Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, has expressed a heightened vigilance over the potential for mystical or spiritual elements to be exploited for abusive ends.

Speaking to OSV News, Cardinal Fernández spoke of "false mysticism" and outlined the Vatican's initiative to study and implement measures to forewarn and halt spiritual abuse.

"Today we are more attentive than before to the possibility of mystical or spiritual elements being used to take advantage of people and even abuse them" the Cardinal told OSV News.

This announcement comes amidst a backdrop of several high-profile cases that have shed light on the distortion of the Catholic faith and its mystical tradition by abusers to manipulate and coerce victims into sexual acts.

One such case involves Father Marko Rupnik, a former Jesuit and renowned liturgical artist, whom multiple victims accused of using spiritual justification to facilitate abuse.

Similarly, Third Order Franciscan Father David Morrier, a former chaplain at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, faced allegations and subsequent legal action for sexual battery of a student under the guise of spiritual counselling and rites purportedly aimed at deliverance and exorcism.

The posthumous revelations concerning Jean Vanier, founder of the L'Arche communities and his mentor Dominican Father Thomas Philippe, further underscore the gravity of the issue.

An independent investigation commissioned by L'Arche International revealed that Vanier, Father Philippe and his brother Father Marie-Dominique Philippe, also a Dominican friar, manipulated spiritual beliefs to justify sexual abuse, invoking religious figures and concepts of divine union to coerce their victims.

These cases have prompted the Vatican's doctrinal office to take a proactive stance in preventing the exploitation of spirituality for abusive purposes.

By raising awareness and developing strategies to prevent such abuses, the Church aims to safeguard its followers from those who might pervert its teachings and rituals for nefarious ends.

Local interest

In late 2023, the Vatican responded to Bishop of Christchurch Michael Gielen's request for help dealing with unauthorised exorcisms and related spiritual abuse in the Diocese.

The retired bishop of Toowoomba, Robert McGuckin, has been tasked with conducting an Apostolic Visitation to investigate the allegations.

Following allegations of unauthorised exorcisms by the Latin Mass Trans-Alpine Redemptorists, Gielen suspended all exorcisms in the Christchurch diocese in August this year.

Yet despite the suspension order, Newshub alleges more unauthorised exorcisms and concerns about the wellbeing of young people have emerged.

Sources

• OSV
• CathNews

The retired bishop of Toowoomba, Robert McGuckin (pictured), has been tasked with conducting an Apostolic Visitation to investigate the allegations.

The former professor of Canon Law at the University of Notre Dame, Australia, McGuckin has also served as President of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand.

As the Apostolic Visitor, McGuckin represents the Pope in the matter.

His appointment is short-term and he will present a report to the Holy See at the end of the visitation.

Gielen suspended exorcisms

Following allegations of unauthorised exorcisms, Gielen suspended all exorcisms in the Christchurch diocese in August this year..

Yet despite the suspension order, Newshub alleges more unauthorised exorcisms and concerns about the wellbeing of young people have emerged.

A man told Newshub he had two exorcisms and he was ‘absolutely' sure Gielen had not given permission for them.

"In my situation, I would count that I knew had exorcisms were about a dozen" (sic).

The man told Newshub that the exorcisms were performed by a man who has since left the Order of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists. He said that the current leaders of the Order, Frs Michael Mary and Anthony Mary, knew exorcisms were occurring.

However Michael Mary denies this, saying the priest was never a community member.

"If he did illegal exorcisms, I have no knowledge of it" Michael Mary said.

In July, Michael Mary said sprinkling Holy Water does not constitute an exorcism.

However, the Newshub source says he doubts what Michael Mary said.

"The Order is a law unto itself. They are above the law. They don't respect the Bishop or anyone else" he said.

"That sense of privilege must be removed."

Nothing happened

Former congregant Greg Price feels relieved that something is finally happening.

He says his and other complaints to former Church leaders were ignored.

Price believes the 'Holy Sons' should be disbanded.

He told Newshub "I just pray that the truth comes to light and the right decisions are made."

The Press reports that in November 2021 an email from the Bishop of Christchurch, Paul Martin, said that the allegations against the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer had been referred to the Church's National Office for Professional Standards, and the matter was in its hands.

Martin said the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer follow the safeguarding protocols and are monitored by the Christchurch diocese's safeguarding officer like other parish groups.

