On the wall is an official document showing his qualification as an exorcist. Fr Taraborelli's desk is crowded with papers, photos, and prayer books. He sits in a simple chair; those who come to see him sit opposite him. I invite them to join me in prayer. But many of them when they come here are already disturbed. He looks through his copy of the Catholic Church's exorcism rites.
He's had to tape it back together to stop it from falling apart. Amidst the pile of papers on his desk, he finds the cross he uses to expel evil spirits. His most notable case involved a married woman he treated for 13 years. So this man told her: 'You'll pay for this.
I started to pray, and she went into a trance. She would blurt out insults, blasphemies. I quickly understood she was possessed. So when I told the devil: 'In the name of Jesus, I order you to go away', she started to vomit little metal pins, five at a time. It sounds like something from another world right? Instead, it's something from this world. Since so much of the common perception of the nature and application of exorcism is shaped by the exaggerations of movie scripts and television programs, the Committee on Divine Worship has approved dissemination of these basic questions and answers, in hopes that clear information is brought to bear on a topic that is often shrouded in mystery or misinformation.
Exorcism is a prayer that falls in the category of sacramentals, that is, 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. The Sacrament of Penance forgives our sins and reconciles us to the Church, renewing Baptism and bestowing grace to fight evil and grow in virtue. As a sacramental, exorcism prepares one for the grace of the Sacrament.
There are instances when a person needs to be protected against the power of the devil or to be withdrawn from his spiritual dominion. At such times, the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ for this protection or liberation through the use of exorcism.
While the basis for exorcism is grounded in the ministry of Jesus Christ cf. Mk , 39 ; Lk ; Mt , there is no scriptural basis for a formal rite of exorcism apart from the use of the psalms and Gospel pericopes that were included in the rite of exorcism as it evolved. What is clear, however, is that the Lord Jesus involved the disciples in his mission and through their commissioning continued the exorcistic work begun by Jesus himself cf.
Mt ; Mk ; ; ; Lk ; It was not a work they did in their own names, but in the name of the One who had bestowed it upon them. Thus the ministry of exorcism continues in the life of the Church as part of the regular pastoral care of souls.
Several of the Fathers of the Church, including Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Athanasius provide us with insights into the exorcistic practices of their day through their extant writings. Through them we gain a glimpse into the unfolding developments in the structure and form of exorcism as a rite gradually took shape. In addition to the use of Jesus' name, other elements contributed to the shape of an early ritual such as the Sign of the Cross, exsufflation breathing on the person's face , simple adjurations containing scripture, prayer, and fasting.
Exorcisms are divided into two kinds or forms. Simple or minor forms of exorcism are found in two places: first, for those preparing for Baptism, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults RCIA and the Rite of Baptism for Children both call for minor exorcisms; secondly, the appendix of Exorcisms and Related Supplications includes a series of prayers which may be used by the faithful.
The second kind is the solemn or "major exorcism," which is a rite that can only be performed by a bishop or a by priest, with the special and express permission of the local ordinary cf. Code of Canon Law, can. This form is directed "at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation [of a person] from demonic possession" Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. It is advisable that every diocese establish a protocol to respond to inquiries made by the faithful who claim to be demonically afflicted.
As part of the protocol, an assessment should occur to determine the true state of the person. Only after a thorough examination including medical, psychological, and psychiatric testing might the person be referred to the exorcist for a final determination regarding demonic possession. To be clear, the actual determination of whether a member of the faithful is genuinely possessed by the devil is made by the Church, even if individuals claim to be possessed through their own self-diagnosis or psychosis.
Since the rites of exorcism are categorized as sacramentals, effectively as blessings, the practice of who may receive a "major exorcism" is governed by canon of the Code of Canon Law. The following are able to receive this specialized blessing if it is determined necessary: 1 Catholics; 2 Catechumens; 3 Non-Catholic Christians who request it; and 4 Non-Christian believers provided they have the proper disposition—meaning, they are sincere in their desire to be free of demonic influence.
In cases involving a non-Catholic, the matter should be brought to the attention of the Diocesan Bishop cf. ERS, no. The frequency of exorcisms of this sort is determined by the credible need for the rite. Where children are concerned, child abuse is child abuse, regardless of the motivation behind it.
If a child is suffering, or at risk from harm which is sufficiently serious, then public authorities need to act — and they are required to do so. Where adults are concerned the picture is much more complicated. Some faith groups practice exorcism rites which involve a degree of violence — the understanding is frequently that the evil spirit is occupying the body, and so by making the body an uncomfortable place to be, it can be driven out. This is especially dangerous, because pleas to stop can be interpreted as coming from the demon rather than the sufferer.
In many Western countries, exorcists have considerable freedom. And there is still clearly demand for them. But this is an ancient ritual which must very much stay on the right side of the modern law.
Portsmouth Climate Festival — Portsmouth, Portsmouth. The Sorbonne in proclaimed that the testimony of demons could never be accepted. Demons always lied, even under the influence of an exorcism. If after all of these tests, the exorcist believed that the evidence was insufficient to reach a conclusion, he would perform a general exorcism. When the exorcist was finally convinced of an actual possession, he would ask the devil a series of questions. The most important task was naming the demon s torturing the victim.
In so doing, the exorcist was able to have control over him, according to a primitive animistic theory. In addition, the knowledge of the demons could help in treatment and the exorcist was allowed to specially tailor the exorcism to cure a victim of a particular demon. Other questions included how many devils were possessing the sufferer, how long the devil planned on staying, and how it entered the body. These questions as part of the exorcism occurred between prayers.
Finally, the practice of exorcisms was not to be taken lightly. Certain safeguards were made, such as the presence of witnesses, especially concerning women demonics, and warning existed to caution the exorcist from saying or doing anything that may provoke obscene thoughts.
The exorcist must also be keenly aware that they are placing himself in great danger.
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