Wisdom Traditions

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Are you aware of or involved with any members of groups that class themselves as Ancient Western Wisdom Traditions? Do you know a lot of Roman Catholic Priests? Would you ever attend a Roman Catholic Mass? Do you believe in reincarnation and if so can you remember anything from your past lives? Have you ever recognised someone from a past life on the first meeting with them in this life and remember the circumstances surrounding the previous lives? Thanks, Angela.

I have known and still know many Roman Catholic priests. I also know many priests in other parts of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I attend the traditional Roman Catholic Mass of ages, sometimes known as the Old Mass, whenever the opportunity presents itself. Sometimes by invitation; sometimes because I am in proximity to where such a Mass is available.

I do not believe in reincarnation and therefore have not recognised someone from a past life.

I am not involved with any members of groups that might class themselves as "Ancient Western Wisdom Traditions." I have met and invariably still meet in the course of life those who subscribe to one or more such traditions. What you describe as "Ancient Western Wisdom Traditions" is a broad spectrum of spiritual tradition found in Western society. It could also refer to esoteric knowledge collectively pertaining to the Western world, eg alchemy, theosophy, tarot, astrology, Rosicrucianism and ceremonial magic. The Western Tradition has no one source or unifying text, nor does it hold any specific dogma, instead placing emphasis on Gnosis or inner knowledge. Hermetic organisations, neo-pagans and Thelema (the product of Aleister Crowley) persist in practicing modern variants of what is described as traditional Western esoteric philosophies. The Catholic Encyclopedia sums up its origins thus: "Its beginnings have long been a matter of controversy and are still largely a subject of research. The more these origins are studied, the farther they seem to recede in the past." (The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV: Esotericism and Gnosticism)

Of these systems the Egyptian and Hellenic Mystery religion, the Armenian (known as: Intentional Architecture), the Hebrew Kabbalah, Gnosticism and Hermeticism are generally considered the oldest, though at no stage prior to the 1880s were these doctrines ever synthesised into one whole. Due to their relative geographic restrictions they were regarded very much as separate disciplines. It appears that for the most part the specific teachings were preserved via oral tradition (though not in all cases, eg the Nag Hammadi Library) passed from teacher to initiate.

This "Ancient Western Wisdom Tradition" comprises several major traditions, each one associated with its own landscape and culture. These can be summarised as the Ancient Egyptian, later known as the Hermetic and Alchemical tradition, the Magian or Zoroastrian tradition of Mesopotamia and Persia, the Hebraic or Cabalistic tradition, the Orphic, Pythagorean, Platonic and Neo-platonic traditions of Greece and Rome, the Druidic and Arthurian traditions of Britain, the Celtic traditions of Ireland, Scotland and north-west Europe, the Norse traditions of Scandinavia, and the Esoteric "Christian" or Rosicrucian tradition. All of these are said to have their origins in Atlantis, derived from Enoch, the fabled king of Atlantis and allegedly first of humanity to attain to the highest initiation of all, that of the Messiah. All these wisdom traditions have a basic wisdom in common, which comprises a working knowledge of the Three Great Archetypes of life and their manifestation in the soul world and world of nature. The schools of wisdom were known as mystery schools, for they primarily taught by means of the mysteries, supported by the academies.

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Corporeal Manifestation

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Your Excellency, can you kindly explain the difference between the corporeal vampire and the antediluvian written about in the Book of Enoch? Yours in Christ, Rose.

I fear I shall need to call upon elaboration from you in this regard, as my understanding of the tradition about the seventh antediluvian patriarch Enoch, tracing its development from its roots in Mesopotamian lore to the Second Temple apocalyptic texts and later rabbinic and Hekhalot materials where Enoch is often identified as the supreme angel Metatron, might be removed slightly from your own comprehension. May I enquire how you relate the imagery of the celestial roles and titles of the seventh antediluvian hero in Mesopotamian co-extensive to the point of synonymity with the corporeal manifestation of those demons commonly referred to in more recent centuries as vampires?

Analysis of the celestial roles and titles shows that the transition from the figure of the angel Metatron occurred in the Second Temple Enochic materials, namely, in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch, a Jewish work, traditionally dated to the first century Anno Domini. Mediatorial polemics with the traditions of the exalted patriarchs and prophets played an important role in facilitating the transition from Enoch to Metatron in the Second Temple period.