Current Christchurch bishop Michael Gielen has been in the role for 18 months.

In a statement, he says that he sought guidance from the Holy See soon after his arrival in the diocese, and matters regarding the Institute of the Sons of the Holy Redeemer were brought to his attention.

Gielen recently returned from a visit to Rome and welcomes McGuckin's appointment.

"The Apostolic Visitor is appointed to act as a Papal representative tasked with reviewing circumstances identified by the Holy See. I have requested all parties involved respect this appointment and the visitation process.

"Out of respect for the Visitation, I have no further comment" writes Gielen.

Sources

• Newshub
• Newshub
• The Press
• The Press
• CathNews

Gielen is currently in Portugal at World Youth Day.

The announcement arrives in the wake of a report by TV3 journalist Michael Morrah that exposed alleged unapproved exorcisms conducted by the fringe Latin Rite church group known as 'The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer', or more colloquially, the 'Transalpine Redemptorists'.

Reports suggest that the group performed at least seven exorcisms, five more than authorised by a Christchurch bishop.

Disturbingly, one individual was allegedly subjected to repeated protracted sessions, including an exorcism that was performed for three consecutive days.

Notably absent were the standard medical and psychological evaluations required before performing an exorcism.

Despite their YouTube Channel having 263,000 subscribers, their most recent video having 563 likes, and 104 comments, a former member of The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, Greg Price stands by Gielen's call for a review.

"This goes much deeper and wider than just the exorcisms," Price said. He did not offer more details.

Suggesting that complaints were made to then Christchurch bishop, Paul Martin, Price expressed hope that Gielen would be proactive.

"There are people out there, and they will be willing to converse with the Bishop if he demonstrates a genuine interest in hearing them out."

Retired Professor Peter Lineham, a religious commentator, suggested: "Bishop Michael would be gravely mistaken if he ignored the pressing concerns."

Lineham also believes that in ordering a review, Gielen is looking to see whether these priests should be allowed to have standing in the Diocese of Christchurch.

In Tuesday's CathNews, Dr Joe Grayland questioned why a Bishop of Christchurch give permission to this fringe group to perform exorcisms and why, in light of Pope Francis' most recent instruction, they are still permitted to use the old Latin Rite for Mass.

Needing help?

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234
• What's Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Sources

• NewsHub
• CathNews - Christchurch exorcisms - Paddy Gower has issues
• CathNews - Poor Church communication helps trivialise exorcisms

Poor Church communication is in the spotlight.

The nub of the issue is why a fringe group, that does not belong to the mainstream of the Church and does not follow the ordinary form the Mass promuligated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 (Novus Ordo) is permitted to perform any sacrament, let alone a sacramental like a "major exorcism"?

Why did a Bishop of Christchurch give permission to this fringe group to perform exorcisms?

Why, in light of Pope Francis' recent tight restrictions on the old Latin Rite has the permission to perform the old Latin Rite not been withdrawn from this group?

Exorcism

The distinction between a "simple form" of exorcism, such as the one performed in the Rite of Baptism or when blessing ourselves with holy water, and the more elaborate "major" or solemn form used in sacramental exorcisms, has not been made clear.

Due to this lack of clarification, exorcism has been trivialised, along with the serious issue of potential religious or spiritual abuse.

Now we have a situation where people have heard about exorcism and abuse in the same sentence and wonder what is going wrong.

As a point of teaching, it is important to clarify the major or solemn form of exorcism is only performed by a priest who has the explicit permission of the bishop.

No ordinary priest is permitted to perform the solemn form of exorcism.

The priest chosen for this sacramental must be judged against external criteria before being permitted to perform a solemn or major exorcism. The priest must proceed with caution, follow the strict rule laid down by the Church and be in regular contact with the diocesan bishop.

The ritual for this sacramental is found in the Rituale Romanum.

The rite is used to protect a person or object against the power of evil or withdraw the power of evil from a person.

The solemn rite of exorcism must not take place where there is a physical or psychological illness. These illnesses are to be treated through medical science, and engaging in the solemn form of exorcism where it is not warranted is just a return to magic or witchcraft.

NZ Media

The trivialisation of such an important matter by TV journalists shows the sorry state of journalism in New Zealand.

