Ghosts are often viewed in popular culture as something mythological, a fictional being that is fun to include in fireside stories.
However, the Catholic Church believes in the real existence of ghosts, and takes encounters with ghosts seriously.
At the same time, it is important to sift through what people claim to experience to determine if there has been an objective ghost sighting, or if it is simply a figment of the imagination.
Here is a quick guide based on various spiritual principles taught by the Catholic Church:
1Is there a natural explanation?
The first criterion to investigate is if the encounter could be explained naturally, such as an open window, flickering light bulb, effects of medication, mental illness, or even a practical joke. Many encounters with "ghosts" can be traced back to a natural cause.
2Do you feel peace and joy?
Feelings of peace and joy, according to St. Ignatius of Loyola, are signs of God and his angels. Loyola wrote, "it is proper to God and to his Angels in their movements to give true spiritual gladness and joy, taking away all sadness and disturbance, which the enemy brings on." This could mean the "ghost" was in fact an angel, the work of God, or even the soul of a saint in heaven. These three types of spirits want to bring the peace of God into your soul.
Another possibility is a soul from purgatory, as they typically return to ask for prayers and do not want to frighten someone away. The Church does not teach anything official about such an encounter, though there is evidence from the lives of the saint that indicate an appearance from a soul in purgatory is a possibility.
3Do you feel afraid, anxious or scared?
If there is no natural explanation, and the feelings stir up fear, or anxiety, St. Ignatius of Loyola suggests that it could be an evil spiritual creature. Loyola writes, "if in the course of the thoughts which he brings, it tends in something bad, or of a distracting tendency, or less good than what the soul had previously proposed to do, or if it weakens it or disquiets, or disturbs the soul, taking away its peace, tranquillity and quiet, which it had before, it is a clear sign that it proceeds from the evil spirit, enemy of our profit and eternal salvation."
Demons can influence our thoughts, creating illusions or even moving material objects. They seek to scacre us and to trick us to think that they are more powerful than God.
