The Catholic Church offers us sacramentals that help us receive actual graces from God and keep our families delivered from evil. There are many sacramentals of the Church, but there are only seven that I consider to be the most powerful for spiritual warfare.
What is a Sacramental?
Sacramentals are sacred signs that help us to receive God’s grace, and they dispose us to cooperate with God’s grace (Source: CCC 1670). Sacramentals were instituted by the Church, while the seven sacraments of the Church (baptism, Eucharist, confession, etc.) were instituted by Christ. The sacramentals of the Church help lead us to Christ.
“We must remember that of themselves sacramentals have no power. They only have power through the prayer of the Church which uses the authority given it by Christ.” Source: My Catholic Faith
1. Rosary
His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:5
When Our Lady is Present the Devil is Absent
The Blessed Mother’s rosary is one of the top sacramentals of the Catholic Church for spiritual warfare. When you pray the rosary, you are placing yourself under the Blessed Mother’s mantle for God’s protection from the devil and diabolic influences.
“The rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight, to preserve the integrity of life, to acquire virtue more easily, and in a word to attain real peace.” – Pope Pius XI
The Weapons of the Rosary in Spiritual Warfare
The Rosary as a Spiritual Sword
Fr. Donald Calloway, a contemporary champion of the rosary, gives great conferences about the rosary and explains why this sacramental is a sword in spiritual warfare.
The forces of darkness in the world today threaten the very foundations of human civilization, but they are no match for the power of the rosary.” – Fr. Donald Calloway
The Rosary as a Spiritual Battering Ram
The rosary is the angelic psalter. If you pray the rosary devoutly, it is a weapon like a spiritual battering ram that will help to bring down vices and sins in your life.
“Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?…I want you to know that, in this kind of warfare, the battering ram has always been the Angelic Psalter, which is the foundation stone of the New Testament.” + Our Lady to St. Dominic
The Rosary Helps to Increase Sanctifying Grace
An important thing to know about Catholic spiritual warfare is what I like to call, “resurrection protection.” If you pray the Blessed Virgin Mary’s rosary devoutly it will allow Our Lady to help increase God’s sanctifying grace in your soul, and you have to have sanctifying grace in order to be judged worthy of eternal life with God.
Those who find me find life and win favor from God. Proverbs 8:35
Consider the 15 promises of the rosary according to the Blessed Virgin Mary for life long protection for you, your family, and most importantly, at the hour of our death.
“Hail Mary! Full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of the womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
Battle for Our Lady Praying the Rosary
Our Lady of Fatima made it clear to the Church in her appearances to the 3 child visionaries she wants disciples of her Son praying the rosary, devoutly, every day. The only thing more powerful than praying the rosary is praying the rosary in unity with other disciples of Christ. Consider what Jesus teaches us in St. Matthew’s Gospel:
Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
Hold your rosary in your hand and feel the spiritual power with it, strengthened through the intercession of the Church. Hear the beads emit sounds of holiness. If you would like to join ranks with other disciples in the Church praying the rosary in spiritual warfare, please consider joining Our Lady’s Rosary Confraternity.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
2. Crucifix
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18
“Fr. Weber (exorcist) points out that most exorcists use the St. Benedict medal crucifix during the exorcism, and it was recommended to him in his training that he do so as well.” + Charles Fraune, Author of the book, Slaying Dragons, What Exorcists See and What We Should Know
The Crucifix Reminds the Demons of Their Fall
One of the reasons why the demons are repelled at the sight of a holy crucifix such as the Benedictine crucifix pictured above is because the crucifix reminds them of their fall from grace. The demons rejected God, and they are eternally separated Him.
A crucifix torments the demons because it reminds them of their defeat by Jesus’ death on the Cross. + Fr. Jose Fortea
The Crucifix Provides Protection in the Home
The holy crucifix should be a focal point in the home of every Catholic family. As a best practice for spiritual protection from the diabolic, a blessed crucifix should be placed in every room of the house to help keep any roaming demons out of the home.
“If you wonder how God tries to prevent you from the yawning jaws of hell, look at the crucifix!” + St. Thomas Aquinas
Prayers Before A Holy Crucifix Helps Protect Us
Aside from establishing right order in your home by allowing the presence of Christ to reign there with His protective love and mercy, you also want to place the crucifix in a place where the whole family can stand or kneel before it in prayer and reverence.
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:6b-7
When Christ reigns King in your home, the demon is repelled.