When allegations of ritual abuse are juxtaposed with the nonsense of finding out where the best-fried chips are found, it trivialises something very serious.

Add to this the expressed bias of the main presenter regarding his own Catholic upbringing, and one is left saddened that New Zealand seems to have few informed investigative journalists worthy of the title.

New Zealand Bishops' Conference's Response

The trivialisation by society's media of potential spiritual or ritual abuse was not helped by the communications response of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference.

In this particular case, a prior communication informing clergy and other diocesan and school leaders of the programme's airing was sent, merely saying that the programme was being aired and that Church representatives had engaged with the journalists.

It was not very helpful, and we still do not know what the Church representatives said to the journalists.

Unlike other recent communications from the Bishops' conference, this one did not forbid recipients from publishing its contents. Nor did it slander a journalist.

The Catholic Church needs to be able to speak clearly and professionally for itself in these matters.

In this instance, the lack of Bishops' Conference communication; its silence left those interviewed to explain the situation when they lacked a working knowledge of the Church, theology and practice of the solemn rite of exorcism.

More generally, the situation shows the paucity of theologically educated people employed by the Bishops' Conference and available to Catholics and local media.

It reveals the lack of skilled communicators who are able to intelligently explain the nature of the sacramental of exorcism and the relationship of the fringe Christchurch sect to the Catholic Church.

Overall, the approach of the Bishops' Conference highlights the mentality that has landed the Church in the scandal of the abuse of minors and others.

Through its lack of communication, the Bishops' Conference seems to suggest it is incapable of addressing issues in adult ways to adult believers and questioners alike.

In this, the Bishops' Conference is poorly served.

As Catholics and members of civil society, we must ask:

• Why were there no informed commentators from the Catholic Church?
• Where was an intelligent and informative press statement from the Bishops' Conference before the programme aired?
• Why was an intelligent and informative follow-up not issued?
• Why didn't the Bishops Conference issue a general press release to balance the television reporting and inform people of the complexity of the issue?

One of the Church's roles is to communicate and engage constructively in dialogue with society.

Where religious authorities do not take up their role of engagement with Catholics and society's media, we are all prey to uninformed journalism.

In times when the Church, its practice and indeed Christianity is not as familiar as it once may have been, and when it is in the spotlight for sexual abuse, the onus is on the Church to communicate effectively.

As instanced by this example, the lack of proper communication increases the likelihood of the Church giving scandal to the Catholic faithful, other Christians and those who see Catholicism as a risk to public safety.

• Joe Grayland is a theologian and a priest of the Diocese of Palmerston North. His latest book is: Liturgical Lockdown. Covid and the Absence of the Laity (Te Hepara Pai, 2020).

He clarified that sprinkling Holy Water around a child does not constitute an exorcism.

The controversy surrounding the 'Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer', also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists, emerged after TV3's programme 'Paddy Gower Has Issues' aired a segment Wednesday night.

The programme claimed that the group had performed exorcisms on children, and one child was allegedly told the Devil possessed them.

It was also reported that the group conducted exorcisms on seven individuals, with one person undergoing multiple lengthy sessions, some lasting for several hours, and one exorcism purportedly spanning three consecutive days.

There were also claims that individuals were restrained during these rituals.

Bishop Steve Lowe, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, acknowledges that exorcisms occasionally occur in New Zealand but said it is very unusual for people to be restrained.

Lowe describes the act of binding people during an exorcism as 'cinematic.'

Drawing from Church data, Gower stated that the official Catholic Church sanctioned 12 exorcisms over the past five years. Six of these were authorised for Auckland and Hamilton dioceses, though not all occurred.

An equal number were sanctioned in the Christchurch diocese.

In a YouTube video, Michael Mary stated that then Bishop Paul Martin of Christchurch permitted two exorcisms; both occurred, and he denies any illicit use of the permission.

Catholic community reaction

CathNews received feedback from a number of concerned Catholics regarding the 'Paddy Gower Has Issues' segments.

One correspondent accuses Gower and investigative journalist Michael Morah of trivialising a very serious matter and accusing the reporting as lacking maturity.

"A really nuanced topic is treated interspersed with getting fried chips!

"The juxtaposition shows the true level of New Zealand journalism,' said one.

"The country needs an injection of journalistic maturity,' another wrote.

