Do Evil Spirits Really Exist?

October 27, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

The Fall of Man Michelangelo — The Fall of Man
Michelangelo

On Halloween, we see many representations of good and evil: angels, witches, devils, monsters, princesses, gangsters, rock stars, politicians, super heroes.

While we are made in the image of God, each of us has a temptation to do evil. Society glamorizes evil.

If we take the Bible seriously, we should not doubt the existence of Satan and evil spirits. Jesus refers to Satan and angels multiple times.

Satan is actually an angel. He fell from grace when he turned from God. He has been at war with God ever since.

It is only in modern times, that people have denied the existence of evil spirits. Halloween is a time when we should reflect on the good and evil evident around us.

Halloween (All Hallows Eve) comes on the night before All Saint’s Day. Halloween is a display of both good and evil. All Saint’s Day (November 1st) is a display of people who have overcome evil for the glory of God.

Angels have existed since the beginning of creation. They are servants and messengers of God. Unlike human beings they are pure spirits. During the life of Jesus they are always present. Archangel Gabriel announces his birth, they protect Jesus in his infancy, (Mat 4) serve him in the desert, and they strengthen him in his agony in the garden,

The Feast Day of the Archangels is celebrated on September 29. The Feast Day of the Guardian Angels is celebrated on Oct. 2.

The Church teaches that Satan, in the beginning, was a good angel, but became evil by choice. We learn in the bible that Jesus came to conquer evil.

“Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.“ 1 John 8

When Jesus is praying in the Garden before his crucifixion, he prayed for unity among Christians. He also prayed for protection against satan.

“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)

The fallen angels have never repented for their fall from grace. Their hatred of God leads them to seduce men into choosing their evil ways.

We have free will. God did not create evil. On Halloween, we should reflect on which path we wish to follow…the path of God…or the path of evil.

Being neutral is not an option, it is evil; the sin of omission, laziness, and being lukewarm.

The devil is always trying to tempt us to do evil. We need to turn to God with the Lord’s prayer when we need to be strengthened.

‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:13)

We need to be aware of the evil around us and the temptations which may cause us to go astray. How else can we choose to do good rather than evil? Pray! Pray! Pray!

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Martyr, North America, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The North American Martyrs

October 20, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

The Feast Day of the North American Martyrs is celebrated on October 19 in the United States. In Canada it is celebrated on September26th.

In the 1600’s, eight French Jesuit missionaries lost their lives while trying to spread the news of the gospel to the Huron, Iroquois, and Mohawk Indians. Three of them died in what is now New York State, five of them died in what is now Canada.

Isaac Jogues, René Goupil and Jean La Laude died in New York.

John DeBrebeuf, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier, Anthony Daniel, and Noel Chabanel died in Canada.

St. René Goupit was a Jesuit Lay brother. He was the first to be martyred. He was killed by tomahawk at Osermenon, (Auriesville, NY)) in 1942.

Father Isaac Jogues, a Jesuit priest, was held captive by the Mohawks for thirteen months. He had several fingers cut off his hand. He escaped and returned to France. He later returned to the mission. He was killed by tomahawk by a Mohawk brave in 1946.

St. Jean de La Lande, a Jesuit donné (not a member of the Society, but at their service) tried to retrieve Father Isaac Jogues’ body, but was killed also.

These martyrs were the first saints of North America.

The martyrs were canonized by Pope Pius XI on June 29, 1930.

Devil, Evil, Psalm, Quotes of Saints, Sin

Twenty-five Quotes about Evil, Sin and the Devil from the Saints

October 18, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

During times of stress and turmoil, turning to God is comforting. When surrounded by evil, meditating on the words of the saints can help us connect with God. When evil surrounds us, let our faith strengthen us and give us courage. The following quotes may guide us.

He that is kind is free, though he is a slave, he that is evil is a slave, though he is a king.

St. Augustine

2. The devil does not bring sinners to hell with their eyes open; he first blinds them with the malice of their own sins. Before we fall into sin, the enemy labors to blind us, that we may not see the evil we do and the ruin we bring upon ourselves by offending God.

