Churches do battle with Satanist child abusers

Priests condemn ritual abuse and warn that Satan is alive and well
by Martin Newland CATHOLIC clergy and Christian caring agencies are preparing to do battle with Satanists and dabblers in the occult following the showing this week of a television programme highlighting some of the activities of these "covens".
The Cook Report Special, networked on ITV on Monday evening, showed how the worship of Satan can result in the ritual abuse of children, in human sacrifice, and in one case, the ritual slaughter of an induced fetus. In response to the programme, a national network of counsellors has been set up under the auspices of the Evangelical Alliance to help those who have been lured into Satanic rituals.
"The tragedy is that few people believe the children who tell of horrific abuse during Satanic ceremonies," said Maureen Davies of the Reachout Trust, which in the last year has had to cope with many eases of ritual abuse and sacrifice and which has offered its services to EA. "They are often taken into covens by parents, friends or even complete strangers," she said.
"We are horrified by what is happening," said Mgr Michael Connelly, Secretary to the Committee for Social Welfare of the Catholic Bishops' Conference and Secretary of the Child Welfare Council. "We know it does happen, and our Catholic child care agencies are in a good position to help and respond to cases of child ritual abuse."
Mgr Connelly explained that 99 per cent of child abuse cases are referred to caring agencies such as the Catholic Children's Society by local authorities. "Ritual child abuse is a gross extension of 'ordinary' child abuse. When cases of such abuse come to us we will have to learn as we go along."
National concern at the activities of occultists has been matched in the localities by Christian pressure groups who see Satanism as a threat to the moral fabric of society. Parishioners of the Sacred Heart Church, Pontllanfraith joined a 1 ,000 strong interdenominational act of public worship over the weekend in nearby Blackwood, where plans are afoot to build a centre for the occult.
"My parishioners' worries are well founded," said Fr George Sandham SJ, who services three churches in the area. "It is a well known fact that if you talk to kids, it isn't long before they start to comment on ghosts and the paranormal. They are particularly susceptible to the dangers of the occult and can be led into dangerous situations by such innocent things as an Ouija Board or Tarot cards."
Fr Sandham also testified to the reality of Satan, and of the dangers of dabbling in the occult: "The forces of evil are a reality, and if invited, they tend to come. This occult centre may seem like a joke to many, but it provides the basic material to play silly with things beyond our control," he said.
Blackwood Christians are petitioning the local council not to allow the occult centre to be set up, and church leaders throughout IsIwyn and Rhymney Valley are praying for divine intervention against the plan. For his part, Fr Sandham has preached a sermon warning his parishioners of the dangers of getting involved in the paranormal. "If you do get involved, you had better be extremely holy," he warned them.
Mgr Connelly was quick to point out that quite apart from the evils such as child abuse that can arise out of Satanism, the reality of the devil as an evil force in our lives poses quite distinct dangers: "The Church has always warned against any involvement by Catholics in even the most harmless paranormal activities. The simple fact is that if you leave yourself open to entry by the devil, he will jolly well take advantage of the offer."