Discover how Catholics can effectively defend their faith against the rising influence of New Age, occult, and modern spiritual distortions.
BY TERESA YANAROS
Defending the Catholic Faith
In today’s world, defending the Catholic faith has become more crucial than ever as it faces numerous challenges from the rapid rise of New Age beliefs, New Thought practices, and occult ideologies. These spiritual trends have increasingly infiltrated modern culture, creating confusion and leading many away from traditional Christian teachings.
In this video, Teresa explores how Catholics can stand firm in their faith amidst these modern spiritual attacks, drawing insights from the series Faith Under Fire by Teresa Yanaros.
The Rise of New Age, New Thought, and the Occult
The New Age movement, New Thought spirituality, and occult practices are growing in popularity, especially among younger generations. At first glance, these ideologies may seem harmless, promoting self-improvement and spiritual enlightenment.
However, Teresa explains that these belief systems are fundamentally at odds with Catholicism. They promote self-deification, deny the need for a personal God, and, in the case of occult practices, involve dangerous rituals and hidden satanic influences.
The New Age movement blends emotional, mental, and physical practices that falsely claim to lead to spiritual enlightenment. It focuses on personal evolution and enhanced abilities, rejecting the role of God and violating the First Commandment.
New Thought, on the other hand, is centered around the power of positive thinking and its effect on life circumstances, promoting self-sufficiency rather than reliance on God. Both of these movements, along with occult practices, distort traditional Catholic teachings and lead believers into spiritual peril.
Staggering Statistics of Spiritual Confusion
A concerning trend is the rising belief in alternative spiritual practices among Americans, including Catholics. According to Pew Research, 62% of Americans believe in some form of New Age spirituality, with 25% engaging in astrology despite the Church’s teachings against it. Even more alarming, 36% of Catholics believe in practicing multiple religions simultaneously, a clear indication of how deeply syncretism has taken root.
The modern world’s growing acceptance of relativism also poses a threat to Christian doctrine. Teresa highlights that 55% of U.S. adults, including some Catholics, believe in some form of moral relativism.
This erosion of objective truth weakens the foundation of the Catholic faith and contributes to the growing rejection of sin, confession, and repentance.
Spiritual Dangers: Astrology, Divination, and Relativism
One of the key dangers that Teresa addresses in Faith Under Fire is the allure of practices like astrology and divination. While these practices may appear harmless or even entertaining, they open individuals up to demonic influences.
Astrology, tarot readings, and other occult practices contradict the Church’s firm stance against divination, which is viewed as an attempt to gain knowledge or power outside of God’s will.
Relativism is another growing problem, particularly in a culture that increasingly promotes the idea that truth is subjective. This mindset undermines the Church’s teaching on objective truth, which is revealed through scripture and tradition.
Teresa warns that this shift toward self-acceptance and spiritual progress, without accountability, is leading people away from the core tenets of the Catholic faith.
Personal Testimony: From New Age to Catholicism
Teresa speaks from personal experience, having once been deeply involved in New Age and occult practices herself. Raised in a Catholic household, she found herself confused and disillusioned during her college years. She turned away from the Church, believing it to be a manipulative institution, and sought spiritual fulfillment in New Age practices.
However, after facing demonic attacks and experiencing a profound deliverance through Christ, she returned to the Catholic Church with a renewed understanding of the Gospel.
Her journey underscores the spiritual danger posed by these alternative belief systems, and now, through her work, she seeks to help others escape similar deceptions.
The MAP Method: A Path to Spiritual Clarity
In her series, Teresa outlines a three-step approach to confronting these modern spiritual distortions: Measure, Abandon, and Persevere (MAP). This method is designed to help Catholics regain spiritual clarity, dismantle false beliefs, and build resilience in their faith.
Measure: This step involves identifying and understanding the false beliefs promoted by New Age, New Thought, and occult ideologies. Teresa equips viewers with the knowledge needed to critically analyze these deceptive practices and ground themselves in authentic Catholic doctrine.
Abandon: Here, Catholics are encouraged to actively reject these modern distortions and break free from their influence. Teresa guides viewers through a process of disengagement, explaining the steps necessary to renounce occult practices and embrace the truth of the Catholic faith.
Persevere: The final step focuses on nurturing one’s faith through the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and a return to traditional Catholic practices. By strengthening their relationship with Christ and the Church, Catholics can stand firm in their beliefs and resist future temptations toward syncretism or false ideologies.
A Call to Action: Stand Firm in the Faith
As Teresa makes clear, the Catholic faith is under fire in modern times. New Age and occult practices are not just passing trends—they are spiritual distortions that challenge the very foundation of Christian doctrine.
Catholics must be equipped with the knowledge and tools to resist these false beliefs and provide an account for those around them who are at risk of falling into these practices.
The journey ahead may not be easy, but by standing firm in faith, Catholics can defend their beliefs, protect their communities, and help guide others back to the truth. Through her series and upcoming book, Teresa Andys offers a much-needed resource to help Catholics navigate these spiritual battles and remain steadfast in their devotion to Christ.
ABOUT TERESA YANAROS
Teresa Yanaros, a degreed journalist and devout Catholic, is dedicated to exposing occult deceptions and upholding the truth of Christ. Raised Catholic, Teresa's path led her through new age and occult beliefs after straying from the faith in college, which she explored in a book reconciling these beliefs with Catholicism (spoiler: they don’t). After a transformative deliverance experience from occult bondage, she now coaches Christians transitioning from the new age to faith in Jesus and teaches Catholics how to best minister to and reform ex-newagers. Through SpiritSanctified.com, Teresa offers resources on occult bondage, deliverance, and spiritual warfare. Her YouTube channel, with a global reach, provides insights into spiritual warfare and occult traps in media. Teresa has attended seminary classes, continues ongoing research, and conducts workshops to help Catholics understand their personal stories and maximize their impact through online ministries.
ABOUT SPIRIT SANCTIFIED
Spirit Sanctified educates Christians on spiritual warfare through multi-media productions and products. We comprise advocates and creators who work together to help Christians stand against occult worldviews by purifying their beliefs and practices.
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