Demonic Interference or Natural Cause?

[MiserereMeiDeus]

Hello. I'm going to try to explain something that happened to a friend of mine that I found very interesting. I hope it will make sense. So here I go:

This individual is a convert to the faith and shortly after he was discerning a possible calling to religious life. He has explained some extraordinary happenings during the time of his conversion and relationship with Our Lord. He also has struggled with sins against purity. This was something that he was involved in before his conversion but after he said that the temptations even went away for a long time during his conversion. He did enter religious life and was doing fairly well and was happy. He then told a story that brings up my question (demonic influence or natural.)

He was in the church and there was a lady at the church service there that had looked at him and he said what was strange was he found himself looking at her also the whole time (she was looking at him as well.) The strange part was that he said he didn't realize he was looking at her the whole time until about a week later the remembrance back of what happened. He said after that he was tortured by impure thoughts for months that drove him to bitterness and anger. They happened a lot during prayer time and Mass and Thanksgiving, but also just throughout the day. He mentioned also being tempted to masturbation at night when he was in bed. He said he was open to his superiors about what happened and what he was experiencing but no prayer really helped him. He ended up leaving the community and said that he believed he made the right choice and was alright after he left with the hope of a good future and to see what God had planned for him. However, when things weren't what they seemed (what he thought things would be like after he left the community) he became very angry and bitter at God for not helping him when he prayed to be able to stay. He ended up going back to sins that he struggled with before his conversion. He left his faith and lived very angrily at God and has had thoughts of satanism. He didn't dabble in anything and thankfully did come back to the sacraments. He still struggles with sins against purity and anger and confusion about what happened, but insists that he's trying to remain faithful and he is going to Mass and the sacraments. 

He says that when he tries to have a close relationship with the Lord he gets very attacked; which I told him is what we all will endure when we try to be close to Jesus. His past and story are very interesting and I was wondering how I can help him and anyone's thoughts on what could be going on. Mental health issue, demonic, other causes?

[Anomaly]

Speculatung cause isn't as important as dealing with the current situation. He should talk it over with both a spiritual director as well as a mental health therapist.   You aren't going to get much real help from brief and second hand explanations on the web.  

If it's a real problem as in causing actual problems (regardless of beliefs in mental or demonic causes), put in the effort to get real help.  

[MiserereMeiDeus]

4 minutes ago, Anomaly said:

Speculatung cause isn't as important as dealing with the current situation. He should talk it over with both a spiritual director as well as a mental health therapist.   You aren't going to get much real help from brief and second hand explanations on the web.  

If it's a real problem as in causing actual problems (regardless of beliefs in mental or demonic causes), put in the effort to get real help.  

Thank you, I know this. I am neither trying to be a priest to him or any type of therapist. Mentioning the situation, I am not trying to find someone to find the curing answer. I am sharing it so that others will pray for him and they may offer helpful insight.

[Anomaly]

I don't do prayers, but I do practical insight.  

You asked how you could help him and my advice is to encourage and support him to seek capable and effective help from both a qualified religious and a qualified mental health resource. 

[MiserereMeiDeus]

7 hours ago, Anomaly said:

I don't do prayers, but I do practical insight.  

You asked how you could help him and my advice is to encourage and support him to seek capable and effective help from both a qualified religious and a qualified mental health resource. 

Thank you for your insight. That's true and I agree with that as well. He knows. He's in contact with the priest but that's all I know of as of now as far as the needed help goes. God doesn't forget His children. Thank you all also who have prayed and will pray.

[TamTam]

This seems like a very nuanced and personal experience for your friend.

I know when I did an aspirancy live in for the first time, i was assaulted by so many temptations that normally in my regular daily life I cannot either hear or can ignore easily.  I know that was very difficult time for myself spiritually. 

I also felt a lot of bitterness after that experience because I was experiencing a rather dry spiritual life before and after that stay. I have since read up on St. Ignatius and what he had to say about these times in our spiritual life.  I think understanding that we are not always going to "feel good" and we will be assaulted are all part of God's plan for us. I now realize looking back at that aspirancy, I had a true chance to grow in grace and empty some of myself to make room for Jesus but I was so stuck on myself and the "struggle" i lost sight of the big picture. 

I know I am speaking in vague terms and being very general, but I think frequenting confession will help immensely. For a long time, I thought confession was not enough and that I had to do more, but i cannot do more than God. I think understanding God's compassion and love for me really helped break certain cycles of sin in my life. 

[WhiteLily]

Does/did your friend have a close relationship to the Blessed Virgin Mary? Was he faithful to the Rosary by reciting it everyday?

Has he made frquent visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and talked to Jesus more about his issues/feelings ? Was he faithful to the Sacraments (frequent confession, recieving the holy Eucharist often)? 

If not, that is a good place to start These questions don't need to be answered, but I am just posting it on here to maybe help others who may struggle with the same thing.)

I also sense a lot of pride on his part and a lack of trust in Jesus, especially during his time as a religious. Also, I sense there are a lot of family issues that are unresolved - especially Father issues. If this is the case, he needs many prayers for healing. 

As a phamily, why don't we offer at least one Hail Mary for this person and pray for his conversion and his healing. 

God bless your friend and be assured of my prayers for him.

[MiserereMeiDeus]

Thank you to those who are offering prayers, and for the advice given. I didn't mean to cause any upset when posting this. Lord knows I was well intentioned. I will give this person the assurance of prayers from those here.