. How we decide who answers which question has mostly to do with time and availability. Joe works full-time as a Lotus Developer and has a wife and kids. His time is far more limited than mine as a hermit working in full-time ministry. For this reason I answer most of the questions. Even though you have asked this question specifically to Joe, for example, he is not available this week to answer; so I am answering this one. I hope that is okay. Anyway, on to your question.... It is true that demons can attach themselves to object. Demons are desperately wanting to attach themselves to something rather than be consigned to the abyss. We see this desperation in the story if the Legion of demons that asked Jesus to send them into the herd of swine. Often interesting pieces of art from cultures that are steeped in shamanism and the like have actually been "blessed" to some demon. Missionaries have often had problems when coming home when the locals give them a interesting art piece. What the missionaries do not realize is that the art may have been cursed. They bring it home and begin to have demonic problems. Items such as the Ouija boards are usually infested with demons because of the very nature of the item. This includes other items specific to the occult and demonic such as tarot cards and other instruments of divination. If one has any item of the occult, witchcraft, or the like it should not be merely thrown away as it could give risk to someone else. The item, if burnable, should be blessed by Holy Water, given a simple exorcism, then burned completely. Bury the ashes in the backyard. Items that will not burn, but can be broken apart should be blessed, exorcized, and then broken as much as it can be broken, then buried in the ground. Items that cannot be destroyed with reasonable effort, such as a some crystal, diamonds, or other gems or stones should be blessed, exorcised, and then buried in the ground. The Holy Water blessing and exorcism is done together. A prayer such as the following can be used. Dear Father in Heaven. We (I) have come to possess this object which is a _________ that I believe may be infested with demons. [if one has brought this object in the house knowing it was something a Christian should not have -- such as a Ouija Board, Tarot Cards, etc, then the person should seek the Sacrament of Confession BEFORE praying this prayer and then at this place in the prayer offer the following:: Father thank you for forgiving us (me) for bringing this _________ into the house. We (I) should have known better and have carelessly allowed this evil into our (my) lives (life). In the Sacrament of the Church You have forgiven us (me) for this indiscretion and sin. I now ask, Lord, that all the residue left from this sin be cleansed from my soul and all the ground taken by the devil and his minions because of this sin be taken back and claimed for the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.'] .... going on with the rest of this prayer.... We (I) ask You, Father, to rid this object of any demons attached to it and send those demons to where You want them to go. We (I) ask You, Father, to also cast away any demons that have come into our household and family because of the presence of this __________. Protect us, Father, from any and all infestations, harassments, or other attacks or permissions the demons may have had to disturb our (my) household and family. Father, we (I) thank You that You have given us the authority to ask this of You. We now ask that You, Father, to bless this __________ in the holy name above all names that make the devils tremble, and by the blood, of the Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son. We (I) ask You Father to cleanse and to cast away from this __________ any and all demonic entities infesting it and also all the demonic entities that have come into our (my) home and into our (my) family's lives. We now anoint this ____________ with Your Holy Water, which is a reminder of our own baptism, making the Sign of the Cross upon it as a symbol of the cleansing waters of God to wash this _________ clean of all evil. [make the sign of the cross with the Holy Water on the item]. Father, we now destroy this _________ as best as we are able so that it no longer resembles what it was. Again Father we make the sign of the Cross with Your Holy Water on the burned (broken) remains of this ___________ in affirmation that the power of evil was broken when Your Son gave Himself on the Cross for us. [make the sign of the cross with the Holy Water on the burned or broken remains of the item]. Father, we now bury the burned (broken) remains of this __________ in affirmation that evil has been buried and will continue to be buried in the pits of hell for all eternity. Lastly Father, we sprinkle the ground with Your Holy Water where we have buried the remains of this _________ in announcing to the devil that we take back the ground that this evil thing has taken in our (my) lives (life). Let the watering of this earth bring about a new springtime that nourishes the sweet flower of the Son. [make the sign of the cross with the Holy Water on the ground where the item is buried]. Finally dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for hearing our (my) prayer and freeing us (me) from the harassments of the devil and his minions that may have been brought into our (my) house by this ________. We (I) so desire to be free from these harassments of the Evil One. We (I) come to You again with humble heart and with the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed Sts. Bruno, Denis, Dymphna, Rita of Cascia, Lucian, Marcian, Margaret of Fontana, Quirinus, Ubaldo, Lucy Bulfalari, Philomena,Teresa of Avila, Bernadette of Lourdes, and St. Benedict, and all the saints and angels of heaven, and holy in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in asking You to remove and cast out from us (me), our (my) house, and our (my) family all the evil entities and influences that may have been brought into our (my) lives (life) by this _________, and from all other sources; free us (me) from the devil’s harassments and oppression; cancel and destroy all curses or other evil works brought against us (me), our (my) household and family; free us (me), O Lord, of all things not of You and help us (me) to realize Your Victory and Your Freedom that is found in your Son, Jesus Christ. Heal our (my) soul; bring peace and comfort to us (me) and our (my) household. We (I) ask all these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ confident in Your wisdom and love, accepting all that Your Will has for us (me). Amen and Amen. By the way, if a person has several items, all the items my be prayed over, blessed, broken up, and buried together. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For Assistance with Spiritual Warfare problems please go to our How We Can Help You page. For a direct link to sample Spiritual Warfare prayers see our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog