| Author | |
stefoodie
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 8457
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 7:01am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Have you guys heard of it?
The Healing of Families
Some local friends are talking about it and a couple have attended some sort of seminar/prayer session.
__________________
stef
mom to five
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 7:06am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Yes. If you search Fr.Longenecker's blog archives, I remember he had some posts about it years ago.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 9:23am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I won the book from Jessica @ Shower of Roses blog! I have not started it and I don't see that happening until late summer/early fall as my pile of books I want to read is very deep at the moment. I'm looking forward to reading it as it seems well recommended.
__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 10:13am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have not yet read it. My mom has. She really liked it. She has been interested in this topic for many years - 20 + and has other books.
This is getting very popular in our area. Fr. Yozefu has been there several times at different parish. Many of my friends are in study groups related to the book.
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 10:29am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We have IRL acquaintances who have read this book, done the whole process, and are very, very into it, give their testimonies at retreats, that kind of thing.
I have reservations, frankly, about the whole thing, which I think are what Fr. Longenecker picks up in his series of blog posts. That's not to dismiss this ministry or say that it's invalid or . . . whatever. But I'm not at all sure that I buy all the ideas behind it.
I haven't read the book, however, so can't comment on it directly.
Sally
__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 10:32am | IP Logged
|
|
|
My DH read this book. It's interesting to say the least, but I am on the fence about the concept of the book.
I have heard "generational healing" mentioned on Catholic Answers Live a few times (I am not sure if it was in reference to this book or another). They wish that the Church would be more clear on this subject. From CAL and another priest (forgot the source) they believe that generaltional punishment (maybe a bad term) was done away with with Baptism. And, additionally Confession.
Now, certainly genetically we come from our family and we can certainly develop different "disfunction's" from our families sins if they never go corrected....but this is different than spiritually needing to heal the family tree before we can be healed??
Like I said interesting topic.....would love to hear more from the Church about this!!!!
__________________
ImmaculataDesigns.com
When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
knowloveserve
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 31 2007
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 759
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 11:47am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Betsy, you are absolutely right. The ambivalence from church figures is maddening in this area. Catholic Answers and Women of Grace and a few priests seem on board. Meanwhile, other theologians have denounced it. Good, devout Catholics are on board with this movement and good, devout Catholics also are not. Where are all the good bishops stating something definitive?!
I read the book. I've communicated with Fr. Yousef (sp?) The movement is huge here. I'll give you my .02 mostly because this is an online forum and it isn't "safe" for me to jeopardize so many real life relationships with friends I have who are die-hard Healing of Families (hereafter HoF) people by stating my feelings as emphatically as I'd like to.
Run away.
The book does have a few good things in it. And satanic bondage (not to be confused with possession) is a real thing that shouldn't be taken lightly. And I think there is a real place in the Church for certain healing ministries that handle this.
But I felt itchy about HoF from the get-go. I don't know why. I tend to resist anything that feel "faddish" and I only consented to reading the book because many folks were talking about how wonderful it was and what was my experience, etc.
In the book (which has NO imprimatur by the way), there were a number of troubling concepts that really have served to disvalidate the whole ministry in my mind. I still think people ought to be aware of their family history and issues and pay attention to habits they can't seem to kick but as for me and my house, we will stick firmly to the tried and true methods for spiritual progress taught by the Church for thousands of years: (I.e. The sacraments and spiritual direction)
Here is a PARTIAL list of ideas I balked at in the book in order of grave concern to least concern:
1) that somehow, despite your best efforts and prayers, God is refusing to help you because you haven't said the magic words (the deliverance prayers in the back of the book). You may not be even aware of those words, but until you use his formula, the devil will continue to oppress you because you deliberately or inadvertantly invited him into your life. God wants to heal you and you may be begging Him to... but you haven't said the right words yet. Essentially, all of the suffering in your life--if it's not directly advancing the kingdom of God-- is from the devil. These ideas bother me to the core.
2) the souls of miscarried babies are suggested to be somehow floating around in the world waiting to inhabit your next child born after a miscarriage. He maintains that this is why parents often have problems with that particular child's behavior. Not only is is idea ridiculous, it's heretical.
3) your doctor has some form of power over you because we put our bodies in submission to them (I suppose dentist, masseuse, manicurist, chiropractor and hairdresser too). Therefore, you should choose your doctor wisely because they may have satanic bondages that could pass on to you. So I guess you better interview your doctors and asked if they've ever played Ouija board or done yoga.
