Washington D.C., Sep 3, 2019 / 14:05 pm
A Catholic elementary school in Nashville has banned the seven books of the Harry Potter series due to concerns the books promote witchcraft and black magic. An exorcist and a Catholic author talked with CNA about the Harry Potter books and the Catholic faith.
"These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception," Fr. Dan Reehil, pastor at Saint Edward School in Nashville, said to parents in an Aug. 28 email.
"The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text," the priest added.
Reehil said that the books "glorify acts of divination; of conjuring the dead, of casting spells among other acts that are an offense to the virtue of religion - to the love and respect we owe to God alone. Many reading these books could be persuaded to believe these acts are perfectly fine, even good or spiritually healthy."