The Church's perceived silence also drew attention.

"I think we can reasonably expect some response or even engagement from an official church spokesperson,' said another.

"The rather bizarre nature of these reported events, surely the Church must have something to say.

"It certainly needs to be more transparent and engage more fully.

"It's not the 1950s,' yet another said.

"It's not apt for the Church to remain silent. We, the regular Catholics, bear the brunt of public scrutiny."

A person said over the phone that concerns arose on Thursday while chatting after Mass about the medical and psychological evidence the bishop considered before granting permission for these practices.

"Tying up people, stabbing them with a crucifix is extreme.

"People have their dignity.

"With the Church so much in the spotlight, you'd think it would have something to say," they said.

A communications specialist expressed astonishment at the Church's seeming detachment and weak recent communication strategies.

"It feels like the Catholic Church leans heavily on Peter Lineham for its representation," he said.

Professor Peter Lineham has for many years written and lectured extensively on the religious history of New Zealand. Now retired, he is a member of the Anglican and Baptist Church.

"It would be better if there were a Catholic someone attached to the community.

"These days, the perception of the Church is that the church leadership seems more interested in being spiritual and holy. They're good ideals but are not sufficient. The Church also needs to engage in the here and now.

"The bishop at least needs to explain what training and expertise these priests have to perform exorcisms.

"The Church lacks engagement at critical times" said the communications specialist.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer entered the Christchurch diocese in 2009.

Upon their arrival, Bishop Barry Jones cautioned Catholics that the group's services lacked authorisation and weren't in communion with the Pope.

In 2012, Pope Benedict granted his approval and the group continues to be responsible in the diocese for the Latin Mass chaplaincy.

However, in an expression of lex orandi, lex credendi - how we pray reflects what we believe - Pope Francis is not disposed to the belief behind the old Latin Rite.

In February 2023, Francis admonished bishops who permitted the Latin Mass in their dioceses without Vatican consent, urging them to obtain retrospective authorisation.

Following up on correspondence from a reader, CathNews sought clarification from the Catholic Bishops Conference on the practice of the traditional Latin Rite Mass and whether the required authorisations had been applied for.

Sources

• Paddy Gower has Issues (TV3)
• CathNews NZ
• Stuff
• Transalpine Redemptorists
• Earlier this article said that Peter Lineham is involved with the Charismatic Movement and the Pentecostal Church. In making this statement, CathNews used a reference from the National Library. (Reference dated 27 July, 2023).

  Peter Lineham has been in touch, objecting to our initial reference. He accused CathNews of making a false statement about him and told us to do some research.

  By referencing the National Library, we thought we were using an authoritative source; however, in light of his correspondence, we wish to apologise to Peter for what was a genuine mistake and thank him for pointing out the error.

Others say the experience of having a demon 'cast out' made them physically ill or left them psychologically damaged. Read more

"During the pandemic, priests around the world have had more requests for psychiatric help from parishioners," said Father Luis Ramirez, one of the 15th exorcists' convention in Rome organisers says.

"There is more awareness of exorcists and exorcisms among Catholics in general."

That awareness has grown in part because of the annual exorcism course, which is now in its 15th year and in part because Pope Francis regularly refers to Satan - not as a vague metaphor for evil but as a concrete concept.

However, the Church is urging priests attending the exorcists' convention to not perform the supernatural act on Covid patients, according to Spanish exorcist Father Miguel Martin.

One of the exorcists attending the convention, Father Gian Matteo Roggio says during the pandemic people have fallen into poverty and found themselves suffering from anxiety and depression.

"They feel that their lives are no longer in their own hands but in the hands of a malign force. It's a big crisis," he says.

Priests are able to evaluate whether people are suffering from commonplace psychiatric disorders or whether they really are possessed by the forces of evil, he says.

The effects of so-called possession are said to be dramatic.

"People speak languages they have never spoken before, even ancient tongues like Aramaic, Latin, Greek and Hebrew," Roggio says.

"They're able to levitate off the ground or they vomit objects like nails and pieces of glass. There are people whose voices change completely - a woman might start speaking like a man. Some develop superhuman strength and it takes four or five people to restrain them," he continued.

Source

• Daily Star
• Telegraph
• Image: The New York Times

Cordileone recently performed an exorcism ceremony outside a Catholic church in San Rafael, where protesters had earlier toppled a statue of Father Junipero Serra.