4) produce and manufactured goods might have been cursed and those curses could infiltrate your world. It is a good idea to bless all your groceries coming into the house to counteract those potential curses. While curses are real, it is important to not be superstitious and searching for a devil behind every bush.
*********
At one of his seminars, he mentioned something about natural medicines that could be tied to the occult. One of my friends dumped hundreds of dollars of essential oils down the drain because she thought they could be cursed. I sell and use oils regularly and this was of grave concern to me to get straightened out, so I talked with my pastor. He assured me that their was nothing inherently wrong with essential oils. Fr. Yosefu was emailed asking him to clarify. He sort of backpedalled and said that he didn't know very much about EOs but that individuals need to be prayerful and discerning concerning holistic medicines. Great advice but damage was done by his ambiguous statements. (And as if Big Pharma companies are on the spiritual high ground?!)
So there are my thoughts. Our priest recommended it last year to people, but after I talked with him privately about a couple of my concerns he admits that the book isn't perfect and he wishes he wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about it. Now he is "just waiting for it to quietly go away." But it's not. And I'm concerned about how many people dive into HoF thinking it'll solve all their problems --these are good people being led astray in my opinion. And I wonder if the devil is somehow using the garbage in the book to distract from the very real need for deliverance ministries... I.e. "Well, if they've figured me out, I may as well confuse the hell out of them! Bwahaha!"
I've been meaning to talk again more specifically with my priest... something needs to be done to help people navigate this.
__________________
Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 12:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
The situation in our parish is similar, with our current pastor, who kind of walked into it all when he came last year, waiting for it to go away.
As I said, I haven't read the book, but I have witnessed what seems to be some very mixed fruit borne from it. I did form a very strong impression of your #1 point, from the things people have said and from witnessing the prayer service itself, and was quite disturbed by the implications of that, theologically.
My husband has the book and is supposed to read it, in order to advise our pastor regarding its theology. He hasn't gotten to it yet, but we've talked about it a lot, because so many people we know are into it.
I am really kind of relieved not to be the only person who's formed a . . . wary . . . impression of this movement. I would never judge another person for finding it helpful or freeing, but I would also not rush to jump on the train.
Sally
__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: June 30 2014 at 12:39pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
@KnowServeLove, thanks to your in-depth response. I agree with what you said based on the conversations with my DH. Red flags were going up all over for me.
@Sally, please beg your DH to read the book and comment on it. Would love to hear his insight.
__________________
ImmaculataDesigns.com
When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Martha
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 25 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2291
|
| Posted: July 01 2014 at 10:12am | IP Logged
|
|
|
If a priest is teaching this nonsense, then I'm walking out.
Infuriated would be a good word.
So would broken hearted.
It's a prime example of misguided bad theology christians managing to strike down their own brothers and sisters in Christ in the name of "helping them" or the same desperately seeking help or answers they aren't receiving from their church.
As someone from a total crap non religious upbringing, seriously, spare me this. It's not doing any favors. 
__________________
Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
|
| Posted: July 01 2014 at 10:50am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow! I completely misunderstood (or didn't really research) what this book was about. These are the types of things I typically avoid. Thanks for the heads up!
__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
knowloveserve
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 31 2007
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 759
|
| Posted: July 01 2014 at 11:05am | IP Logged
|
|
|
To be clear, I do not want to malign the priest behind this movement or faithful others promoting it. I think the intentions are good. But the devil must be having a heyday with the confusion it's causing. I didn't feel like Fr. Yosefu was trying to scam people; he seems earnest. Pray for him.
I just immediately felt a red flag go up when in the introduction, I was warned that if I was resistant to the ideas in this book, it might be likely that I have satanic bondage.
Kyrie Eleison.
__________________
Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Martha
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 25 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2291
|
| Posted: July 01 2014 at 4:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
knowloveserve wrote:
To be clear, I do not want to malign the priest behind this movement or faithful others promoting it. I think the intentions are good. But the devil must be having a heyday with the confusion it's causing. I didn't feel like Fr. Yosefu was trying to scam people; he seems earnest. Pray for him.
I just immediately felt a red flag go up when in the introduction, I was warned that if I was resistant to the ideas in this book, it might be likely that I have satanic bondage.