“The true meaning of Christ’s kingship is revealed only when He is raised high on the cross.” Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church #440
Another reason to have this powerful sacramental in every Catholic home is because the presence of Christ and His saving work on the cross in the home will help to combat the inclination to sin, whether it be in thought, word, or deed.
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. Matthew 26:41a
Lastly, the crucifix will help to establish gratitude in our hearts to God for Christ’s saving work on the cross. His very presence reminds us of what is at stake: salvation.
“The first words we must pronounce looking at the crucifix are ‘Thank You Jesus!’ + Fr. Gabriele Amorth, exorcist (2016+)
3. Holy Water
After Jesus was baptized, He came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him. Matthew 3:16
The Many Benefits of Using Holy Water
Holy water helps to keep us protected from demons. When holy water has been rightly blessed by a priest, it serves as a powerful sacramental in the Church’s fight against the dark forces of evil. Consider the reassuring words of St. Teresa of Avila.
“From long experience I have learned that there is nothing like holy water to put devils to flight and prevent them from coming back again. They also flee from the cross, but return; so holy water must have great value. For my own part, whenever I take it, my soul feels a particular and most notable consolation.” + St. Teresa of Avila
In addition, holy water can help us to receive actual graces from God, receive assistance from the Holy Spirit, overcome temptations, and help us to sleep in peace.
“Nightly I sprinkle my room with holy water and invoke the Virgin and St. Michael. And I sleep, just as I go throughout the day, with the rosary in my hands.” + Msgr. Stephen Rossetti
Use Holy Water to Bless the Family and Home
Catholic Families should routinely bless their houses with holy water. The father of the household should also bless his family in the evenings with holy water after the family has prayed together. Lastly, schedule a priest to make a visit to your home on an annual basis and have him bless the house in the traditional rite of blessing.
301. Q. What is holy water? A. Holy water is water blessed by the priest with solemn prayer to beg God’s blessing on those who use it, and protection from the powers of darkness. Source: Baltimore Catechism
4. St. Benedict Medals
Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? Job 1:10a
Pictured above are two of my St. Benedict medals. You can get either type. You can also get them token size, which are about the same size as a quarter. A Catholic priest should bless the medals, and they should be blessed (exorcized) in the old rite.
Perimeter of Protection with St. Benedict Medals
Exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger recommends the use of exorcized St. Benedict medals as a means of providing spiritual protection in the family home. St. Benedict is the patron saint of exorcists. The level of sanctity in his life was well known to repel the demonic.
The medal – The medal of St. Benedict contains a number of holy Latin inscriptions that will “drive the demons nuts” as Fr. Ripperger says. Some of these inscriptions noted helps explain why the medal is such a powerful sacramental against evil:
- CSSML – NDSMD – This is abbreviated Latin which translates to, “May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my guide!”
- VRSNSMV – SMQLIVB – “Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!”
- CSPB – “The Cross of our holy father Benedict”
Here are Fr. Ripperger’s two primary recommendations with St. Benedict medals:
- Bury the St. Benedict medals in the four corners of the property.
- Place the St. Benedict medals over the entry points of the home.
You can learn more about Fr. Ripperger’s recommendations for spiritual protection from demons in his book about spiritual warfare, Dominion. Fr. has also given a number of spiritual warfare conferences to help Catholics combat the demonic.
Fortify Spiritual Protection Within the Home
You can also place the blessed medals in the four corners of the house and in the four corners of each bedroom, which is great idea for spiritual protection as we are more vulnerable to the presence of evil spirits while we are asleep.
Other Uses with St. Benedict Medals
On the Go – You can place St. Benedict medals in your luggage, your briefcase, carry bag, backpack, your wallet, purse, etc. Similarly, parents can place blessed St. Benedict medals in their children’s backpacks to help keep them safe.
Vehicles – You can also keep a St. Benedict medal in your vehicle to help keep you and any passengers safe from harm. The medal should also help to keep your vehicle safe.
Home or Office – You can place the medals in your workspace, in your home office, or anywhere you think the medals may be of benefit for you and your family.
Near Technology – If your are experiencing unexplained interference with any of your devices, computers, appliances, etc. place a St. Benedict medal next to it.
A key sacramental for spiritual warfare is the St. Benedict medal. Make sure you get the medal blessed in the old rite. The old rite has all of the exorcisms. – Fr. Chad Ripperger
Miraculous Medal
St. Catherine Laboure’s Miraculous Medal can be used to provide the same level of spiritual protection as the St. Benedict Medal. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a champion of this medal and probably gave away thousands of them during her life. You can learn more about the miraculous medal here: Miraculous Medal.
