Talking Mary Statue

I thought I would give an update.

I performed the cleansing ritual. It took a while to complete because my daughter kept closing the doors. I waited a few days before asking her about the ghost and Mary. She said the ghost was not bothering anymore but Mary was still talking to her. I was able to get a little more from her as to what Mary would say; Mary also tells her "It's okay". However, recently my daughter said the ghost was in her room again opening her drawers. She's still not frightened. I asked her if she wanted me to move Mary out of her room and she said no.

My husband is traveling more for work. On a night he is gone, I am considering moving the statue to my room or running a sleep app on my phone to try and record it talking. If I catch something, I will be sure to post it. I am nervous about hearing what goes on in my house at night since I recently saw a shadow walk down the hallway.

Religious icons can be confusing and scary to children as they are often depicted in ways that are not typical of the way people look. To your daughter, this is not just one of her dolls so it has potential to invoke her imagination. That said, special needs children often also have special gifts and as you stated that you have always been a sensitive, don't be surprised that that gift is passed down to your child. As long as there is no threat involved or that she is not downsliding in development, I don't see cause for alarm. I would perhaps place Mary elsewhere -- my mother always had a statue of the Virgin among the roses in the garden, eg. You also must consider that since you had this statue from as a young girl yourself and there was a mention of some inconsistency in regards to your grandfather, there may be energies you have stored in that figurine that are being picked up by your daughter. I would be more concerned with the "man" looking through the drawers -- who/ what is that energy? What is he looking for? IS he your grandfather and not the man who died in the house?

Hi Honeysuckle,

Regarding the talking Mary statue, I do not believe it's the real Mary. Like what Aporetic has said, pure and innocent souls are what evil spirits like to target, to corrupt them. So do not trust and be relaxed that this spirit has good intentions. If possible, try to teach your daughter how to pray by herself.

One thing I would do is get your house blessed if you feel comfortable with that. Also I would keep the Bible in your daughters room and I would myself wear a cross and have her do so as well. I just some things I would do. 😊hope you have a wonderful day.

Normally, if a Catholic were to tell me a statue of Mary talked to them, I'd believe them as such and that it was in fact, Mary.

But, as you say in your narrative there is another spirit that opens the drawers and this bothers your daughter... Which tells me it's probably a negative spirit.

I had a house once where drawers were opening once too and there probably is no good reason for this to happen other than to bother the child, as it did for us.

Therefore, I'd be more likely to think the Mary statue talking might not be "good". It may start off as good but could progress otherwise as this spirit gains your daughter's trust.

Regardless, I'd agree with getting it blessed. This is common practice anyway within Catholicism to get things such as statues and rosaries blessed.

I'd also bless her entire room, 4 corners. Is there a cross in there as well?

Overall, I don't like the idea of any spirit bothering your daughter who has special needs. Although, yes I do believe these little ones are closer to all things Good and Holy. I also think that the Evil ones try to "bother" them. As the parent, command whatever is there to leave. If you felt it was good, your anxiety wouldn't have brought you here to YGS. I'd trust your instincts and tell it to be gone.

Honeysuckle - it's hard to add anything else to the good advice provided by the previous posters. Just a thought about your following statements:

"She knows what ghosts are from TV and movies: Coraline and Halloween shows) "

Though I haven't watched the shows you are talking about, in my opinion, it's important to keep in mind that the information presented by TV shows is not always accurate and tends to be embellished and unrealistic.

"my daughter seems to only know what ghosts traditionally look like... As far as she knows, people or pets who aren't here anymore are in heaven with Jesus."

Based on many of the stories I have read in the forum, it's very common for ghosts to look just like any other living person, or the same way they looked at the time of their passing. Understandably, when a grieving relative sees their recently dead loved one, gets the scare of their life not because they see a floating white bed sheet or a transparent version of the person they just buried, but because they see a person that 'shouldn't be there' anymore.

Being myself a catholic, I'm familiar with the belief that the souls of the departed people go either 'up' or 'down'; but life and personal experience have made me change my views, now I believe that some spirits stick around this plane for different reasons.

