CROWN POINT – Presentations on the eve of the Lenten season at St. Mary parish provided the faithful with both stark observations and hopeful insight as two diocesan priests discussed spiritual warfare.
More than 100 parishioners and guests attended two sessions during the annual Lenten family event, one led by Father Kevin Huber, St. Mary pastor, and another by Father Christopher Stanish, vicar general and moderator of the curia.
The seriousness of the topics, where terms like “good” and “evil” were spoken as often as the names “Jesus” and “the devil,” was reflected by disclaimers for the sessions, noting the talks were for mature audiences. The sessions included the recitation of prayers of deliverance and protection for the guests and church buildings.
In Hammes Hall on Feb. 19, Father Stanish sought to assure those who took time out of their Sunday afternoon that the discussion would not be about superficial or fanciful topics, but more about a struggle of body, mind and soul.
“Evil spirits can put barriers around your heart and try to convince you that spiritual warfare does not exist,” said Father Stanish.
In the “battle for your mind,” demonic forces – especially Satan, the fallen angel who led a rebellion against God – use tactics that twist people’s imagination, memory, emotions, reasoning and perception to rob them of clarity and lead them farther from the truth, according to Father Stanish.
“Our intellect helps us make judgments; if our intellect is not clear, it’s hard to make judgements,” the vicar general continued.
Father Stanish said understanding how the evil one manipulates people can afford them more power to resist. But the faithful must also avail themselves of the sacraments of the Catholic Church.
A scan of news with the troubles in the nation and world can lead to anxiety and despair. But Father Stanish said the evil one also sows the seeds of deception, discouragement and doubt into the busyness of people's modern lives.
The ultimate solace in human beings’ struggles to maintain a relationship with God is to “remember who you are,” knowing that the Good Lord “helps us to have that strength to fight the good fight.”
St. Mary parish’s deeply spiritual and psychological offering was not designed for children, so families’ youngsters were offered lessons and art projects in a classroom coordinated by Sister Joanne Marie Schutz, SSCM, pastoral associate, and Marian Weeks, director of religious education.
Addressing more temporal issues – specifically, that guests had become hungry – church volunteers served ten soups for conference-goers to choose from along with bread, which they broke together.
Crown Point resident Mike Wills was accompanied by his wife and his young daughter, who joined the other children during the presentation. He said he was interested in hearing the distinction between big extraordinary spiritual warfare battles and the more everyday things.
“Those things that stood out to me were how imagination and perception can put you at warfare with yourself … It's helpful that they are explained in more depth,” said Wills, who volunteers as an aide in St. Mary’s religious education program.
Wills continued, “I especially appreciate (the encouragement to) make more time for prayer, where there are daily distractions …'Oh, I just need to take care of this or that.’ When that’s happening, I try to remind myself and ask, 'Hold on, what’s most important?’”
Father Stanish talked about the monkey wrenches that were thrown into the works, perhaps by nefarious spiritual forces, during preparation for the spiritual warfare sessions. He explained that the original presenter had to cancel due to a death in her family. So, he stepped in to deliver, in lieu of Catholic author and evangelist Kathleen Beckman.
Bolstering the attendance at the Lenten Family Day were 17 women from Holy Spirit parish in Winfield. Though not members of a nuclear family, the ladies said personal invitations among their faith family helped draw the sizable contingent.
Fay Iorio of Holy Spirit said, “I liked the imagination example – that it can be used for good or bad … I tend to magnify things that are nothing and make them a big deal, when I should just accept it as it is.”
On Feb. 20, Father Huber began his spiritual warfare presentation in St. Mary church with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Offering prayers for everyone attending, he would later broach the topic of “perimeter prayer” or blessings for homes.
Father Huber did not hold back on sharing potentially frightening accounts of what he believes to be the manifestation of evil as it played out in his assistance to the diocesan exorcist.
Saying that demons are attracted to electronics, a disturbing presence followed him for days after he prayed over a man believed to have been possessed by evil spirits.
“My phone would freak out; my car windows would go up and down,” Father Huber recalled.
He asked the audience to pay attention to the distortion that was apparent in the church’s audio system during his remarks: “Do you hear that hum? That never happens here.”
Though he said, “Satan’s primary goal is to destroy our souls,” the power of Christ is victorious over evil. “God is here, he did not leave us alone … he hunted down Satan’s power through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.”
Father Huber summarized five key points found in Beckman’s books including “A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Strategies for Deliverance and Healing.” They concern the protection of loved ones.
He spoke about blessing the home, maintaining intimate communion with God, making sacrificial offerings, affirming the dignity of those around us, and offering prayers of deliverance.
Father Huber concluded by saying, “The real key to protecting ourselves in spiritual warfare is Jesus.”
St. Mary parishioner Carol Ziemniak accompanied her sister Susan Woerner to the Monday evening presentation. Calling her a “guardian angel,” Ziemniak said she was blessed with her sibling’s presence as she endured dark times and made her way into the light of grace-filled days.
“I had already been through some troubled times in my life … but I never even thought it was evil coming into my life. I did not know if I should end my life or walk forward,” Ziemniak said. “The answer was to keep walking forward. I cleaned my life up and I went to confession, trying to better myself.”
The high contrast of feelings she experienced has helped her to see the redeeming power of faith.
“I was so glad I went through all that mess,” Ziemniak said. “Now here I am living in God’s glory. I am very happy.”