Appendix III. On the Consultation of Spirits, or on Spiritism

282. • Behold a recent superstition, but the worst of all, which in this age has arisen from Orcus for the destruction of souls.

For almost a whole century the monstrous plague of magnetism had raged throughout the whole world. Subsequently the phenomena of rotating tables came forth and became widely known; by various motions these gave responses to questions proposed to them concerning hidden things, and also concerning the state of souls of the dead. Soon the tables were silent, or a little afterward, or in these our times, namely from the year 1862, demons who had deceived men through the predictions of sleepers and afterward through the responses of tables, mock and lie in wait for them through pythons or intermediary persons themselves (they call them mediums).

But the consultation of spirits is had in this way: You go to a python, to whom you signify what you desire to know concerning matters wholly hidden, especially those pertaining to the other life. By him, with you present and hearing, some spirit is interrogated, as if it were some soul which had already migrated from this life, for example the soul of your father, mother, sister, etc. From the responses which are given, you could by no means doubt that you truly have a conversation with most dear deceased persons. For those persons report very many things to you, and indeed things known to you alone, but wholly unknown to others; indeed the responses are issued in their very style. This superstition, much worse than the former ones, smells still more of heresy and impiety; for it overturns the unshaken dogmas of our Faith, especially the eternity of the punishments of gehenna. For the dead, when questioned concerning their present state, respond that they are already blessed, or soon to be freed from punishments, although they do not deny that they have been sunk into hell.

From what has been said, it is sufficiently clear that the consultation of spirits is diabolical, and is properly called divination so severely prohibited by Sacred Letters.

Those who consult spirits, or Spiritists, in order that they may more easily spread their pestiferous error, at the persuasion of the devil have coalesced into a sect, which day by day grows especially in great cities.

Now it is not only gravely illicit to consult and interrogate spirits concerning hidden things, but also to be present at a consultation even merely passively, since it is a sin of cooperation in a thing intrinsically evil. - V. Casus, n. 277. et seq.

See more concerning the consultation of spirits, in various little works recently published, especially On Spiritism, by the Rev. Fr. Nampon, of the Society of Jesus. The Dead and the Living; Conversations on communications from beyond the tomb, by the Rev. Fr. Matignon, S. J. Magnetism, Spiritism, and Possession; Conversations on spirits, by Fr. Pailloux, S. J.