"I also don't want to give her the idea that she should be afraid of ghosts."

Kudos, I'm sure experiencing the unexplained is always going to give goosebumps to a person, but knowing that we have a choice and either face it or run away screaming, is empowering.

I hope my comment makes sense... Sorry for all the waffling.

Honeysuckle,

Your comment was perfectly fine. No worries 😊

Integrist,

You're very welcome. 😊

❤ Dee

Just a quick thank you to CuriousDee & Biblio!

>> If I may, I would suggest using the terms "In my opinion" or "based on your wording, I'm assuming you are Christian, so...".<<

I'll make sure to keep this in mind.

Thank you!:)

[at] Honeysuckle:

"I tend to believe that even though I'm Catholic, what could be in my house may not be (if that makes sense) "

I hope you do not take this the wrong way, but I am writing to you being a Catholic to remind you that seeking out practices that deal with the preternatural, which are outside of our religion, would be considered as dabbling in the occult and thus sinful (nomen est omen in this case for me as Biblio pointed out). Of course, the choice is yours to make. This is just a friendly reminder that the religion we both profess does lay out certain limitations on what we may or may not due - morally speaking.

Also, I wonder if the possibility of the voice being from an "imaginary friend" of sorts has been considered? I don't have any 1st hand experience of imaginary friends, but have heard others speak of this as being normal among some children. This is not meant to discount any other paranormal occurrences, but could it not also be possible that in some instances the normal and paranormal may co-exist - as in some cases being truly of a preternatural origin, whilst others are instead completely normal?

With these things, my position is the one advised by the Church: generally it is best to not dig too deep into such matters as one cannot be fully certain what one is dealing with - better be safe than sorry. However, as it is concerning your daughter, it is good that you are taking matters very seriously to ensure her safety.

Ultimately, however, we do believe that no external entity can force its way into the will: and it is there that part of the focus should be. A home where prayer is a natural habit, where personal sanctification is an ever-present goal invites grace and will be your best defense against any infernal forces.

I wish you and your daughter all the best and God's protection!

Honeysuckle:

You were very clear and did not offend anyone, as far as I can tell. I included my stance so that you would have enough information to evaluate my suggestions and opinions in your decision-making process.

Best,
Biblio.

I reread my last comment and hope it wasn't take the wrong way. I wanted to get opinions and advice from people with various backgrounds and beliefs. I tend to believe that even though I'm Catholic, what could be in my house may not be (if that makes sense)

Honeysuckle,

Thank you for the clarification. Though I'm not Catholic, my maternal grandmother was. I'm aware and respectful of your beliefs. Thank you for being open minded to the beliefs and suggestions of others regardless of religious views. There are so many members here that truly want to help by offering great advice, suggestions and support.

I wish you and your daughter all the very best and hope you'll keep us updated on your situation.
❤ Dee ❤

Honeysuckle:

Given that your grandmother was a deeply spiritual person who prioritized her sense of family --both in daily life and in her prayers-- I would not be surprised that she has lingered as a protective guide for her great-grandaughter; It would fit with her personality type. HOWEVER, that is to be taken with some caution, as I am speculating about *your* speculation. While it would not be an unprecedented event, I would feel more assured about this guess if you had recorded or had heard the voice for yourself.

It can be dangerous to speculate about second-hand knowledge, especially when dealing with phenomena that fall under the heading "supernatural." Making an error, such as evaluating an experience without sufficient data, can mislead people and open up the potential for negative activity. If the voice *is* your grandmother, you may specifically ask for her to remain, or to be excluded from an exorcism rite as she would never harm you. That said, an exorcism to remove negative spirits --or spirits under an evil influence, etc.-- would not disturb her at all. In fact, *if* there is a negative spirit present and your grandmother is acting as a protector, the exorcism of the evil spirit would fulfill your grandmother's perceived family obligation, so she may move on into her afterlife experience.