Most people, of course, will be more familiar with the antediluvian period than they would the seventh antediluvian patriarch Enoch; the antediluvian period being the time that preceded the Great Flood of Noah as related in the Book of Genesis in the Bible. It was an important feature in versions of natural history that were formerly much more widely accepted, but is currently primarily accepted by Creationists. The primary source of knowledge about the antediluvian period is Genesis, chapters 5 and 6.

Thank you for Your Excellency's time. I doubt I can relate the Enoch-metatron tradition to the corporeal vampire. Sorry for the confusion. What is a corporeal vampire? Yours in Christ, Rose.

Vampires are demonic entities that employ blood in a way that enables the wraith to manifest in tangible form, thereby appearing as an accursed body which issues forth from within the confines of its earthly grave by supernatural means to drain the essence of life from the living whereby the corporeal aspect is seemingly nourished and preserved with new vitality and fresh energy. This corporeal form can nevertheless metamorphose; that is to say shape-shift. Most chroniclers of this extraordinary phenonemon have been clergy whose works are now near impossible to find save in specialist libraries. I would, however, recommend two books constantly being reprinted and therefore in all probability still available. These are The Vampire: His Kith and Kin (Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co, 1928) and The Vampire in Europe (University Books, 1929), both by Montague Summers.

Thank you, Your Excellency. I look forward to reading the recommended books. Rose.

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Exorcism

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Dear Bishop Manchester: As a cultural anthropologist, my dissertation is on modern folklore. As the Highgate Vampire is part of modern folklore, I have a few questions: (1.) Exactly how did you become a 'vampire hunter'? As I recall from the Highgate Vampire, you were not a priest at the time of this incident. Were you under the tutelage of a church elder or did you simply follow what was written in folklore? (2.) In the “So Weird” interview with the BBC, you state you have exorcised scores of vampires. Can you elaborate a little – just how many and where were these beings were located? Can you give the year you exorcised the vampires? Thank you in advance for your time. Regards, Rita Miller.

While it would be true to say that others have labelled me a "vampire hunter," I have never employed that term specifically to describe myself. Casting out demons is the preserve of Christians; especially Christians in holy orders. The pursuit of those demonic entities commonly known as vampires commenced for me in earnest with the unfolding of the Highgate case in the late 1960s. I was not in orders during that decade, but had contact with a sympathetic Roman Catholic priest and fellow students who, like me, were largely self-taught. The modern church as an institution was not entirely comfortable with the subject matter, but certainly did not dismiss it out of hand. However, individual priests along the way proved most helpful; especially those of the Eastern Orthodox persuasion. I entered the minor order of exorcist in early 1973. Highgate's principal demonic contagion was exorcised in the following year. The "incident" to which you refer occupied thirteen years of my life before the file was finally and irrevocably closed.

Throughout the BBC internet interview, which followed a vampire programme on BBC2 television, much of what I said became altered and sometimes lost in translation. As I am sure you will appreciate, the questions came thick and fast. Moreover, as I replied with what I felt to be minimum yet essential detail, some poor soul was attempting to type an abbreviated form of my responses into a BBC computer. So when looking through the dialogue one must take into account its transliterated summary of my actual answers. That notwithstanding, the bare bones of what I was attempting to communicate managed to surface, albeit the worse due to an unavoidably hasty exhumation.

I have carried out multifarious exorcisms of demonic contamination over the years; some undoubtedly vampiric and I am still consulted by priests in other denominations due to the unique sub-category of vampirology within demonolatry being no longer part of their training and syllabus. More often I am contacted by clergy and laity where a suspected contagion arises. Whilst demonic interference is frequently unearthed, classical vampirism less often rears its head. Forms of vampirism can occur without the manifestation having an apparent corporeal presence. When it does have a tangible form it would be regarded by vampirologists as a traditional case.

There are obvious reasons why I would not want to get involved in just how many have been encountered by me and my colleagues. It is, of course, more than the two recorded encounters and exorcisms in the published account of the Highgate investigation. The scourge of this unearthly phenomenon is by no means vanquished. It presents itself as a manifestation of that demonic legion referred to in Ephesians 6: 12 that we are required to resist in every way we can. This is the struggle that ensued at Highgate all those years ago. It is a permanent struggle for those of us called to rid the world of such evil.