St. Alphonsus Liguori

3. Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul, except sin. God commands you to pray, but he forbids you to worry.

St. Francis de Sales

8. Never let us fall asleep in a state of sin, lest the prince of wickedness gain power over us and snatch us away from the Kingdom of the Lord.

St. Barnabas, Apostle

9. You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy…the root of all that is evil and the failure of all that is evil and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud.

St. Vincent de Paul

10. The greatest sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.

St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome

11. The root of all evil is “I”, “ME”. “Mine”!

St. Padre Pio

12. Nor did demons crucify Him, it is you who have crucified Him and crucify Him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.

St. Francis of Assisi

13. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you. Be sober minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone t devour.

St. Peter, Apostle

St. Peter by Rubens
Apostle and Martyr
Public Domain Image

14. The devil is always discovering something novel against the truth.

St. Leo I, Bishop of Rome

15. Just as every little fresh water is blown away by a storm of wind and dust, in like manner the good deeds that we think we do in this life are overwhelmed by the multitude of evils.

St. Basil

16. Be ashamed when you sin, don’t be ashamed when you repent. To repent means to have a change of heart and mind. It is not simply a feeling of sorrow, but a psycho/spiritual growth away from evil/death and a turning to God/life. Sin is the wound; repentance is the medicine. Sin is followed by showing repentance, repentance is followed by boldness. (Boldness means to beg God for undeserved mercy! Satan has overturned this order and given boldness to sin and shame to repentance.

St. John Chrysostom

17. Sin makes a man a coward…as life in the Truth of Christ makes him bold.

St John Chrysostom

18. The devil tempts that he may ruin, God tests that he may crown.

St. Ambrose

19. It is no fault of Christianity that a Hypocrite falls into sin.

St. Jerome

20. An evil discovered, is half healed.

St. Jane Frances de Chantel

St. Jane Frances de Chantal
Public Domain Image

21. The power of evil men lives on the cowardice of the good.

St. John Bosco

22. Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the final say.

St. John Paul II

23. The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the sign of the cross.

St. Anthony of Padua

24.There is nothing the devil fears so much, or so much tries to hinder so much as prayer.

St. Philip Neri

25. Arise, soldiers of Christ, throw away the works of darkness

and put on the amor of light!

St. Cecelia

Eucharist, Heaven, Pope Leo XIV, Quotes of Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Carlo Acutis

October 11, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

The Feast Day of Carlo is celebrated on October 12. Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991 in London to Italian parents who working there. He was raised in Milan, Italy. Carlo died at the age of 15 in Manza, Italy of leukemia on October 12, 2006.

St. Carlo Acutis was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020 and Canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7, 2025. He is considered the first millennial saint and the patron saint of the internet.

At a young age of 11, Carlo became very interested in Eucharistic Miracles. He visited the birthplace of many of the saints and sites of the Eucharistic miracles. His passion for the Eucharist led him to use his skills as a coder to build a website cataloging over 150 Miracles. He listed them by country and date. His site is still active at Carlo Acutis La dlinea del tempo di Carlo Acutis

St. Carlos was known for being very generous. He helped the poor and defended students in his school from bullies. He enjoyed helping the elderly and disabled. His passion for his faith inspired his parents to become active in their faith. They enrolled in a theology class so they could answer questions which came up.

At the age of 14, Carlo fell ill. At first, they believed he had the flu; however he was diagnosed with acute Myeloid Leukemia. Afte r suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage, he went into a coma and died on October 12.

Initially buried in Ternengo his body was reburied in January 2007 in Assisi because of his devotion to St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Carlo is credited with two miracles. The healing of a Brazilian boy born with a malformed pancreas was healed after prayers of intercession to Blessed Carlo in 2020. The second miracle occurred in Costa Rico then a woman was healed in 2024 after suffering a serious head injury. Prayers of intercession were prayed at St. Acutis’s tomb after which she was healed. These miracles led to the canonization of St. Carlo in 2025 by Pope Leo XIV.

The Mystery of Faith

Monthly Archives: October 2025