Priests warn against purchase of Ouija Boards
Catholic clergy are pleading with Irish teenagers not to “open up the dark side” by buying ouija boards this Christmas.
Google has predicted that the modern version of the game will be a sell-out this Christmas.
Ouija boards, which include the letters of the alphabet, the numbers one to nine and the words ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘goodbye’, are used in an attempt to contact the dead. Clerics anticipate that there will be a huge demand at Christmas and the new year for Catholic priests to deal with the consequences of using the boards. Two West of Ireland schools recently sought help to deal with the negative impact of meddling with ouija boards.
Vincentian priest Fr Pat Collins, one of the few specialists in Ireland who dealt with the impact of ouija boards and exorcisms, warned that it was “irresponsible” to give ouija boards as gifts.
“As faith has weakened, many Catholics have adopted New Age and occult beliefs and practices,” he said.
Retreats
A Co. Galway parish priest, who did not want to be identified, said he often met teenagers at retreats who admitted they had dabbled with ouija boards.
The priest said that most people using ouija boards were no more than 15 or 16 years old. He warned that, while the initial use of the ouija board might seem user-friendly, it could eventually “trap” anyone involved.
Sleeplessness
The parish priest said the use of ouija boards could cause sleeplessness, moodiness, questioning of faith and a “heavy feeling”, with thoughts of suicide.
He warned that users of ouija boards were sometimes “instructed” not to leave the room, but he said that confession could cancel out the influence of any evil spirits.