Avoiding wherever possible the media in all its forms to ensure confidentiality to those who need help and whose help and co-operation is sought has allowed the ministry for dealing with such demonic molestation to become increasingly effective over the decades. Suffice that a world famous case was written about over the last four decades where media intrusion was impossible to prevent. Countless film documentaries have been made about it and there has been a televised dramatisation. There would have been no justification in repeating the unavoidable process of media co-operation applicable in the Highgate case over and again. By not discussing subsequent cases and by not exposing private people to a limelight they would certainly not welcome, my colleagues and I have been able to continue to operate with a reputation which precedes us for keeping confidences and not compromising people and places. Almost forty years after that first case was both reported and sensationalised by the media, I am still being asked to discuss it. While remaining open to debating the topic generally, I try to avoid the particular when it comes to unpublicised incidents and cases; having resolved not to allow investigations in the wake of Highgate to become similarly blighted.

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Diana Brewester R.I.P.

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My London Secretary, Diana Brewester, was born on this day toward the end of the Second World War. She sadly passed away in the days running up to Christmas 2003. She was a wonderfully kind-spirited person who gave generously of her time and immense knowledge on matters of mutual interest. Her enthusiastic support for a wide spectrum of projects over the years made her an invaluable friend and colleague. Her extensive knowledge embraced opera, literature and the arts. She was especially fond of Wagner’s music and the poetry of Lord Byron with whom I have a family connection. Diana was acquainted with many eminent people throughout her life, but none were shown the devotion and loyalty she afforded to myself. For that I shall be eternally grateful. Her self-effacing modesty in all she did was something which endeared her to many. Diana Brewester was separated by just three days from when I came into the world on the feast of St Bonaventure and, following our meeting, instantly became a spiritual sister in life just as she is a sister in spirit in death.

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May our dear friend and colleague rest in peace + until we meet again.

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Satanic Crime

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Greetings Bishop. I am a great admirer of your works. I have several of your books and I am aware of your work in the ministry of exorcism. As a bishop, you are constantly at work against the evil forces that assail our realm. Do you see a substantial increase in the number of cases involving demonic possession, occult crimes and vampirism? Are you called upon to assist in occult cases outside the UK or in the US?I understand there is a huge pulling away from Christianity in general in both Europe as well in the UK. Here in The U.S. Christianity is starting to come under increasing attacks from liberals and such. As always, the devil is behind these attacks, but do you see in your current experiences an organized movement on the human level against Christianity in consort with occult activities around the world? This is something that has been veiled from the eyes of society. Once again thank you Bishop for your time. Your views and the sharing of your knowledge is much needed today. Thank you for your time and may Christ bless & protect you and your family. Rodrigo.

One of the oldest theories of crime causation is demonolatry.

Heightened concern about satanic or occult activity has appeared periodically throughout history. Concern in the late 1970s focused primarily on unexplained deaths and mutilations of animals, and in later years has focused on child sexual abuse and the human sacrifice of missing children. Satanism and a wide variety of other terms are used interchangeably in reference to certain crimes. Law enforcement seminars and conferences have dealt with the occult. These training conferences have various titles, such as "Occult in Crime," "Satanic Cults," "Ritualistic Crime Seminar," "Satanic Influences in Homicide," "Occult Crimes, Satanism and Suicide," and "Ritualistic Abuse of Children."

