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Priest bans church hall psychic event
A priest has banned a psychic event from taking place at a church club.
Liverpool medium Joe Power was set to appear at St Cuthbert's Catholic Club in Pemberton on March 7, but has now been informed that the event will not be going ahead.
Mr Power's manager, Claudine Hope, says the event had been advertised for weeks and has attracted lots of interest.
She said: "The hall holds about 250 people and Joe was expecting a full house. Now all these people are going to be disappointed.
"If 250 people want to come and see what Joe does then the priest should be a bit more open-minded."
The church says the booking was a mistake and was made by a non-Catholic, temporary manager at the parish centre, who believed it might attract welcome funds. But when bosses realised the oversight, the show was immediately called off.
Father Simon Henry, of St Cuthbert's Church, said: "I had to take this decision because it is the view of the Catholic Church, not because it is my own personal view.
"The Church is completely opposed to psychics, mediums, and all that sort of thing.
"The temporary manager booked the event on the understanding that these things take place in clubs all the time.
"But we wouldn't put this event on in the same way that we wouldn't book a stripper or wouldn't install condom machines in the toilets. The same would apply."
Father Simon quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church, from 1994, which states that "all forms of divination are to be rejected; recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to unveil the future."
The relevant extract from the Catechism continues: "Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honour, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone."
But Miss Hope says the audience should be allowed to make up their own minds.
She said: "Joe has done lots of TV work, and has helped police across the country with criminal inquiries. He came up with the name of the suspect in the Sally-Ann Bowman murder case, so he's certainly not a charlatan."
The Liverpool-born psychic is said to be causing a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic with his private readings, public demonstrations, celebrity predictions and crime solving clues - including helping police find the killers of Sarah Payne and the missing remains of Helen McCourt.
He was also responsible for bringing the voice of a deceased John Lennon to American television, when the former Beatle was heard saying: "Peace Peace Peace, The message is Peace".
But St Cuthbert's Church has made it clear that Mr Power will not be making contact with the dead in its parish centre.
Father Simon added: "This is not my personal decision, but the decision of the Church."
* What do you think? Is Father Henry right to ban the pyschic show or should the Catholic Church be more liberal in its outlook. E-mail wigan.observer@lancspublications.co.uk or add your comments below.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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