I have not read this in full yet. My own ordinary, Archbishop Allen Vigneron is one of the signing members (though he is listed as the bishop of Oakland, and probably still was when this was drafted). It was released on March 25, 2009.
I am going to read the entire document when I find time and encourage you to do the same. This is LONG overdue and there are a few other new age practices that have crept into Catholic hospitals and retreat centers that we ought to pray get addressed by the USCCB or Vatican.
If you want some background and commentary, Tom McFeely has a blogpost up at the National Catholic Register: Enough with Reiki Retreats
Let's cut to the chase:
III. CONCLUSION
10. Reiki therapy finds no support either in the findings of natural science or in Christian belief. For a Catholic to believe in Reiki therapy presents insoluble problems. In terms of caring for one's physical health or the physical health of others, to employ a technique that has no scientific support (or even plausibility) is generally not prudent.
11. In terms of caring for one's spiritual health, there are important dangers. To use Reiki one would have to accept at least in an implicit way central elements of the worldview that dergirds Reiki theory, elements that belong neither to Christian faith nor to natural science. Without justification either from Christian faith or natural science, however, a Catholic who puts his or her trust in Reiki would be operating in the realm of superstition, the no-man's-land that is neither faith nor science.9 Superstition corrupts one's worship of God by turning one's religious feeling and practice in a false direction.10 While sometimes people fall into superstition through ignorance, it is the responsibility of all who teach in the name of the Church to eliminate such ignorance as much as possible.
12. Since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for Catholic institutions, such as Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, or persons representing the Church, such as Catholic chaplains, to promote or to provide support for Reiki therapy.
Source: GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING REIKI AS AN ALTERNATIVE THERAPY
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