Just so you know where my advice is coming from, I am not a Catholic. My wife is Catholic; I am an Agnostic and a former Protestant. As Integrist's screen name indicates, he is a member of the Integrist movement within the Catholic church; it has led to some lengthy misunderstandings and disagreements in the past. Your particular observation of the Catholic faith is entirely your business, but it seemed to me that your prayers, rituals, statues, etc., would benefit directly from a couple of his suggestions: hence my endorsing his blessing & exorcism advice.

Take care, Honeysuckle, and trust both in your faith and in your maternal instincts.

Best,
Biblio.

I do appreciate all the advice given. I try to always keep an open mind and to remember that most people who give advice are being sincere and they give that advice because they truly believe it will help. My story is very religious and so I expected religious based comments. I have only told this story to other Catholics, so as I value the 'non-Catholic' opinions on the matter but it is nice to see the reassurance of prayer and blessings.

I'm going to church tomorrow to have the statue blessed and to request holy water. I'm not sure what type of holy water they have; I did not realize there were different types.

Biblio, I mentioned my grandma because she passed away a few months before my daughter told me Mary was talking to her. Since my grandma was always protective of us at night, do you think it could be her watching over my daughter?

CuriousDee, my daughter seems to only know what ghosts traditionally look like. I don't think she is aware of what a ghost actually is. As far as she knows, people or pets who aren't here anymore are in heaven with Jesus.

I would advise the following -

1) Keep a Bible under your daughter's pillow.

2) Give the child a Cross to wear.

3) Keep the picture of Lord Jesus at your home. Regularly light candles before the lord.

May the almighty God bless you & your daughter.

Greetings, Honeysuckle.

I'm concerned that I'll stir up a hornets' nest with my comments on your narrative. Please be aware in advance that I've been thinking this over for the last 24 hours before typing this message to you.

Clearly, your Roman Catholic faith is of great importance to you, just as it has been for prior generations of your family. Your daughter's room contains *your* statue: "The Mary statue is mine. I received it new for my confirmation. It is the typical 14" statue of Mary standing on the serpent. Draped on the statue is a rosary I received for my first communion, bought new." As this is a pairing of personal religious items that are consistent with Catholic Symbolism and Iconography, we can move on.

The next point is that, "She is baptized and is aware who Jesus is and that he is in heaven. I did not realize that she knew the statue on her dresser is Mary." Children of all abilities and disabilities perceive and understand a wider range of facts than adults believe them capable: even the adults who love them most. For example, I was in my thirties when my mother finally figured out how much I knew, processed, and remembered between the ages of 5 and 12, despite multiple adults' efforts to limit the information at that time.

Clearly, prayer and blessings have a traditional place in your family's religious observations and rituals. "Grandma always prayed for all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren... When we would stay the night at her house, she would sprinkle us with holy water before bed..." My parents would pray with my brother and me before bed-time, too, so I do not see anything unusual here, simply the reassurance of religious belief to soothe night-time fears of the dark, etc.

Your biggest concern is that, "part of me worries that it's not really Mary and it is someone or something else that has convinced my daughter that they are Mary." A legitimate fear, as you cannot be 100% certain of the source of the voice, even though the voice does seem to give your daughter sensible instructions about going back to sleep.

With the goal of giving you some peace of mind, I shall support the first three sentences of Integrist's post: "I would advise getting traditionally blessed holy water (i.e. Made with exorcised salt), and making it a habit to bless your daughter (parents can bless their children due to natural authority). In pious families, this can be done by tracing the cross over the child's forehead with holy water. Further, please consider getting a blessed and exorcised St. Benedict's medal."

In the past, some of Integrist's advice/analysis has irritated some members (including me) and has led to disagreements that are OUTSIDE the parameters of this helpful web forum. However, his advice to you about your situation is well-intentioned and is carefully laid out in a sequence of steps that are consistent with your faith. I agree that morning and evening prayer with your daughter is also an affirming and supportive religious ritual.

