“Wandering Souls” we mean human souls of the departed:

 

• who do not know that they have died and therefore are wandering on earth waiting for entrance into the after-life; 

 

• it can also mean souls with unfinished business and therefore need to remain in the abode of the living to close the pending works; or 

 

• a human soul that is so attached to a place that it lingers there. 

 

These three notions are all contrary to faith and the doctrine of the particular judgment. God is sovereign over the life and death of every human being. 

 

A human soul outside the human body is a pure spirit and therefore possesses “intuitive knowledge” proper to spirits; its knowledge of reality is immediate. It knows that it is dead intuitively. 

 

Hence, a human soul “wandering” is a contradiction of the nature of a spiritual being. Immediately after death, it enters into particular judgment and knows the just sentence of God instantaneously. There is no room for “wandering”. 

 

Meanwhile, the argument on “unfinished business” case also does not hold water with the doctrine of particular judgment because even in the instances of so-called “accidental death” or “unprepared death”, the person is judged by God according to his life and works, of his response to the love of God. Hence, even in cases of suicide, the soul enters into judgment before God, the author, and giver of life.

 

The argument of attachment of souls to a material place is also contrary to the nature of spiritual entities. A soul outside the body is a spirit and therefore not attracted to matter. 

 

It is highly probable that “wandering souls” are not human souls but are evil spirits pretending to be human souls. Stories of hauntings in places – in houses, streets, cemeteries, corridors, buildings, hospitals, etc. are demons; that is why they react to exorcism prayers and the use of blessed sacramentals.

 

The Church does admit from the testimony of the saints, that, God sometimes allows poor souls in purgatory to manifest themselves to people who can help them with suffrages and prayers. However, these are not wandering souls. The Poor Souls in Purgatory are holy, their eternal happiness is assured, although awaiting their final purification and redemption (CCC 1022).

 

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Ref.: Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exorcism (AMOE) | Philippine Association of Catholic Exorcists (PACE)

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Catholic Ministry of Spiritual Liberation and Exorcism