ABSTRACT
Biologically, when most severe, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is regarded as a medical condition and for that reason is covered by federal disability legislation. OCD is a prime example of globalization, as it is so universal. It may take unique forms, such as a person picking at his toenails instead of the usual fingernails. Persons with OCD have an unwelcome sense of imposed, unwanted mind power: think a bad thought and it will actually harm someone; instead of having the mind-power to do something like bending a spoon, the sufferer may live in fear of hurting other people. The disorderliness of OCD involves a continuum. Hoarding is part of a continuum, for it exists in many degrees and forms. The pastoral task is to seek a consensual acknowledgment that the condition is neurological, and therefore morally and ethically neutral, however much it may provoke the public health department, thus setting the tone for the reconciliation of a family divided.