That said, I wish neither to provoke nor to judge any of the other posters. There should be some debate between the different posters' advice from a wide variety of perspectives, cultural backgrounds, and religious beliefs; that's part of a normal, informative, and interesting conversation on YGS. It has not been my intent to anger up those who disagree with portions (or the entirety) of Integrist's advice. I am pointing out, in a civil conversation, that there is merit to his advice, and that *you* are the one to decide what is best for your family.

Best,
Biblio.

Honeysuckle,

I apologize, I read your account again and realized you mentioned your daughter has heard the word ghost on TV. Please disregard my question asking if she has heard the word ghost. I would still suggest starting a dialogue on the topic the next time she brings it up.

All the best ❤
Dee

Hi there Integrist,

I wouldn't pay attention to the negative votes. We'll always say something that someone will disagree with. I do understand your comment was based on the author's religious terms. If I may, I would suggest using the terms "In my opinion" or "based on your wording, I'm assuming you are Christian, so...". This way other members or potentially the author reading the comments won't be offended as this is a diverse community with many beliefs.

I wouldn't want someone to dismiss my comments/suggestions based on my beliefs and I'm assuming you feel the same way. I feel that it's important to respect others views and beliefs even if we disagree. I do respect your beliefs and hope for the same in return.

All the best,
Dee

>I always thought holy water to be 'colourless, flavorless and odorless'...of course, I have never had a sip of it. <

If it is older, I'd certainly not be drinking it either. Colourless and odourless it is definitely. As for the taste, I'd say that would depend on how much salt is used.
But yes, the newer ritual no longer makes use of exorcised salt for the making of holy water - a fact lamented by many seasoned exorcists.

>People tend to think that different religions are at odds with each other, forgetting that each and all religions look for the same thing, only from a different perspective.
Just my opinion.<

Looking for the same thing does not mean arriving at the same conclusions or even using the same methodology.
Even the "looking" for starting point shows a fundamentally naturalistic view of religion.

There are many opinions out there about pretty much everything: including the spiritual. But as in the natural world, some positions turn out to be mutually exclusive, and thus cannot both be true at the same time. This rule of logic applies also the spiritual realities.

So yes, some religions indeed oppose each other. So I do not understand how some people here rate a comment negatively addressed by a Christian to another (presumably so as she does call Mary the Mother of God).

Alas, I cannot say I am surprised.

Honeysuckle: Rook's method only chases out the bad guys. Positive energies are not affected.

Integrist.

"...traditionally blessed holy water (i.e. Made with exorcised salt) "

I always thought holy water to be 'colourless, flavorless and odorless'...of course, I have never had a sip of it. 😜

"I would advise against using non-Christian methods: this would be tantamount to superstition at best or idolatry at worst."

People tend to think that different religions are at odds with each other, forgetting that each and all religions look for the same thing, only from a different perspective.
Just my opinion.

Honeysuckle - I agree with the advice given by the previous posters, bless/cleanse the statue. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Hello Honeysuckle,

I would advise getting traditionally blessed holy water (i.e. Made with exorcised salt), and making it a habit to bless your daughter (parents can bless their children due to natural authority). In pious families, this can be done by tracing the cross over the child's forehead with holy water.

Further, please consider getting a blessed and exorcised St. Benedict's medal.
I would advise against using non-Christian methods: this would be tantamount to superstition at best or idolatry at worst.
Non declinetis ad magos, nec ab ariolis aliquid sciscitemini, ut polluamini per eos. Ego Dominus Deus vester.

If you do not do it already: do pray regularly with your daughter (a very simple way of doing so is the ancient practice of praying 3 Aves in the morning and 3 at night before sleeping in honour of the Most Holy Trinity). If you remain in the state of grace, pray, and make use of the sacramentals of the Church, then you will be fine.

And yes, do get your statue blessed: without the blessing it is simply a profane (i.e. Non-sacral) object.

You may want to purchase a small book called "prayers of deliverance" by Fr. Chad Ripperger as well. It contains prayers for protection for home and loved-ones as well.

God bless you!