5. Exorcized Oil and Salt
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.” Mark 9:50b
I combined the sacramentals of exorcized oil and salt because they are similar, and they are often sold together at Catholic gift shops that sell exorcized sacramentals.
Exorcized Salt
Elisha went out to the spring and threw salt into it, saying, “Thus says the LORD: I have purified this water. Never again shall death or sterility come from it.” 2 Kings 2:21
Exorcized Salt – Provides a great deal of protection from evil spirits if they have been properly blessed and are used with faith. Legendary exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth said you have to have faith when using sacramentals in spiritual warfare.
It is important that the faithful know how to use the sacramentals correctly. It makes no sense to keep large quantities of blessed water, salt, and blessed oil if one does not have faith. – Fr. Gabriele Amorth
Uses of Exorcized Salt
Here are 5 ways exorcized salt can be used in spiritual warfare:
- Church – First and foremost, exorcized salt is often used in Church ministry such at baptisms, the reconsecration of an altar, during the blessing of holy water and in the ministry of exorcism for people afflicted with diabolic influences.
- Home – You can sprinkle the salt alongside the walls, in the four corners of the house and rooms to help seal those places off from demons.
- Cooking – You can use the exorcized salt in cooking. I have heard Fr. Ripperger say this would be a good idea for families with teenagers. An example would be sprinkling the blessed salt on a salad. I have also read where priests can go to Catholic schools and exorcize all of the salt in the school’s cafeteria.
- Miscellaneous – The use of exorcized salt can be used in a variety of other ways. Like holy water, you can sprinkle the blessed salt just about anywhere you consider there to be a disturbance, whether it be at home, in the car, etc.
- Testimony – Whenever I feel like I need a spiritual boost, I will consume a small amount of exorcized salt and drink some water with it. I do this with faith in Christ, and it has yet to fail me from feeling a sense of God’s protection with it.
Exorcized Oil
They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. Mark 6:13
Exorcized Oil – This might be one of the most underrated sacramentals of the Catholic Church. There are two primary types of holy oil used by the Catholic Church:
#1 Chrism Oil – This is oil that is consecrated each year at the Chrism Mass near Easter, and it is used by bishops and priests during baptisms, confirmations, ordinations, and consecrations. Chrism oil is set apart by the Church for the sacraments and is used by priests for other sacramental purposes such as the anointing of the sick.
#2 Exorcized Oil – This is olive oil that has been exorcized and is ready for use either by the clergy or the laity. The clergy can use the oil in the deliverance ministry. The laity can use the oil to help keep their families protected from diabolical influences.
Uses of Exorcized Oil
Forehead – This may be the best use of exorcized oil. You can take a dab of the oil and make the sign of the cross on your forehead for protection, especially before sleeping.
Exorcized oil is good for people who suffer a lot from dreams…they can make the sign of the cross on their forehead with it, and it can help cut down on the dreams they are having that seem to be diabolic in nature – Fr. Chad Ripperger
Parents, particularly the father, can use the oil and bless their children every day, making the sign of the cross on their foreheads and reciting a prayer:
“The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!” Numbers 6:24-26
House – Exorcized oil can be used to help seal family homes off from demons. Demons have to follow the natural law on some level; thus, they may try to enter through the normal entry points of the house. The doors and any entry points of the house should be blessed with holy oil by making the sign of the cross with it.
The father, who has been given spiritual authority by God through the natural law over his family, should bless the entry points of the house with holy oil routinely.
Here is a testimonial of an exorcist blessing a room with exorcized sacramentals:
“I blessed and exorcized the room using holy water. I also sprinkled exorcized salt in the corners on the floor. Then I took exorcized oil and made a sign of the cross on the door, windows, and lintels.” + Msgr. Stephen Rossetti
You can read Msgr. Rossetti’s post about the blessing of the room here:
Exorcist Diary #149: Demons Repulsed by Blessed Homes
Cooking: Exorcized olive oil can be used in cooking along with exorcized salt, but they should both be used with reverence as they are holy sacramentals of the Church.
Testimonial: I use exorcized oil in my own spiritual warfare. I recently purchased vial of exorcized oil that had been touched by a first class relic of St. Padre Pio. The first night I unsealed it and used it, I spiritually experienced a profound sense of peace, and there was a presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s protection with the sacramental.