That occult crimes have steadily been on the increase is not in serious dispute, but it is less easy to quantify and attest whether demonic molestation has risen in tandem. I suspect it has. There has certainly been a noticable increase in cases of demonic possession and ultra-vampiroidism (not to be confused with predatory demonic spirits in corporeal manifestation). The presence of an extant demonic menace remains constant. It is only our susceptibility which has altered, leaving us more vulnerable in a culture less willing to contemplate anything beyond the material plane of existence. Ignoring demonry, however, has done nothing to ensure its departure.
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I am sometimes called upon to assist with suspected and indeed confirmed cases outside the British Isles, but only in an advisory and consultative capacity. Sometimes it requires items to be forwarded that may prove helpful. Prayer is always helpful and given universally. My practical involvement, however, remains very much within British shores. There is more than enough to deal with here.
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The frightening, mindless embrace of varying degrees of occult activity and belief by the masses is more apparent today than at any other time in human history. Inhaling the materialistic air of institutionalised atheism and deprived of a healthy, robust Catholic Church to challenge the amoral status quo, folk have substituted spiritism for spirituality and paved the way for the dedicated, elite few to gradually engineer a massive, albeit unspoken, shift in allegiance from Christ to Satan. The occult influence within and around this rarefied circle of global elite who ultimately shape world affairs is undeniable.
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The power elite are not solitary rulers. Advisers and consultants, spokesmen and opinion-makers are often the captains of their higher thought and decision. The elite are the professional politicians of the middle levels of power, in Parliament and the Congress and in the pressure groups, as well as the new and old upper classes of town, city and region. Mingling with them are those professional celebrities who live by being continually displayed but are never, so long as they remain celebrities, displayed enough. If such celebrities are not at the head of any dominating hierarchy, they do often have the power to distract the attention of the public or afford sensations to the masses, or, more directly, to gain the ear of those who do occupy positions of direct power. More or less unattached, as critics of morality and technicians of power, as spokesman of God and creators of mass sensibility, such celebrities and consultants are part of the immediate scene in which the drama of the elite is enacted. But that drama itself is centred in the command posts of the major institutional hierarchies. There are so many disparate yet interrelated, interconnecting currents and streams in this complex design of elite power-brokers and fellow travellers that it is difficult to identify with absolute certainty one controlling force or figure overseeing "Satan’s pervasive and dark action" in the world today, as the Holy Father put it.
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In this time, the stakes in the essential struggle of the spirit have become higher than ever. The conflict between light and dark is more subtle, the struggle less overt, but the future consequences of our personal actions will be higher than ever because of the variety of choices and the possibility to exercise self-indulgence through the vehicles of technology and commerce without restraint or discernment. The outcome of this struggle, to determine whether or not man will sink into self-indulgent materialism or rise above it to create a truly better world, is far from certain. It no longer depends on others, but on ourselves. We can actively work to become more spiritual, thereby transforming ourselves and the material world and successfully realising what generations of initiates have dreamed of and worked toward, or we can choose to work to materialise and dull the spiritual aspect of man into haziness until it is ultimately lost. The choice of which future we actively wish to create is now man’s individual responsibility, and the result of that choice and of our actions will ultimately be our legacy to future generations.

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Tony Blair

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Greetings Bishop. I understand that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is a recent convert to Roman Catholicism. I know thet he is a Fabian Socialist and that he and his wife consult astrologers and there are reports of their involvement with the occult. I also understand that he is in the run for presidency of the European Union. From what I have gathered, he has been a long time atheist and has participated in strange rituals in Mexico and I think he is also a member of the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderburger Group. We have previously on another forum discussed a great political world wide involvement in the occult by elite individuals serving the left hand path. Could we be witnessing something like this shaping up on the world political stage? As a Bishop, excorcist and someone who investigates occult activity on many levels, does this set off any alarm bells? It is not my intention to blacken Mr Blair's reputation or level any accusations on his name. This is something that I was recently made aware of from anti-occult and anti-satanic researchers and investigators during radio interviews and on the internet. Once again thank you Bishop and God Bless! Rodrigo.

You are probably referring to allegations made here: http://www.williamhkennedy.com/articles/satanism.html#tony
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While he was Prime Minister, Tony Blair once commented that politicians who "do God" are "nutters." This is not the most eloquent of explanations of why British politicians do not "do God," but it offers an insight into what might be considered by some as a hypocritical position for Tony Blair to adopt.
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Only now, liberated from the burdens of the office of Prime Minister, is Tony Blair prepared to talk about his faith, which he reveals was "hugely important" in formulating policy and making decisions during his decade at 10 Downing Street. It transpires that Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor advised Mr Blair not to reveal his intention to convert to Roman Catholicism during a visit to the Pope. The whole story may be read in The Telegraph. However, there is no true religion that does not speak of politics; they are fused. It is only in one’s personal devotion, when one kneels in submission to the Lord, when one seeks Him in humility and with a soul thirsty for righteousness, that all earthly matters melt away, and terrestrial politics is revealed for the fraud it is and always has been.
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It was the late Cardinal Basil Hume with whom I was personally acquainted during the last decade of his life, who once declared that the Roman Catholic Church does not offer an à la carte menu. You cannot pick and choose the bits you like and do not like.

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Tony Blair supports abortion, which is against the Church's teaching. When Prime Minister he also conspicuously failed to use his loud and influential voice against the campaign in Parliament to lower the legal age for abortions to twenty-four weeks.

