ROME — In an age where psychodrama sells, exorcism is a media darling.
It’s a step above mere horror stories into a dimension we find both loathsome yet compelling. It is a drama that is hard to shake off, for the Catholic Church recognizes demonic possession as a reality.
Thus, any exorcism movie inevitably includes a Catholic priest, standing in the person of Jesus, with the power to expel demons through the rite of exorcism.
The latest entry in the spate of exorcism movies, The Rite, starring Anthony Hopkins, follows a skeptical seminary student who attends exorcism school at the Vatican. It is inspired by the real-life training of Father Gary Thomas from the United States, which is chronicled in the book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist by journalist Matt Baglio. Father Thomas, ordained in 1983, volunteered to be trained for his diocese.
“When I went to Rome on sabbatical, the bishop suggested I take a course on exorcism there,” Father Thomas explained. The course, offered at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum College, covered the spiritual, medical, historical and sociological aspects of demonic forces. However, Father Thomas said his real learning came through assisting with 80 exorcisms in eight months under Father Carmine De Filippis, an experienced exorcist. Initially, he questioned if people’s reactions were genuine.
“I wondered if people were just acting or if there was a placebo effect,” he said. Flailing about, protracted yawns, drooling, falling out of chairs and guttural voices did not necessarily prove demonic possession, he reasoned.
But as the manifestations he witnessed became more extreme, such as speaking languages a person had never studied, knowing things they had no way of knowing, taking on a serpentine appearance and vomiting nails, Father Thomas said he became convinced.
Need for More Exorcists
As an advisor on the movie set, Father Thomas stated that the exorcism scenes contain behaviors that he himself has witnessed. “In Rome, going to see an exorcist has become commonplace, like going to see a dentist,” he said. Father Thomas explained that an increase in occult practices in Italy is believed to be responsible for increased demonic activity and the need for more trained exorcists.
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., considers that the United States has a pressing need for more exorcists; the dozen or so exorcists in this country feel overburdened by calls from outside their diocese. He spearheaded a two-day closed-door conference on exorcism for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops last November, which more than 50 bishops and over 60 priests attended. “No statistics are kept as to how many exorcists we have,” he said, “but every diocese should really have its own resources.”
There is a specific rite of exorcism requiring permission from the bishop to perform. It consists of prayers by the priest, who commands the demon to come out and leave a person or place in peace. Not all exorcisms are dramatic, and some can be even mundane.
The exorcist usually works in union with another priest and/or with a deliverance team. According to Bishop Paprocki, the “deliverance” aspect is a modern addition, having grown up through charismatic prayer groups that focus on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He explained that during the 1960s and 1970s the devil’s work received less emphasis in the Church. The charismatic groups which formed during those decades, however, tended to focus more on deliverance of people from evil. Most exorcists today turn to such groups to be part of an exorcism and deliverance team, to pray for and with them. Another aspect to the team approach is the use of health-care professionals to screen for mental illness.
Msgr. John Esseff of the Diocese of Scranton, Pa., has been a priest for 57 years and an exorcist in his diocese for 40. According to him, proper screening is essential, because, more often than not, mental illness is the problem.
“Possessions are rare,” he said. “I’ve only seen two, but between possession and temptation, the devil can also oppress and obsess.”
These cases fall under the “deliverance” aspect of the ministry. “With oppression, a physical force comes against a person, such as throwing them to the ground like [what] happened with St. Padre Pio and St. John Vianney,” Msgr. Esseff explained. “Then there is obsession, where a person is attacked with thoughts or characteristics that keep coming back, but this could also be caused by mental illness.”
Confession’s Power
Father Patrick (not his real name) is an exorcist trained by Msgr. Esseff. He said that his team helps him to investigate cases and to pray over people. “Deliverance is a form of pastoral care,” he said. “With exorcism, the person can’t help themselves anymore. With deliverance, there are different levels of what they can do for themselves.”