Serra was an 18th-century Spanish missionary priest, long praised by the Church for bringing Catholicism to what is now the western USA.

His critics say Serra, in converting Native Americans to Catholicism, forced them to abandon their culture or face brutal punishment. Read more

The handbook insists authority to perform exorcisms belongs exclusively to priests assigned by their diocesan bishop.

According to the group, they issued the quality control guide because of a perception that there are too many unauthorised rogue operators, both clerical and lay, who claim to perform exorcisms.

The guidance was published in May in Italian and is edited by the International Association of Exorcists.

The exorcists association was founded in 1990 and included Father Gabriele Amorth, who served from 1986 until his death in 2016 as an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome.

The association was recognized by the Vatican's Congregation for Clergy in 2014.

According to the International Association of Exorcists, while the guidelines are not an official Church document, the contents were reviewed by Vatican departments prior to publication.

They decided to make the guidelines public because of a desire to "bring order to the questions about diabolic action and liberation from it, in order to avoid falling into dangerous deceptions and illusions."

To support its insistence that only specifically mandated priests may perform exorcisms, the text provides theological arguments about the source of an exorcist's power.

It is the power of Christ channeled through the Church, and not "more potent exorcistic formula or the individual ‘powers' of a priest" that determine the efficacy of the ritual, the International Association says.

In particular the quality control guide says:

• Only priests possess a mandate from the Church to "command demons in the name of God to recede, no longer to harm human creatures for any reason."
• The ministry of exorcism isn't just about the recitation of prayers, but "discernment and accompaniment of faithful tormented by the devil," pastoral tasks which "occupy a very important and essential place."
• If a bishop names an exorcist, he also has a responsibility to make sure that priest has a "specific preparation that renders him more suited than anyone else to discernment of extraordinary diabolic action."

Unauthorised people who attempt to perform exorcisms may open the door to further demonic influence over the people they're trying to help, the guidelines warn. They also say a legitimate exorcist empowered by the Church must not request any payment for his services.

Most of the text focuses on guidelines for discerning general psychological or emotional difficulties from the specific influence of demonic powers.

"Often, facing the difficulties of life, some may conclude that ‘everything has gone wrong' because ‘someone is doing something'," the text warns. "This could be just an alibi that distracts [the person] from the most important teachings."

The guide also cites particular behaviors which may become the occasion for demonic influence over people, including superstition and the practice of witchcraft.

Source

• Crux Now
• Image: The Telegraph

The accused were brought before the public prosecutor's office on May 28 on charges of "intentional assault and battery" related to the May 18th death of Grace Alexandra Yao in San Pedro, Ivory Coast's second largest city.

The teen had been beaten with rosary beads, sticks, pestles and various other objects the night before her death during a prayer for deliverance. Read More

"We want to go around the whole of Buenaventura from the air and pour holy water onto it… to see if we exorcise all those demons that are destroying our port," Montoya told a local radio station. "So that God's blessing comes and gets rid of all the wickedness that is in our streets." Read more

Cullinan says he is establishing a "Delivery Ministry".

One priest in Cullinan's diocese of Waterford and Lismore will start training clerics in the practice of exorcism.

Cullinan says he made the decision after receiving a number of requests for help in warding off evil spirits from parishioners. Read more

In an interview after his first decade as an exorcist, Gallego admitted in the beginning he "had a lot of fear".

"All I had to do was look over my shoulder and I saw demons… the other day I was doing an exorcism, ‘I command you! I order you!'…and the Evil One, with a loud voice fires back at me: ‘Galleeeego, you're over-doooing it.' That shook me." Read more

According to one exorcist working in Italy, the average time needed for a person to be freed from demonic influence now needs multiple meetings.

In the past it was common for a person to be liberated in one session, even if the blessing lasted several hours.

Fr. Francois Dermine, O.P. says this can be attributed to a few basic elements.

These include the spread of atheistic attitudes in society; faith being reduced to being understood as just an intellectual concept; and a growing lack of belief within the Church , even among priests and bishops, in the devil and his actions. Read more

There is an increasing demand for exorcisms throughout the world.

Topics the course covers include how to identify demonic possession, witchcraft in Africa, how to tell the difference between demonic possession and mental illness, and the rituals behind expelling demons.

