“The Vatican approves of the magic and occult practices described in the Harry Potter books.”
I’ve had parents ask me, “Have you changed your opinion about Harry Potter now that the Vatican has given its approval to the Harry Potter books and movie?” My answer is, “No.” Yet I know that many Catholic parents, who had initially had reservations about Harry Potter, have let their kids read the novels after the Vatican approval. Many other parents are understandably confused.

There is just one problem with making a parental decision based upon the Vatican approval. The Vatican has never approved Harry Potter, and anyone who thinks so has been hoodwinked by a deceptive media. The headlines in quotation marks at the top of this article come directly from newspaper headlines. Similar headlines read: “The Vatican Backs Harry Potter;” “The Vatican is Giving Two Thumbs Up to the Harry Potter Series.” These headlines are false and misleading.

I contacted the Rev. Don Peter Fleetwood, the priest who made the statement at the Vatican press conference that gave rise to the Vatican and Harry Potter worldwide headlines. I asked him some pointed questions regarding his statements about Harry Potter at the Vatican press conference. Fr. Fleetwood kindly sent a March 18, 2003 reply to me.

Here are some key excerpts from his correspondence:

S.W. - Do you agree with the headlines:
a. “The Vatican approves of the magic and occult practices described in the Harry Potter book”?
b. “The Vatican Gives Its Blessing to Harry Potter”?
c.  “The Vatican gives its seal of approval to Harry Potter”?

Fr. F - It is helpful for people who were not present at the press conference to know exactly what happened there. Cardinal Paul Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, presented the document Jesus Christ, The Bearer of the Water of Life, to a large number of journalists in the Vatican press office auditorium. They answered questions in the company of the principal authors of that document, Doctor Teresa Gonçalves, of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, and myself, formerly of the Pontifical Council for Culture. As it happens, I answered quite a few of the questions, most of which – with two notable exceptions – were on the document itself.

One of these "exceptional" questions was asked by John Allen, representing the National Catholic Reporter. He wondered if the new document's expression of concern about magic and witchcraft could be extended to the magic and witchcraft portrayed in the Harry Potter books by British author J.K. Rowling. This was clearly not a question about the New Age document, but an attempt to win a "scoop", a "sound-bite" that would make headlines. As the week progressed, Allen's hopes were clearly realised beyond his expectations. However, some of the headlines strike me – the one who answered Allen's question – as quite bizarre.

* It is a pure trick of journalistic liberty to use headlines like "Vatican gives green light to Harry Potter" [emphasis mine], or to suggest that, while New Age is bad, Harry Potter is good. I also never said that Rowling's books were imbued with Christian principles. What I said was that they are meant to underline for children the difference between good and evil, and Rowling's conviction that, in the end, good always triumphs over evil.

S.W. - Please briefly comment on the statement of Gabriele Amorth, Rome’s Chief Exorcist, “Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil.” [Also], did you intend for your comments at the Press Conference to reflect your personal views or to render an official opinion of the Vatican?

Fr. F - As regards comments made by Father Gabriel Amorth about Harry Potter, it has to be remembered that what he is reported to have said is his opinion. Like mine, it is something personal and has no more or less authority than what I think [emphasis mine]. I respect his opinion very much, but have to disagree in this case. [End]

Thus, there has been no Vatican approval of Harry Potter. Fr. Fleetwood knew he was being tossed a “scoop” question about Harry Potter and merely offered his personal opinion that Harry Potter was okay for kids. Fr. Fleetwood says that his statement at the Vatican press conference was “something personal” and that his opinion about Harry Potter “has no more or less authority than what [he] thinks.”

Just in case our readers are unfamiliar with Fr. Gabriele Amorth, he is the Chief Exorcist in Rome for the Vatican. He has exorcised 30,000 persons who have been victims of Satan’s influence, possession, or oppression. He is also the president of the International Association of Exorcists. Fr. Amorth had declared in a public interview, "Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil."

In the same interview Fr. Amorth warned that Rowling's books contain innumerable positive references to magic, “the satanic art.” He also noted that there is no distinction between black and white magic, “because magic is always a turn to the devil." To read the full news release of this interview go to: http://www.familylifecenter.net/html/harrypotter-exorcist.html.

All magical practices, casting spells, and sorcery lead to contact with the world of the demonic. These are not benign impersonal forces that are entertaining to play with, but are personal forces of evil that we call demons. I learned this the hard way.

Before converting to Christianity, I thought that I was becoming “enlightened” while studying at Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment. It was thrilling to experience the floor shaking underneath my chair as we prayed and practiced clairvoyant channeling of thoughts. In reality, I was exposing myself to demonic forces. I didn’t know that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

For me, reading the first few Potter novels was a return to very familiar territory – Satan’s. 
 
I realize that many priests, Catholic periodicals, scholars, and even some bishops, think that Harry Potter is okay. Before following their advice, ask yourself, “Do they have firsthand experience with the occult/new age movement, or with rescuing people out of it?” The questions surrounding Harry Potter are not just those of literary style and taste, they are probing questions about the real threat of a worldwide drift towards: monism, the New Age, the occult and other “enlightening” spiritual experiences.

· Have those who say to parents, “Harry is Okay” visited AskJeeves.com (the homework help website) and asked just a dozen questions related to the topics in the Potter books?

· Have they visited any of the many kiddie links for casting spells?

· Have they visited teenwitch.com and read the inquiries from Christian teens interested in becoming witches? Have they read the tips from other kids for hiding books on witchcraft from their parents?

· Have they explained why Rowling would create a character named “Madame Vablatsky?” Google’s search engines realize that “B” and “V” have a similar sound. Madame Blavatsky’s name comes up in a “Vablatsky” Google search. Her biography reads, “The priestess of the Occult who brought back theosophical occult philosophies from Tibet for the Western world.” Hmmm.

I know many people disagree with me about Harry Potter. Maybe I’m all wrong about Harry. Perhaps the Dutch priest, Fr. Joris Ridderbos, is right to celebrate a Harry Potter mass for children. Fr. Ridderbos says there are a lot of similarities between the story of Harry Potter and the life of Jesus.