Episode 43: New Age and the Occult – Sue Brinkmann Part 1

Thriving in the Trenches a Catholic Podcast

Yoga, Enneagram, New Age, Mindfulness. Every time these topics came up as one to address, it always came with a huge hesitation. The New Age movement within Christendom is quickly becoming an undeniably divisive and dangerous issue. We knew that if we were to do this well, we needed someone to help us wade through these waters by giving solid statistics and years of experience. Sue Brinkmann was our first choice. Sue reminds us so beautifully that when people get caught up in the New Age or Occult they are typically just searching. As one who used to be entrenched in The New Age practices herself, Sue has become one of the leading researchers for the Catholic Church. Most people who participate in New Age have no substantial knowledge of what it is they are getting into. Our desire in this two-part series is to inform and to encourage our listeners to know how to better choose solely a Christ-centered spirituality.

Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:

Susan Brinkmann, OCDS, author and journalist, has joined Living His Life Abundantly & Women of Grace as Staff Writer. Susan is a member of the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites and comes to us from The Catholic Standard and Times, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, where she served for six years as a Correspondent. She has won numerous national awards for her work and has published several books, including two historical fiction novels, a book on Carmelite prayer entitled, “Lord Teach us to Pray” and a book on the fraudulent research of Alfred C. Kinsey entitled, “The Kinsey Corruption,” published by Ascension Press. She has devoted her life and talents to building up the Church and tearing down the culture of death, and is pleased that the Lord has called her to LHLA/Women of Grace to continue this vocation. Susan is single and writes for us from her home in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Look for Sue’s articles on websites www.womenofgrace.com and in future issues of Canticle. You can reach Sue at [e-mail].

Show Notes:

• Pontifical Document, Jesus Christ The Bearer of the Water of Life, A Christian reflection on the “New Age”
• Sue’s articles at Women of Grace
• New Age Blog from Women of Grace
• What’s Missing from the Mindful Catholic?
• The Catholic Guide to Mindfulness, by Sue Brinkmann
• We Need to Talk: God Speaks to a Modern Girl, by Sue Brinkmann
• Catholics and the New Age, Father Mitch Pacwa
• Yoga: A Cautionary Tale by Jenny Uebbing
• SoulCore – A great workout that you could try in place of yoga

Call to Action –

Let us all take a moment and ask us what we have made an idol in our lives. Is there something that we have allowed to take the place of Christ in our lives? If so, let us go to the Sacrament of Healing, Reconciliation. We must be open to receive God’s Mercy and Healing and make Jesus Christ the only Lord of our lives.

Scripture –

“3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. ” – 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Saint Quote –

“If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” -St. Mother Teresa