The theological, psychological and anthropological background to exorcisms is also covered and the experiences of priests who have been involved in exorcisms is shared.

Other topics the course covers include looking at how the devil can influence the use of pornography.

Father Pedro Barrajon said the course wanted to discuss 'this modern cultural phenomenon of [pornography] - an evil that harms people'.

The course aims to 'open a space to see if there is a possibility to show influence from the devil,' Father Barrajon explained.

The week-long course is described as the only international series of lectures of its kind.

Entitled "Exorcism and the Prayer of Liberation", it first opened its doors in 2005 and the number of priests attending has more than doubled since then.

Several countries have observed an increase in the numbers of people reporting signs of demonic possession.

Half a million people reportedly seek exorcisms every year in Italy.

A report in 2017 by Christian think-tank Theos said the practice was on the rise in the UK, in part due to the spread of Pentecostal churches.

Cardinal Ernest Simoni of Albania drew strong interest in the first session by citing the use of cellphones in exorcisms.

"They call me and we speak and that's how I do it," Simoni said.

He said he uses the same words for the rite over the phone as he does if he is with the possessed person.

Last year Pope Francis told priests they "must not hesitate" to refer parishioners to exorcists if they suffer from "genuine spiritual disturbances".

Source

• BBC
• Daily Mail
• Reuters
• Image:Huffington Post

Because much of the public perception of the nature and application of exorcism is shaped by mass media, the bishops' Committee on Divine Worship approved basic questions and answers with the hope of providing clear information on the topic.

What follows is that online resource edited for brevity, clarity and style. The full set of questions and answers can be found here.

Q: What is an exorcism?
Exorcism is a specific form of prayer that the church uses against the power of the devil.

Q: What is the difference between an exorcism and the sacrament of penance?
Exorcism is a prayer that falls in the category of sacramentals, one of a number of sacred signs instituted by the church "to sanctify different circumstances of life" ("Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church," no. 351), thus varying from the seven sacraments of the church instituted by Christ. The sacrament of penance forgives sins and reconciles the faithful to the church, renewing baptism and bestowing grace to fight evil and grow in virtue. As a sacramental, exorcism prepares a person for the grace of the sacrament.

Q: Why does the church need exorcisms?
There are instances when a person needs to be protected against the power of the devil or to be withdrawn from the devil's spiritual dominion. At such times, the church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus for this protection or liberation through the use of exorcism.

Q: Is there a scriptural basis for exorcism?
While the basis for exorcism is grounded in the ministry of Jesus, there is no scriptural basis for a formal rite of exorcism apart from the use of the psalms and Gospel excerpt that were included in the rite of exorcism as it evolved. Continue reading

Sources

• Catholic Herald
• Image: YourNewsWire.com

The new book, 'Exorcisms and Related Supplications', is only available to bishops. It is possible for exorcists, other clergy, scholars and seminary professors to get copies, but they need a bishop's permission.

The translation is from the post-Second Vatican Council rite that was circulated in Latin in 1999 and then slightly amended in 2004.

The revised text draws from rituals used by the Catholic Church for centuries.

The main part of the book is the rite of major exorcism. It includes an introduction outlining criteria for its use. The text affirms the reality of evil in the world and affirms the sovereignty of Jesus to overcome evil.

Fr Andrew Menke, from the US Catholic Bishops' Conference, says having the exorcism rite available in English "should make it easier for a bishop to find a priest who can help him with this ministry.

"Given that there's less facility in Latin than there used to be, even among priests, it opens the door to more priests to do this. Until now, not only did the priest have to be wise and holy, but he also had to have strong facility in Latin."

The number of exorcisms in the US is estimated to have quadrupled in the last ten years.

Source

• Newsweek
• Crux
• Christian Today
• Image: Pintrest

What children read, what they see on the screen, can inspire them toward greater faithfulness.

Conversely, Father Robert warns, it can lead them into the sordid world of the occult, even opening them to demonic possession.

Father Robert is not exaggerating. A priest for more than ten years and an experienced exorcist, he knows firsthand the unintended consequences when children or adults open the door to demonic activity.

"Oftentimes," he says, "[demon possession] begins because kids get curious after reading Harry Potter." He explains that kids want the unusual powers that they see depicted on the screen.

