Las Piñas Parish Warns Public Against Superstitious Novena
A parish in Las Piñas City has issued an official warning to the public about a type of “novena” that has reportedly been left inside the church and contains elements of superstition. The Immaculate Conception Parish in Gatchalian Subdivision released the statement through its official social media page to clarify that the material is not approved by the Catholic Church and goes against proper Christian teaching.
According to the parish, the questionable novena includes instructions that reflect superstitious beliefs rather than genuine prayer. One specific detail that raised concern was a written instruction telling people to make 81 copies of the prayer. Church leaders explained that this practice is a clear sign of superstition, as it suggests that blessings or answers to prayers depend on repeating or copying an item a certain number of times, instead of trusting in God.
The parish warned that following such practices can be harmful to a person’s spiritual life for two main reasons. First, Catholic teaching states that believing in superstition is a violation of the First Commandment, which calls for complete trust in God alone. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that relying on superstitious acts weakens true faith and is considered sinful because it replaces trust in God with fear or ritual behavior.
Second, church authorities, including experienced exorcists, have cautioned that accepting or practicing superstition may open a person to negative spiritual influence. According to these teachings, superstitious beliefs can create spiritual vulnerability, which may harm a person’s inner and spiritual well-being.
Because of these concerns, the parish urged churchgoers to remove and burn any similar materials found inside the church to prevent the spread of false beliefs. This step, they explained, is meant to protect the faithful and maintain the holiness of the place of worship.
At the same time, the parish clarified that novenas themselves are not wrong. In fact, the Catholic Church encourages novenas as a form of prayer and devotion. However, they become harmful when mixed with practices or beliefs that contradict Church doctrine.