He said he has handled cases ranging from trauma due to satanic ritual abuse to people who just need to make changes in their lifestyle.
Margarett Schlientz is on a deliverance team and often works with Msgr. Esseff. She has a master’s degree in spirituality from Creighton University and a doctorate in psychiatric nursing. Schlientz has worked with exorcists for the past 35 years, and for the last five years, she has coordinated an annual exorcism training and support meeting for bishops and priests.
She challenged the book on which the movie is based. “It’s missing good discernment of spirits,” she claimed. “The exorcist was seeing someone for nine years. They are either missing something or you have someone who does not really want to be delivered.”
Father Thomas responded to that criticism. “Nine years is an awful long time,” he agreed. “Father Carmine did not involve health professionals. The [exorcism] course called for it, but other than having people praying from a distance, he did not have outside support. He was concerned about protecting people’s privacy, so yes, as a result, he may have sacrificed discernment.”
Msgr. Esseff also cautioned that the sensationalism from books and movies could lead people to forget that the battle between good and evil is not between two equal forces.
“God will be the victor. Jesus is God, and through the power of Jesus, the devil is vanquished.”
He said that every priest’s greatest power to overcome evil is through the sacramental power of his priesthood. “A priest can hear confessions and forgive sins,” he said. “One confession is worth 100 exorcisms. The devil wants to destroy the soul, and the soul is healed by confession.”
Msgr. Esseff concludes, “If people want to decrease the work of Satan, they need to increase the use of confession.”
Patti Maguire Armstrong writes from Bismarck, North Dakota.
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Hi you, I am Joseph, I am a Muslim from Iran, and numerous studies conducted with Exorcism I have a lot of experience by the book, the Koran can range from ghosts and jinns Khbsh I have a good body and can work with you
Msgr. John Esseff is my brother. God has given him much power, and the Holy Spirit guides him, especially when in performing exorcisms. He and those priests who do these, need our prayers, for the devil is a formidable enemy…but God is ruler over all and Satan can never win! As with St. John Vianny and St.Padre Pio, they literally do fight with him. I ask all to pray for peace in our world and pray God sends His Angels to protect my brother and all our priests as well our Holy Father. Pray unceasingly!
Joseph,
Your offer is very kind. But as Christians we ask that Jesus Christ Our Lord delivers those under the influence of demonic spirits. And since your faith denies that Jesus ever died for the sins of mankind and delivered the whole world, it is easy to call your faith anti-Christ. This is because you do not recognize the Resurrection and the mission of Christ. Unfortunately, your offer is obsolete.
Hi my name is Alicia and I have an evil entity, or demon that’s been in my house for 2 years now. He has been terrorizing me at night in my sleep and does horrible things. How do I get rid of him, and do I need to contact a Catholic church in my area to have him excorcised out of my house, since sometimes my prayers are not immediatly answered. I was brought up Luthern, but like Catholic ways better, I am a Christian.Any feedback will help, thank you.
Alicia:
It sounds like you have something very unfriendly living with you. I would encourage you to seek help with the Catholic Faith; this was the religion founded by Jesus Christ, and it is by the Holy Authority of Christ Himself that the Church is able to act on these matters. Call a Catholic Church and ask to speak with a priest. Tell him your concerns; he should either help you or refer you to a priest who can help you. I will tell you, not all priests are equal in dealing with such matters; do not stop until you find a priest who is willing to work with you.
In the mean time, there are some things that you can do. The Catholic Church has many powerful weapons against evil spirits; attend mass as frequently as you can, but at least weekly. The mass is the most perfect form of prayer, and while you are attending mass, ask God to help you with this issue.
