["Prayer Before the Meal," Jan Steen, 1660]
One of the most common requests we receive is from parents who are distraught over their child's serious problems. Some are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Others have mental health problems, including psychotic illnesses and/or suicidality. Others have wandered from the faith and may even be practicing witchcraft or the occult. Still others are estranged from the family and no longer speak with them. You can hear the heart-rending pain in these parents' hearts as they plead for help.
In addition to promising our fervent prayers, SMC has composed a prayer for parents to offer. This prayer recognizes the special authority that parents have over themselves, their spouses, and their children who are still minors. Thus, they can use "imprecatory" prayers and command evil spirits to leave.* For children who are no longer minors, this prayer is directed to God and thus uses "deprecatory" prayers. In either case, of course, it is God who casts out the Evil One and brings healing.
We used this prayer for the first time in our last online deliverance session, with powerful effect. It was palpable. One parent said: "The Parent's Prayer speaks especially to my heart. While praying, my heart literally ached and hurt as we were praying for my children." I have no doubt that God the Father, and the entire Holy Family who themselves experienced great parental anguish, were especially present and gracing those suffering parents.
Heavenly Father, I invoke the full authority you have given me as a spouse and a parent and I lift any curses, spells, seals, hexes, vexes, consecrations, voodoo, or any occult action or any evil affecting me or my spouse or my children who are minors. In Jesus’ name, I cast out all evil spirits that are harming us. In Jesus’ name, I reject them, I rebuke them, I renounce them, and I cast them out! For my adult children, I beg you heavenly father to hear a parent’s plea and free them from any of these occult actions or any evil, and cast out all evil spirits. Father, I beseech you to send a spirit of unity and peace to my family. Heal the divisions in our family; may those family members who are estranged from each other be reconciled in forgiveness and love. May we live together in your peace. I pray for special healing graces for each one of us. Heal the wounds that plague us- heal any depression, anxiety, fears, compulsions, addictions, angers, resentments, and any and all mental and physical illnesses. Restore us to full health. I especially ask for the following specific grace for my family, if it be your holy will (here mention the specific intention silently or out loud). Most of all, may you infuse into our hearts the gift of faith, always trusting in you. Bring back any of us who have wandered from the faith. May we be fully protected from all harm and evil by the Shield of Faith and the Sword of Truth. I make this parent’s prayer in the holy name of Jesus begging the powerful intercession of the Holy Family with the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, and all the saints. [Note: This prayer can be found on our website: www.catholicexorcism.org under "Deliverance Prayers for the Laity."]
*For a theological reflection on this special authority, see Fr. Chadd Ripperger, "Dominion," Sensus Traditionis Press, 2022, pp. 155-160.
**Msgr. Stephen Rossetti will lead an online Advent Deliverance Retreat from 11am to 2pm Eastern USA time (same as New York City) on Saturday December 10th. This retreat is designed for those who want to know more about spiritual warfare and who want a deeper personal experience of deliverance and healing. Register here. Or register at: www.catholicexorcism.org.