Kyrie Eleison. |
|
|
I don't think your priest did it purposefully.
And yet, when promoting something as good and holy to parishioners to consider, one would hope a priest would be far more careful in his selections. It is not the same as if you or I suggest something. We are not shepherds of the flock. It's a sacred trust to know the terrain the sheep are being sent to *before* sending them to it.
__________________
Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4 lads mom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 26 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
|
| Posted: July 03 2014 at 10:08am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I haven’t read the book, but have heard a lot from friends, etc...and my inner red flag warning went off....relieved to see I’m not the only one. That’s not to say it is completely bad, I just don’t want to invest any time in it, especially without an imprimatur.
__________________
Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: July 05 2014 at 3:21pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
4 lads mom wrote:
| I haven’t read the book, but have heard a lot from friends, etc...and my inner red flag warning went off....relieved to see I’m not the only one. That’s not to say it is completely bad, I just don’t want to invest any time in it, especially without an imprimatur. |
|
|
Me too - the hair totally stood up on the back of my neck. I felt a bit like it was a negation of free will and salvation - that if you had negative influences somewhere in your family tree you are cursed and cannot do anything about it.
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4 lads mom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 26 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
|
| Posted: July 08 2014 at 4:38pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
YES!! Exactly, Marilyn!!
__________________
Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
countrymom
Forum Rookie
Joined: May 29 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 93
|
| Posted: July 09 2014 at 10:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
This book was floating around our adoration chapel, and I read bits of it. My thoughts on this were along these lines-
Never in the 2000 plus history of our faith has there been this concept.
It is very protestant inspired, and so to me it is something to steer very clear of.
My Traditional priest told me that as long as you are in a state of grace and devoutly use your sacramentals (holy water, tradtional blessings, scapular) the devil cannot harm you.
The only way we can hand on a "curse" to our children is by bad behavior and teaching them bad habits that will lead them into sin. Satan does not own any of us for the sins of our parents. If he did, Id be a goner 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: July 10 2014 at 7:29am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I think that the idea is useful in so much as it reminds us to do what we ought to be doing as Catholics anyway--avoiding the real dangers of the occult, praying for the poor souls, etc... Perhaps the reason it has such a draw for us as moderns is because mystical awareness of the importance of these practices and teachings are not so active a part of our daily lives.
Father Longenecker's post says:
Quote:
...The fact remains that we, as Catholics, follow in the ancient tradition of the church and the Hebrew religion before us, in celebrating the sacrifice of Christ on behalf of our dead. We believe this does them good spiritually, but we often overlook the benefits to the living. A proper funeral and requiem Mass ritually cuts the bonds between the dead person and the living. It frees the living from the negative bonds that may exist and allows the dead person to rest in peace. It also, if you like, allows the living person to exist in peace.
In my view, the fact that ‘generational healing’ and ‘healing the family tree’ has become a kind of sensational fad, been abused by some or ‘questionable practice’ only indicates that the church has neglected an important part of her proper ministry. This always happens when part of the fullness of the faith is neglected or denied. The truth springs up elsewhere with a vengeance and often an extreme view emerges, sensible people repudiate it and ‘extremist’ types latch on to it.
If Catholics simply practiced our age old tradition of having masses offered for the dead, for years’ anniversaries to be observed and for requiems to be offered regularly–especially when there has been a traumatic death, an unresolved family trauma or an unresolved death, then the dead would rest in Christ’s peace and the living family members would find resolution of many of their illnesses, mental problems, family ‘curses’ and continued inherited spiritual and psychic diseases.
It would be a natural part of our life together rather than a stupendous and ‘amazing’ ministry of healing. Why not use this month of November to continue to pray and offer Masses for you beloved dead? It can’t do anyone any harm, and it is likely to bring about much good that you cannot now imagine. |
|
|
ETA: The post I linked also explains some of the history behind this fad.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stefoodie
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 8457
|
| Posted: July 10 2014 at 3:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Yikes!!! Sorry I haven't been back here since I asked. Thanks so much for all the info, ladies. Catching up on reading....
__________________
stef
mom to five
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4 lads mom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 26 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
|
| Posted: July 10 2014 at 8:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
countrymom wrote:
| Satan does not own any of us for the sins of our parents. If he did, Id be a goner |
|
|
AMEN!!!!!!!
__________________
Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Generational Healing/Healing of Families?
