That being said, I will share my own experience. Several years back, I read at least 4 of the books, which were given to us as gifts. They were enjoyable in some ways, but I was not comfortable with everything in them, and in my heart there lingered some vague uneasiness about allowing our children to read them when they were old enough. I prayed and sought direction. A dear priest we know told me that he thought they were fine.

Not long after that, I ran across an article online by Michael O’Brien that referred to the Fr. Amorth quote mentioned above. Mr. O’Brien pointed out that the priests who were giving their approval to HP were not exorcists, and that it was worth our while to listen to what the exorcists were saying about it. My husband and I talked it over and decided that there are SO many wonderful books out there, why take a chance with something so potentially deadly?

In the process of ridding the house of Harry, we had a supernatural experience that I can only describe as chilling. We very clearly got the message that there was a force present in/around those books that did not want to leave. We have not regretted our decision!

Regarding Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, I have never heard of any exorcists, or any priest for that matter, warning us to avoid it. Anyone who is interested in exploring the uses of magic in fiction from a Catholic perspective might enjoy Michael O’Brien’s book, A Landscape with Dragons.

I’ll end by sharing a quote from Laura Berquist, who is well known in homeschooling circles as the director of Mother of Divine Grace School. I believe it is in the first Harry Potter book that we encounter the “mandrake root” which looks like a screaming baby, and will ultimately be made into a potion. Mrs. Berquist says, “It is only because our society accepts abortion that such an image for the mandrake root can be used. In a culture that valued babies, it would never be acceptable to have the root have the form of a baby and then be cut up into a potion.”

The most important thing to remember about fantasy is that it takes place in a make-believe world. That may seem trite and/or obvious, but it is actually very important.

In nearly all fantasy (and Harry Potter is absolutely an example of this), magic is an alternate means of obtaining ends, that exists naturally in the fantasy world in which the story takes place. It is available to anyone with the proper combination of predisposition, proclivity, training, and equipment. Because it is actually a natural part of the invented world, its use has the same moral impact as technology. In these make-believe worlds, it absolutely matters if you are using magic to murder, defend, save labor, heal, or what have you.

This is the part to emphasize to your children:

In the real world, magic is the act of supplicating a preternatural being, requesting that it use its powers to serve your ends. In this case, the morality of the act is entirely dependent upon the being whose aid you request.

We make requests of God all the time. In fact, the word “pray” is a synonym for “ask” or “request.” Hopefully, we do so with the recognition that He will grant only those requests which it pleases Him to grant, and always based upon the greater good that will result. We also ask the angels, saints, and the Blessed Virgin to pray for us.

But if we supplicate ANY OTHER preternatural being, we are praying to a demon, if not the devil himself. No good can EVER come of such an action. Furthermore, nearly all fantasy literature prior to the 1960s used this understanding of magic, which is why the default sword-and-sorcery hero was the swordsman, and the default villain was the sorcerer.

Is make-believe magic dangerous? It can be. If it tempts you to try real-life magic, or if you cannot tell the difference between make-believe and real-life magic, it absolutely is. If by your acceptance of entertainment with make-believe magic, you lead somebody to accept or try real-world magic, it is. Those cases aside, I don’t think so. Like science fiction, fantasy can illustrate the human condition in ways that stories set in more “realistic” settings cannot, and do so to our benefit.

The pope never read them; whatever he knew about them came from someone not in authority.

I don’t know if Fr. A and Fr. E have read them. However, Fr. A and Fr. E are neither of them in authority over any Catholic parent regarding the upbringing of their children. Neither is Archbishop Pell of Sydney who expressed unqualified enjoyment of them, although he said that they were more superficial than LOTR. here’s more from Pell on the topic: http://forum.catholic.org/viewtopic.php?p=625690&sid=ada19544553eafeea9dac4df35a37ccc
Nevertheless, Pell cannot tell you what YOUR children should or should not read.

You are the person God has entrusted with YOUR children. No one can tell you what criteria you must use — such as demanding that you read the book first. It is your right to decide that you do not want your children reading it, without ever cracking it open. It would even be your right to tell your children not to read it if the pope said it was wonderful. It is not your right to demand that other parents do it your way.

We have presented both the pros and cons on this site. Now that the movies are out, we are presenting movie reviews. If we got a negative movie review, we would run it as well — however, one does have to actually see the movie to write about it. This is not presented to “promote” the books or the movies, but as a way of informing our readers about them.

It’s an old dodge to suggest that one has to read something before one is able to comment on it. It is possible to judge a book by its cover; I submit that there’s nothing wrong with that, particularly when those in authority have judged it dangerous.

As I said, people can choose what to read and what to allow their children to read. However, condemning something that you have not read because you think you know what it says or what it promotes is not appropriate.

As to the Pope’s quote, he did more respond simply to this woman and her thoughts on the books. He agreed that the too subtle distinction of good and evil in these books is very dangerous to young souls and gave her permission to make his statement known.

If a Doctor tells us we must stop something, it’s no good for us, it’s no good for our health we immediately stop what we’re doing. We go home and clear out the cupboard of all the junk food, join a gym etc. But when our church tells us something is no good for us, it’s evil or even poison as the experts, Fr Amorth, Fr. Euteneuer have expressed, we fight against it, we don’t believe it. Witchcraft is an abomination to God and is outright condemned by God in the Bible and by the Church. Fiction or not I don’t care, there is no middle ground here!!!! The seeds that can get planted are deadly and if it can be avoided, which this can, it must be avoided. Why take the chance.

CCC 2117 All (not some ALL)practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others – even if this were for the sake of restoring their health – Are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.

St. Paul tells us that we are not only to avoid evil itself, but to avoid even the appearance of evil: 1 Thess 5:22 “Abstain from every appearance of evil.”
I would pretty much bet my last dollar that if St Paul were around today he would include the Harry Potter movies and books as an appearance of evil and something that we should abstain from.

regarding the Ratzinger quote, as I recall, he was replying to letter from a woman regarding her concerns about the books. He was telling HER that if SHE was concerned about the books, she should enlighten people. He has never read the series and hasn’t pronounced on them. I believe the Vatican clarified this matter.

Also, this is a fantasy series. My kids have zero, zilch, nada, no inclinations to witchcraft of any kind. I’ve NEVER seen that played out in my household.

One reason people leave the faith is that their parents “wear their faith on their sleeve” and turn children off. I’ve seen THAT evil played out repeatedly. Anybody with “an ounce of knowledge about spiritual warfared should know” that Satan will use any strategy to destroy souls including apparently faithful, holy parents, and this forum.

I will pray for light and the wisdom to discern how I should procede with the Harry Potter story.