Category: Podcast

Summary

Tonight we’re looking at the concept of “magical Catholicism,” or folk magic using Catholic symbols. We’ll have a couple of saint stories, a brief history of the traditions, and a bevy of practical applications.

Play:

Download: Episode 53 – Papisticall Charmes

Play:

 -Sources-

Relevant blog posts (and podcasts) mentioned in this episode:

• Blog Post 115 & 116 (Cursing Psalms)
• Blog Post 122 (Bibliomancy)
• Blog Post 134 (Brujeria & Curanderismo Intro)
• Blog Post 135  (The Magical Catholic)
• Blog Post 136 (Papisticall Charmes/More Catholic magic)
• Blog Post 137 & 138 (Curandro Spells)
• Blog Post 160, 161, & 176 (Saint Magic)
• Podcast 34 (Biblical Magic)
• Podcast Special (Magical Saints)

(All of these can be easily found by navigating to the “Magical Systems” resource page of the NWW site, then looking at the subheadings of ‘Curanderismo & Brujeria’ and ‘Other Magical Systems’)

Books worth seeking out on the topic:

• Reginald Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft
• Draja Mickaharic’s Magical Spells of the Minor Prophets, Spiritual Cleansing, & A Spiritual Worker’s Spell Book
• Joshua Trachtenberg’s Jewish Magic & Superstition
• A chapbook called The Magical Powers of the Holy Death
• Chris Bilardi’s The Red Church  and John G. Hohman’s Long Lost Friend
• Curandero by Cheo Torres
• Magical Powers of the Saints by Ray T. Malbrough
• Denise Alvarado’s Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook
• Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, & Sages, by Judika Illes
• Gerald Milne’s Signs, Cures, & Witchery
• Alban Butler’s Lives of the Saints
• I didn’t mention it in the episode, but I’d HIGHLY recommend the new release The Conjure Workbook: Working the Root, vol.1, by Starr Casas—it’s conjure and rootwork, but heavily influenced by the author’s Catholicism and very useful stuff, to boot!

 

Other worthwhile resources:

1. Check out the Yahoo! Group Catholic Folk Magic
2. The site fisheaters.com which has several pieces of information that veer towards the esoteric which are worth checking out (such as “St. Anthony’s Brief” or “Holy Oils”) [A warning: this site is very traditional, and thus its viewpoints may be controversial; browse at your own risk]
3. I would highly recommend the Library Page of the Curious Curandera website, where you’ll find a number of free titles on magical Catholicism, including “How to Pray the Rosary,” “Saints and their Patronage,” and “Prayers for Different Needs.” There are a few (very good) pay titles, too, but it’s hard to beat the wonderful free texts. Her courses are marvelous, too!

1. Legends of St. Expedite come from http://saintexpedite.org/history.html and luckymojo.com/saintexpedite.html
2. The legend of Saint Charlene was adapted from an essay by Donna McGee Onebane (http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/CharleneRichard.html#tab2)

6. Special thanks to Listener “V” for your spells from Cartagena!

 

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 Promos & Music

Title music:  “Homebound,” by Jag, from Cypress Grove Blues.  From Magnatune.

Additional Music:

• “Veni Creator Spiritus – Gregorian Chant” – performed by Coral Vertice – from archive.org
• “St. Stephen” – live track performed by the Grateful Dead – from archive.org

Promos:

1. Lamplighter Blues
2. Lakefront Pagan Voice
3. The SaintCast