One former Satanist whom Father Robert knew personally, a man who has turned away from his past life and embraced the Catholic faith, had begun his descent into Satanism at the age of nine or ten, when he began playing a game called "Bloody Mary."

From that simple beginning, he gradually became involved with others who were Satanists.

Respecting Confidentiality

An important part of Father Robert's ministry is training other priests at the Vatican's official Exorcism Institute in America.

From across the country and around the world, Catholic priests come to the Institute to learn the secrets of this ancient rite, so that they too can exorcize demons and evil spirits.

The nature of the work that Father Robert and the Institute are involved in is so hazardous that he has requested that the Register not publish his full name or reveal his location.

A Decidedly "Catholic" Horror Film

I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Father Robert at a recent media preview of New Line Cinema's latest horror production, "Annabelle: Creation", which opens nationwide on August 11.

Directed by David F. Sandberg (director of the short film "Lights Out"), "Annabelle: Creation" is actually a prequel to the highly successful 2014 release of "Annabelle" - which is itself a prequel to the 2013 cult favorite "The Conjuring" and the more recent "Conjuring 2"(2016).

Father Robert had seen them all, and he agreed that "Annabelle: Creation" was largely faithful to the Catholic Church's teachings with regard to possession and exorcism. Continue reading

Sources

• National Catholic Register article by Kathy Schiffer, a Catholic blogger
• Image: IGN

The exorcisms of Jesus dominate the account, and the teaching seems almost a minor theme. It is not what Jesus says that counts so much as what Jesus does. The cures, and in particular the casting out of evil spirits, inaugurate the Messianic age, and the restoration of friendship between God and the human race.

There are several possible historical reflections on Jesus's casting out of devils. One is that there were more cases of demonic possession at that time than before or since; or else the evangelist chose these cases rather than others, and that this gives us the impression that demonic possession was almost commonplace; or else many of the things that we would ascribe to disease were ascribed to diabolic influence in a non-scientific age.

This last explanation is a popular one: what they called demonic possession then is what we would now call epilepsy, or some form of psychosis.

This last is a tempting theory, though it would suggest diseases like epilepsy to have been more common than they are at present. The late Fr Gabriele Amorth, who knew more about the devil than anyone else, estimated that very few of the troubled people who came to see him were actually possessed by the devil.

At the same time he was absolutely convinced that diabolical possession was real. To deny the reality of diabolical possession would be to make certain aspects of the Gospel teaching very hard to grasp. The ministry of Jesus would lose some of its import if we were to dismiss diabolical possession as illusory.

It is 45 years since he made The Exorcist, one of the greatest movies of all time, but the film's director, William Friedkin, has made several pertinent observations on this very question, and he comes down, essentially, in favour of the Amorth position. Diabolical possession is real. One can read a report of his remarks here. Continue reading

Sources

• Catholic Herald article by Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith
• Image: BlumHouse.com

Exorcist Fr. César Truqui, warned everything harming the family, including divorce, pleases the devil.

"A demon who specializes in the attack on the family, [is] also cited in the story of Tobias, called 'Asmodeus,'" he said.

In the Old Testament book, the demon killed seven of Sarah's husbands.

Saint Raphael chained Asmodeus in the desert.

The demon "is present" in many exorcisms, Truqui said.

He said he saw the demon when he helped with "exorcisms by Father Gabriele Amorth and Father Francisco Bamonte."

The recently-deceased Amorth was a renowned exorcist in Rome.

He performed an estimated 70,000 exorcisms over the course of 29 years.

In the US, the number of Catholic priests officially designated as exorcists has quadrupled during the past 10 years.

Experts from the Catholic Church in Italy and the US say exorcists are in urgent demand.

They say this is a result of a sharp rise in people dabbling in Satanism and the occult

There is now a Satanic Temple in the US.

Exorcism can need many sessions. Each time the rite is administered it counts as one instance.

Truqi said he remembers a young couple who wanted to get married, but the woman had to be exorcised to be set free.

He said the demon was furious and threatened Amorth to prevent the marriage, otherwise he would kill the young woman.

"It was a threat from the Liar which in fact did not happen."

He also said the devil tires to attack families through ideologies and lifestyles.

Individualistic thinking and the spread of divorce are some of the ways the devil does this.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Image:Telegraph.co.uk