If you should decide to join the Catholic faith, you will go through education to become a Catholic, but you will also receive some of the sacraments of the Church; baptism is one of the three sacraments that leave an indelible mark on your soul, marking you as a child of the Living God. It is a sacrament that protects you from evil. The sacrament of confession is a powerful sacrament in that it is in itself a minor form of exorcism. A soul in a state or grace has nothing to fear from the devil. In the sacrament of Holy Communion, you receive the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Christ Himself within you is also a powerful weapon against evil spirits.
Additionally, keep holy water in every room of your home. Holy water and blessed salt are often effective in protection from evil spirits. Pray as often as you can, at least daily. Pray the rosary at least daily and ask our Holy Mother to help you and to protect you. Mary, the Holy Mother of God is especially a powerful advocate against the devil. I hope you find this information helpful.
May the Lord bless you, and take you into His keeping. May He show you His countenance, and take pity on you. May He turn His eyes towards you and give you His peace.
The above blessing was given to Moses by Almighty God, and by Christ Himself to our seraphic Father, St. Francis. Those who carry it about with them with lively faith and devotion will receive many graces, spiritual and temporal. It is a preservative in child bearing. Thunder and lightning, phantasms, falling sickness, sudden death, dangers at sea or the stratagems and temptations of the devil, and many other dangers are averted by it.
God bless you and keep you safe always.
Alicia and Jan,
Thank you for your commments… I too have been experiencing problems. My family moved into this house 10 ago, and had some minor problems, I requested and paid for a house cleansing and things went from bad to worse. Apparently this so called “professional” did something wrong and we have had major problems the lsst two years. She blamed us and refused to refund our money. I would have never believed this if it hadn’t happenedd to me. What a nighmare, I love Jesus Christ and I know he is my savior.
The last two years I realized how little the world and I really know about life after death. I believe we are in denial, I admit I was one that thought ghosts were for gullible people unitl the last 2 years. I am desperate for help and have reached out to numererous organizations, with no resolve. In the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ… please help me.
Cindy
Cindy,
I hope you find my previous comments helpful. To my research, the only true “professional” in this area is a Catholic priest with experience in spiritual warfare or a Catholic exorcist. Other groups will bring in mediums, witches, and use a variety of practices – even occult practices - to try to get rid of negative entities. The problem is, the heavenly angels will not help in these situations as they will not go against the will of Our Lord, who finds the very practices these people do to be an abomination. Human spirits (if you believe human spirits to exist in world of the living) would not be strong enough to be helpful. That leaves one spirit left; and a demon may serve for a time, but it will eventually demand pay-back, and things will be even worse than they were before. Jesus Christ is the only person who has authority over spirits and demons; only His representatives, Catholic priests and exorcists, have the knowledge and the authority to be victorious in these matters.
The most important thing you can do is to pray; God responds to prayer. And He uses the worst of situations to bring about the greatest good. Prayer and fasting are important weapons in fighting any spiritual battle.
Additionally, you might find St. Anthony’s Brief to be helpful:
In the 13th century, a Portuguese woman who’d been demonically oppressed resolved to do the unthinkable by taking her own life by drowning herself in the Tagus River. On her way to the river, she passed a shrine erected in honor of the great orator and miracle-worker, St. Anthony of Padua. She stopped to pray, one last time. As she prayed, she saw St. Anthony standing before her, saying, “‘Arise woman, and take this paper, which will free you from the molestations of the Evil One.” Then he gave her a parchment inscribed with what is now known as the “Brief (i.e., “Letter”) of St. Anthony,” and she was now free from demonic oppression and the desire to do away with herself.
News of this miracle spread, even to the King who asked the woman for the Brief. He placed it with the Crown Jewels of Portugal, which was fine for the King, but bad for the woman. After the Brief was no longer with her, she began to weaken and lapse, so the King made a copy for her that restored her to her healed state. Other copies of the Brief were spread to help the faithful fight the Evil One and remind them that Christ has conquered.
The Brief consists of a depiction of a Cross, and words which, forming a rhyme in the Latin, hearken back to Apocalypse 5:5, “And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof.” The words of St. Anthony’s Brief are:
Ecce Crucem Domini,
Fugite, partes adversae,
Vicit Leo de Tribu Juda,
Radix David, alleluia.