“God’s creature, oil, I cast out the demon from you by God the Father almighty, who made heaven and earth and sea, and all that they contain. Let the adversary’s power, the devil’s legions, and all Satan’s attacks and machinations be dispelled and driven afar from this creature, oil. Let it bring health in body and mind to all who use it.” + From the Roman Ritual’s Blessing of Oil
6. Brown Scapular
Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the day of the LORD comes, the great and terrible day. Malachi 3:23
Pictured above are two of my blessed Carmelite brown scapulars. I generally wear the same scapular every day, and I wear the alternate scapular during workouts.
Origins of the Carmelite Scapular
The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a man named Simon Stock, a Carmelite monk who was in despair at the time, and handed him the first scapular in 1251 A.D.
“Receive, my beloved son, this habit of thy Order. This shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege that whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire.” + Our Lady to St. Simon Stock
What is a Scapular?
The word scapular is derived from the Latin word “scapulae” which is translated as “shoulders” in English. Thus, the scapular is to be worn around the shoulders. One side is on the chest while the other side is on the back. The scapular is made up of two squares of brown wool, usually with a Marian symbol on one of the squares.
Testimonial About the Brown Scapular
I purchased my scapular from the Carmelite Monastery of the Sacred Hearts. I was enrolled in the Brown Scapular Confraternity at a Carmelite Monastery on the feast day of our Lady of Mt. Carmel (July 16). I also attended the Mass presided by a bishop.
By God’s grace the bishop blessed me and my scapulars with his apostolic blessing after the Mass. Driving home, I saw a rainbow in the sky. It was the first time in my entire life I have ever seen the end of a rainbow. I will always believe it was miraculous.
Here is the pic of the rainbow. I had no idea at the time I would be driving next to it.
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13
Wearing a Scapular Provides Spiritual Protection
There is something mysterious about Carmelite spirituality that is highly effective in Catholic Spiritual Warfare. Wearing a blessed scapular provides spiritual protection.
“Demons particularly hate the Brown Scapular…the Scapular is very important because it provides a level of protection.” – Fr. Chad Ripperger Source: OSMM
Fr. Ripperger has mentioned that every time a demon of impurity manifested in one of his sessions, the first thing he tried to do was get the scapular off and throw it. Fr. said he would command the demon to put the scapular back on reverently.
Another point to be made about the scapular is that they are not to be taken off. The act of wearing the scapular day and night serves as a reminder of who we are, what we believe in, and how we should live our lives as disciples in obedience to Christ.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15
7. St. Michael Statue
Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. Revelation 12:7-8
Invite St. Michael to Defend the Family at Home
Every Catholic family should make good use of a blessed St. Michael the Archangel statue in their home. The blessed statue should be placed in a prominent location within the home, and it certainly would be a good idea to recite the St. Michael the Archangel prayer in the presence of St. Michael’s statue on a daily basis.
“St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
You want to allow St. Michael in your family home to help keep you and your family protected. Fr. Ripperger and the Liber Christo team have stated that angels will go where they are invited, while demons will go where they are not resisted.
All the people begged the Lord with lamentations and tears to send a good angel to save Israel. 2 Maccabees 11:6b
I am convinced the St. Michael statues is one of the most powerful sacramentals in spiritual warfare. You can read my testimonial about my miraculous spiritual encounter I had with my blessed St. Michael statue here: Archangels.
Auxilium Christianorum and St. Michael
To provide further proof of the power of this sacramental in spiritual warfare, please consider the requirement for members of the Auxilium Christianorum (a spiritual warfare association founded by exorcists) to obtain a blessed statue:
“When it is financially possible, each member of the Auxilium Christianorum is to keep statues of Our Lady and St. Michael in his home, before which a votive candle is to be burned.” Source: Auxilium Christianorum Membership Requirement #9
I’m not able to keep a votive candle perpetually lit as suggested by Fr. Ripperger, but I do keep a lamp next to the statue and other blessed sacramentals on my chest of drawers such as a statue of Our Lady, a blessed crucifix, holy water, etc. When I am home, I keep the light turned on next to my sacramentals until I go to bed.
When you are yoked to Christ, you can obtain His peace within you, despite the spiritual warfare, simply by living a holy, Catholic life and making use of these powerful sacramentals the Church offers to help keep us delivered from evil.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen” + From the Lord’s Prayer
