Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 7/12/2010

Question
Feng Shui is an old Chinese Practice.  Today it is considered New Age. Is it wrong for Catholics to have Feng Shui Wind Chimes in their homes?  Can you please send me a good article or website to show other Catholics about this subject.

Thanks for taking your time to help us out here.  
May God Bless you always
Brenda

Answer
Peace


First, I would pray for the person that use such, that they will be open to hear the Truth.Second, I would share with them a solid foundational understanding related to Sacramentals and their proper use within the Church. For below example:

Sacramental:  Sacramentals are sacred signs, bearing a certain likeness to the sacraments, by which spiritual graces may be obtained through the Church. Some sacramentals are objects such as holy water, scapulars, medals, or rosaries. We may obtain graces through using these. Others are sacred actions such as blessings. Sacramentals differ from sacraments through the manner of institution. Christ instituted the sacraments. Sacramentals are instituted through the Church and are magisterially defined. [See Mt 16:19] A sacrament imparts grace in virtue of the rite itself, while the grace of a sacramental depends on the dispositions of the individual believer and the intercession of the Church. The number is variable. [See CCC 1667-1679]


Sacramental Theology:  This is a special subfield of theology that scrutinizes sacramental dogma and practice. It defines the sacraments and how they serve and enliven the life of grace within us. It enables us to engage in true worship of God and charitable service to others. The intricacy of sacramental theology reflects the complexity of the sacraments and their many elements. These consist of true worship of God, rites, rituals, formal gestures or other actions, use of sacred or liturgical texts, physical objects, sacred places, priestly vesture, special occasions of parish and personal life, memorializations or imitations of Christ’s actions and words. In includes the enactment of sacred intentions and purposes for the parish and for the individual believer. Study of the sacraments leads to various perspectives that focus on one or another of these intricate elements. Peter Lombard, in A.D. 1148, was among the first to discern the difference between formal sacraments directly instituted by Christ and sacramental actions or objects; e.g. the Sign of the Cross, prayer, chaplets and rosaries.



           The seven sacraments were not defined earlier because an official inventory had not been formally or magisterially defined. Evidently the early Fathers did not feel the need. Christ simply entrusted them to the Church and they have been used for the sanctification of the faithful ever since. The formal list of the seven sacraments was accepted by St. Thomas Aquinas [A.D. 1226-1274], and was officially defined by the Council of Florence in 1439. On March 3, 1547, the Council of Trent formally codified and affirmed the seven sacraments as we know and practice them today.[1]



Perhaps once the person seems to except the truth about objects and how we can use them spiritually,  you can help them find something that fits there needs.

                                                   your servant but His first
                                                            George

Ps. I couldn't find any "Catholic" sites on the chimes and such, that didnt seem to endorse their use. So, I had to write this based on my knowledge of new age ideas and practices that conflict with the Gospel.