If You Are Involved in Wicca, the Occult, or Other Spiritual Practices Outside the Faith 

A Catholic Path to True Worship, Freedom, and Trust in God 

(The First Commandment) 

Why the First Commandment Matters So Much 

The First Commandment—“I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before Me”—is not primarily about rules. It is about relationship. 

It asks a fundamental question: 

Whom do I trust with my life, my future, and my protection? 

Everything else in the spiritual and moral life flows from this. 

Why Occult Practices Are So Common Today 

Many people are drawn to practices such as: 

• Wicca or pagan spirituality 
• Astrology or horoscopes 
• Tarot cards 
• Crystals, energy healing, or “manifestation” rituals 
• Ouija boards or spirit communication 
• Spell-casting or ritual magic 

Often this attraction is motivated by: 

• Curiosity 
• Desire for control or reassurance 
• Fear of the future 
• A sense of spiritual emptiness 
• Cultural normalization (“It’s just for fun”) 

Most people involved do not intend to reject God or invite evil. They are often seeking meaning, protection, or guidance. 

What the Church Means by the Occult 

The Church uses the term occult to describe practices that seek hidden knowledge or power apart from God, especially through spiritual forces not submitted to Him. 

This includes: 

• Divination (seeking knowledge of the future outside God) 
• Magic or spell-casting 
• Invoking spirits or energies 
• Seeking protection or power from non-divine sources 

The issue is not imagination or symbolism. It is where trust is placed. 

Why These Practices Violate the First Commandment 

The First Commandment calls us to: 

• Worship God alone 
• Trust His providence 
• Seek guidance through prayer and revelation 

Occult practices do the opposite: 

• They seek control rather than surrender 
• They seek power rather than grace 
• They bypass God rather than turn toward Him 

Even when approached casually or playfully, they train the heart to look elsewhere for help. 

What we turn to in fear or desire reveals whom we truly trust. 

This Is Not Just “Another Spirituality” 

Wicca and occult practices are often presented as: 

• Harmless 
• Natural 
• Earth-centered 
• Compatible with Christianity 

But they operate on a different spiritual logic. 

Christian faith is built on: 

• Revelation, not secret knowledge 
• Grace, not manipulation 
• Relationship, not ritual control 

The occult seeks to use spiritual power. Christianity teaches us to receive grace. 

These approaches cannot be blended without confusion and spiritual harm. 

Why the Church Takes This Seriously 

The Church’s concern is not superstition or fear-mongering. It is spiritual realism. 

The Church teaches that: 

• The spiritual world is real 
• Not all spiritual influences come from God 
• We are not neutral in what we invite into our lives 

Practices that open the door to spiritual forces outside God’s authority can: 

• Disturb peace of soul 
• Weaken trust in God 
• Create confusion in prayer 
• In some cases, cause real spiritual harm 

This is why the Church speaks clearly and firmly. 

Practicing the Opposite Virtues: True Worship and Trust 

Occult involvement is not healed by fear. It is healed by returning trust to God. 

True Worship 

• Giving God exclusive devotion 
• Rejecting rival spiritual powers 
• Centering life on prayer and the sacraments 

True worship says: 

“You alone are God. I place my life in Your hands.” 

Trust 

• Trust in God’s providence 
• Trust that hidden knowledge is unnecessary 
• Trust that surrender is not weakness 

Where trust grows, fear loses its grip. 

What to Do If You Have Been Involved in the Occult 

If you have participated in occult practices—even casually—the Church encourages several concrete steps: 

1. Stop the practices completely Do not attempt to “blend” them with Christian prayer. 
2. Remove occult objects Books, cards, charms, crystals, ritual items, etc. 
3. Bring this honestly to confession Confession restores order and peace. 
4. Renew your profession of faith Especially the Creed. 
5. Return to the sacraments and daily prayer 

This process is not dramatic. It is liberating. 

Renunciation and Confession: A Powerful Step Toward Freedom 

For those who have been involved in Wicca, occult practices, or other spiritual activities outside the faith, the Church strongly encourages explicit renunciation as part of the return to God. 

Renunciation is not fear-based. It is an act of faith in Jesus Christ. 

Renunciation Within the Sacrament of Confession 

The ordinary and safest place for renunciation is within the Sacrament of Confession, under the guidance of a priest. 

After honestly naming involvement in occult practices, a priest may invite the penitent to make a simple renunciation such as: 

“In the name of Jesus Christ, I renounce any involvement in occult practices, witchcraft, or spiritual powers that are not from God, and I place my trust in Christ alone.” 

This is not magic language. It is a clear act of the will, united to Christ’s authority and the grace of the sacrament. 

Why Speaking Renunciation Matters 

Renunciation matters because: 

• Occult practices often involve explicit or implicit consent 
• What has been consented to must be clearly withdrawn 
• Speaking the renunciation makes the choice concrete 

In confession: 

• Sin is forgiven 
• Spiritual attachments are broken 
• Right order is restored 

The priest acts in the person of Christ, not by his own power. 

Important Pastoral Boundaries 

It is important to understand what this is and is not. 

Renunciation in confession: 

• Is not an exorcism 
• Is not emotional or theatrical 
• Is not something the penitent invents on their own 

It is: 

• Calm 
• Guided 
• Sacramental 
• Protected by the Church 

The Church strongly discourages people from attempting self-directed “deliverance rituals” or addressing spirits on their own. Christ entrusted spiritual authority to His Church for our peace and safety. 

What If I Didn’t Know Better? 

The Church distinguishes carefully between: 

• Objective spiritual danger, and 
• Personal culpability 

Many people were unaware of what these practices involved. God’s mercy is not withheld because of ignorance. 

But once truth is known, love calls for a response. 

God reveals truth not to accuse, but to free. 

The Power of Christ Is Greater 

The Christian does not need: 

• Spells 
• Charms 
• Ritual magic 
• Hidden knowledge 

Christ has already conquered every power opposed to God. 

In Baptism, you were claimed for Him. In confession, that claim is renewed. 

The name of Jesus is not a technique. It is a Person, and His authority is absolute. 

A Line Worth Remembering 

The First Commandment is not about limitation, but about freedom from false powers. 

Closing Prayer 

Lord God, You alone are holy. I renounce every power, practice, or belief that does not come from You. I place my trust in You alone— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Guard my heart from deception, restore peace where there has been confusion, and lead me in the way of truth and freedom. Amen.