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It was the same Mr Blair as Prime Minister who skipped for joy (his words) when he saw on television the first homosexual couples being showered in confetti as "civil partnerships" came into effect in the United Kingdom. However, Mr Blair's new spiritual leaders, like all true Christians, are totally opposed to same-sex "marriages," which, in effect, is what they are. It was also Mr Blair's Government that forced through the change in the law making it illegal for Catholic adoption agencies to refuse to consider homosexual couples for any of the children in their care. Despite the personal opposition of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the most senior Catholic clergyman at the time to welcome the Blair conversion, our then Prime Minister refused to speak out. The twelve agencies, which last year placed 230 children, including some of the most "difficult to place children," will close down for ever.
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So Mr Blair is someone who has had no problem with abortion, homosexuality, astrology, New Ageism and goodness knows what else. He is also a political leader who took the decision without the support of the people he represented to invade a sovereign country on a false pretext to wage aggresive war; a war, moreover, which led to innumerable people being killed and seriously maimed. The final death toll, if it is ever known, will be exceptionally high. Some might say Tony Blair is a war criminal. He certainly does not regret his decision despite the Pope himself having opposed the war.

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Whatever Tony Blair is or is not, I seriously question his reception into the Roman Catholic Church. How will we know who is with us? How can we discern those who also call themselves Christians? Christ taught that we shall know them by their actions.
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Not even conversion to Rome can halt the judgement of God.

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Radio Interviews

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Greetings Bishop: I recently heard a podcast of an interview you did for an internet radio program called World Of The Unexplained. It was both a fantastic and an informative interview. Are there more interviews planned in the near future? Are there any previous ones on podcast that you done that you can recommend? These are great souces of information that must be heard by both believers and non-believers. Thank you once again for your time. Peace in Christ, Rodrigo.

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Finding time to accommodate requests to talk on radio is proving increasingly difficult with my schedule. I receive dozens of invitations to talk on radio stations as far afield as Hawaii (for a traditionalist Roman Catholic organisation) and as close as London (for a music station with a dedicated paranormal slot). I am mostly unable to accept these invitations due to work taking precedence. That is not to say I shall not try to fit in some talks on radio in the future where possible, but it remains low on my list of priorities.

Similar and oftentimes the same questions are raised during these interviews to which the same answers are inevitably provided as I gave four decades ago when I first began speaking on radio and television. I naturally prefer live programmes which enable me to discuss topics spontaneously with the listening audience.

My talks with Art Bell and George Noory on Coast to Coast might still be available on podcast.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/guest/manchester-sean/5935

My warnings and concerns evinced during the Art Bell interview were echoed by the Roman Catholic Primate of England and Wales, as recorded in The Times, 6 September 2001:

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"Chistianity has almost been vanquished in Britain, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor told a gathering of priests yesterday. Christ was being replaced by music, New Age beliefs, the environmental movement, the occult and the free-market economy, the Archbishop of Westminster said. In a candid and unscripted passage of his speech, the Cardinal also spoke of the damage and shame brought to his church by the scandal of paedophile priests. His analysis of Britain’s spiritual decline echoed the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, who last year said: 'A tacit atheism prevails. Death is assumed to be the end of life. Our concentration on the here-and-now renders a thought of eternity irrelevant.' But the Cardinal, leader of 4.1 million Roman Catholics in England and Wales, went much further. The extent to which Christianity informed modern culture and intellectual life in Britain today had been hugely diminished, he told the National Conference of Priests in Leeds. 'It does seem in our countries in Britain today, especially in England and Wales, that Christianity, as a sort of backdrop to people’s lives and moral decisions — and to the Government, the social life of the country — has now almost been vanquished.' Increasing numbers of people now gained their 'glimpses of the transcendant' from involvement in music, New Age movements and green issues. 'I could go on about this and talk also about the rise in New Age and occult practices and the search being made by young people for something in which, or someone in whom, they can place their complete trust.' People were seeking transient happiness in alcohol, drugs, pornography and recreational sex, the Cardinal said. 'There is indifference to Christian values and to the Church among many young people and, indeed, not only the young. You see quite a demoralised society, one where the only good is what I want, the only rights are my own, and the only life with any meaning or value is the life I want for myself.' In an apparent condemnation of both Thatcherism and 'new' Labour, the Cardinal gave warning of the excesses of the free-market economy and consumerism. 'When we live in a culture which says What I have got is what I am, we are in big trouble. Whilst I understand that — to some degree — we are all consumers, this is something we all enjoy a bit, it’s quite clear that a sole reliance on the market place does in the end actually prevent people from taking their destiny into their own hands. There are many today who think that to believe in God is to limit one’s freedom'.”

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To Talk To The Bishop ...

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The purpose of this blog is to address questions other than confidential concerns in private communications. Most queries received by me on the internet arrive by e-mail or via private message. They are not, for the most part, intended for public dissemination. This blog exists for those matters which can be discussed openly. Irrespective of the manner delivered, send your question, query or concern and I shall do my best to answer it.

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