Honeysuckle,

Thank you for the additional information. It definitely sounds like your daughter isn't afraid of the statue, which is great. As far as the cleansing, it will only remove negative energies. So if there is a positive spirit; be it family, angels, etc, it won't effect them. 😊

Does your daughter know what a 'ghost' is? Has she heard the term from TV, family members, etc? If not, it would be strange for her to use that term. I know it's hard to track everything a young child is exposed to, so it could be something she heard unbeknownst to you.

The next time she brings up ghosts, it might be a good idea to ask her a few questions (in a calm, conversational tone), such as: "Do you know what a ghost is?" "Have you seen a ghost?" "What does he/she look like, say, do, etc?" This should give you a better idea on what she's dealing with. It could be harmless chitter chatter or, because children are usually sensitive to energy/spirit, you'll be able to sooth her fears.

Keep us updated ❤
Dee

I haven't witnessed the statue talking. I tried to get more information from my daughter and she said the statue doesn't move; she only hears it talking and it just says to go back to sleep. She seems to be indifferent about Mary talking to her. When she mentions it to me, it's more of a 'oh by the way...' statement. We are trying to get her a communication device so maybe when she has that, she will be able to tell me more.

Every so often at bedtime, she will tell me that she's afraid of the ghosts. However, I think she's just saying that because she doesn't want to go to bed so I just dismiss it. I also don't want to give her the idea that she should be afraid of ghosts.

I'll get the statue blessed and use holy water with rookdygin's cleansing method. What if something or someone stays after the cleansing? Does the cleansing only remove negative energy?

Thank you all for your comments and advice. I will keep you updated.

Hi there Honeysuckle,

I also think Rookdygin's cleansing would be a great idea and give you peace of mind. It's hard to say if Mary is speaking to her through the statue. It could also be a spirit guide or guardian angel.

Has your daughter heard anything else besides 'go back to bed'? How does she feel about this communication? Has she ever felt frightened or uneasy with the communication and/or statue?

Looking forward to hearing back from you and wishing you the best 😊
Dee

Greetings Honeysuckle,

In my religion and culture, special needs children are considered VERY SPECIAl; closest to their creator than any human, and guaranteed a place in paradise/heaven because of the pure innocence of their souls. From my readings on YGS, it is this innocence that makes them more receptive vessels to spirits from beyond. More accepting too.

Your little girl is a treasure, my dear - and if she says Mary is speaking to her, encourage her to talk about it so that you always know what's going on as my main concern with your account is the possibility of a malicious spirit speaking through Mary to gain her trust. Grooming her. Not that that will definitely happen, but one can't be too careful. Perhaps you can have the house blessed? You could also do a cleansing yourself. YGS member rookdygin has a religion-neutral cleaning ritual on his profile that several members have used successfully. Here's the link. Scroll down for directions.
Https://www.yourghoststories.com/user-profile.php?user=8155

Please keep us updated and sending positive energy your way.

With warm regards
Apo

Hello Honeysuckle, I don't know what to say but taking your child into monitor could help. If you are thinking of cleansing then before that you may do counciling of your child and by Orthodox procedure check where the negativity is high in your house (By salt, white sage, white tourmaline etc.). Also you may sprinkle holy water and burn holy insane sticks and see anything happens. If your observation registered something new, you may then take advise from professionals.
Remember one thing, it is you and your self believe and inner strength which would help you to fight and remove negativity. So be happy and be calm no matter what the situation are you will get desire result.

Regards

Interesting. Although I was hoping a portion from your story where you have witnessed it, or a bit more detail on how the statue speaks to her. Does it scare her? Did you ask her how she felt? It could be a vivid dream. Maybe you can set up a cam to see how it happens.

I'm worried, though. I was 12 when I saw my aunt's portrait of Mary moved. I was supposed to write it here but it's rather short. By move, I meant that suddenly her curly hair sprang forth and waved in the wind. Take note that it's a 2D portrait of Mary laminated on wood. What happened immediately after that was I got a really high fever. Don't know which one caused the other.

Take care. And thank you, Honeysuckle.