Mary prevents a demon from exerting his influence

My name is Baptiste, I am 40 years old, was born in Marseille in 1980, and grew up in Salon de Provence (southern France). My family is atheist and the only Christian in my family while I was growing up was my grandmother. Thanks to her, my older brother, my older sister and I were baptized.

I had a normal childhood but when I was about 10 years old my parents started to hate each other. They didn't get divorced, but led separate lives while living under the same roof. 

The family atmosphere became unbearable. I became involved in stealing, pornography and violence. At the age of 13, I participated in a seance at a friend's house, which opened the doors to demons in my life, and something strange happened to me that day. When I turned 16 I left school, and plunged in a downward spiral; at 17 I smoked my first joint, sank into drugs and made quick money by selling hashish.

Until I was 26, it was like that on a daily basis: alcohol, drugs, easy money, and all the other vices that go with it.

One day in 2006, I learned that my "little grandma" had passed away. This news was the beginning of my recovery. I told my grandmother, "I'm going to show you that I can make it, I'm doing this to thank you for all the love and trust you gave me, which I didn't know how to return." So I got a job at a pizzeria and began a spiritual quest. However, I searched without discernment. 

One evening, I met a woman and explained to her that I was going to participate in a shamanic circle; she did not try to dissuade me but simply told me that she would pray to the Virgin Mary for me that evening for protection. That night the guru of that circle told me that he couldn’t do anything for me because he could see a woman dressed in white like a nun next to me who kept his powers at bay. 

I continued my spiritual search for several years and eventually became a Catholic. On June 7, 2014, I had the great joy of making my first communion and confirmation. I felt a presence that day: my eyes were drawn to a statue of the Virgin Mary, and I entrusted to her all the difficult trials I was going through. Not long afterward I received the Holy Spirit. I was reminded me of the story of this mysterious nun dressed in white and blue, hovering above my head during the seance, who was none other than the Blessed Virgin Mary, who had come to protect me!

Since the beginning of my conversion, not a day has passed that I have not prayed. In November 2020, I started a small business called "Once Upon a Faith, Baptiste’s Rosary" (Il Était Une FOI ... Le Chapelet de Baptiste): I make rosaries that have a Miraculous Medal on them, so we can give thanks to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The greatest crisis of our world is not a health crisis or an economic crisis, but a spiritual crisis.

Baptiste

A reader of A Moment with Mary, April 29, 2021