English version:
Behold the Cross of the Lord!
Flee ye adversaries!
The Lion of the Tribe of Juda,
The Root of David has conquered, alleluia!
The exorcizing proclamation is carried on the person or placed in homes. It is also used in more specific situations, such as that encountered by the French seamen who found their ship tossed by an angry sea during a storm off Brittany’s coast in 1708. One of the men wrote the words of St. Anthony’s Brief, and threw it into the sea with a prayer to the Saint. Immediately, the seas calmed and the sailors were saved.
The words of this Brief are good ones to use when feeling tempted by evil, oppressed by demons, and in general spiritual warfare.
Resource: http://www.fisheaters.com/stanthonysbrief.html
If I can be of any further help, please let me know. God bless you always and keep you safe!
Jan,
Thank you so much for your kind and helpful commments. I will definately try your recommendations…. I have printed out two copies of St. Anthony’s Brief. I will read it and keep one in my home and one with me.
I have been trying to call a Catholic Priest in hopes he can help me. The office has been closed for the Holidays. I pray, he can help soon. I am ready to be freed. I pray pretty much everyday for help from Heavenly Father. I know he is helping me and I am ready for a clear house. :)
Do you have to be Catholic to request an exorcism?
Blessings to you,
Thanks,
Cindy
Cindy,
I am so glad my other suggestions have been of help to you! In answer to your question about requesting an exorcism; it is actually the priest who, by his education and training, knows what to look for in terms of sings of the diabolic. There are certain things – signs – that are indicators of a demonic presence. The priest, in talking with you will be assessing the situation. Based on what he hears from you and what he observes, he will make recommendations on how to proceed next.
The process of determining if exorcism is the appropriate action is not taken lightly. Not only must certain signs be present indicating demonic influence, but also naturally occurring phenomenon that can sometimes mimic demonic presence must also be ruled out (this often includes, but is not limited to, physical illness or psychological illness). Should it be determined that an exorcism is warranted, the priest will need to go through formal proceedings to present the case to his Bishop. The Bishop will then determine if a formal exorcism is the best path to take. If he determines it is, the Bishop, or a priest he selects (usually an exorcist), will perform the exorcism.
Generally, if a priest is selected, it is someone who is endowed with piety, knowledge, prudence and integrity of life, and is specially prepared for the task. Only those exorcisms performed by priests authorized by the Bishop’s power have healing power. All other practices resembling exorcisms, conducted by laymen or unauthorized clergymen, do not bring about a real freeing – they are its caricature – and can be very dangerous for all involved.
All priests can conduct a prayer of deliverance, which is not the same as an exorcism. Prayers of deliverance do not require special permission from the priest’s Bishop. Deliverance prayers ask God to cast out the evil influence, manifestation, or presence but are lacking in the ability to address the evil spirit directly. This does not mean that deliverance prayers are not without their merit; according to Fr. Amorth, a leading Catholic exorcist, they can be effective in getting rid of evil in less severe circumstances.
Fr. Amroth directs us to the Eucharist in cases where evil seems to be present. The Sacraments offer relief from evil spirits. The usual methods used to obtain grace – prayer, sacraments, fasting, doing charitable works, etc. – are often sufficient in getting rid of evil influences. Fr. Amroth also has noted that frequently a good confession and Holy Communion are worth more than a strong exorcism.
I hope I’ve answered your question. God bless you and keep you safe always.
Why are exorcisms hidden from the media? People love watching movies on them but yet no one actually knows how harmful these things can be. People are not educated on these and why? Because it is not “normal”? We can hear about all these shootings on the news but not about how someone survived or not from an exorcism. Yes a lot of people do not want people to know because it is not the common thing in today’s society but people need to know this is real and can happen to anyone.
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