TRUTH
ABOUT THE DEVIL
by
Very
Rev. Dominic Szymanski, O.M.C., D.D., J.U.D.
(Co-Founder
of Marytown)
Topical Index
The
influence of evil spirits in human affairs is far greater than most men are
willing to admit. Although God has created all things to His own glory,
the “Evil One” exerts all his tremendous powers to frustrate this plan of God
by claiming creatures for himself. The almighty God does not stop the
“Evil One” any more than He stops a human being from committing murder or any
other sin. God triumphs over the malice of the devil by turning evil into
good. Adam and Eve sinned in Paradise through the influence of
Satan. God did not prevent this sin, but provided a Redeemer who assumed
human nature and elevated it above the Angelic Choirs – so much so that the
Angels adore the Humanity of Christ. Indeed, God turned this great evil
into a greater good. “Ubi abundavit delictum, superabundavit
gratia.” (Rom. V. 20) The
Holy Scriptures clearly depict this influence of the Spirit of Darkness in the
beginning of the human race. This same influence of evil intervenes in
the life of every human being. God created man to His own image, and
claims as His own all who bear this stamp of God’s likeness. The devil
strives to destroy this “likeness to God” in the human soul by inducing man to
sin, and thereby substituting his own likeness. God does not prevent this
activity any more than He prevented the fall of Adam. God rules every
soul by love; the devil seeks to rule by hate, destruction of grace, and
frustration of God’s mercy. As God never changes, so also the devil never
changes; he always was and always will be the enemy of God, the hater of souls,
the father of lies and deceit, and the one through whom death has entered the
world. The foregoing is nothing new. No one denies it, but it is
also true that few apply it in practical life. As a general rule the sinner
will acknowledge the sin, admit his guilt, but will deny all influence of the
devil. This denial does not make him more learned; on the contrary, to
his own detriment, he fails to understand the entire issue. It would be
as though one acknowledged and treated an illness, but neglected to consider
the cause of the sickness. In human affairs we both cure the disease and
prevent is recurrence. The children of light in their spiritual world
should use the same prudence, and both acknowledge sin and recognize its evil
instigator. When a sinner at the point of death refuses to be reconciled
with God, it is not St. Michael who hardens his heart, but it is the enemy of
God and of souls. Exclude the enemy and the hardened sinner will turn to
God, with tears and contrition.
Story of the Hardened Sinner
The
following story is an illustration of this. In a certain Illinois city a
man lay dying of cancer of the throat which doctors had pronounced as
incurable, and had declared that death would follow soon. The good
sisters of the hospital in which he was a patient had tried in vain to have him
go to confession, sending priest after priest to speak to him. Each priest was treated in the same
way. As soon as he would mention confession the sick man simply turned to
the wall, saying that there were other sick who wanted to confess their sins,
but that it was a waste of time for the priest to talk to him about it, because
he did not want to go to confession. The continual insistence of the
priests and sisters so angered him that he left the hospital. After a few
weeks another hemorrhage occurred, and the family in haste and desperation
again sent for a priest, hoping against hope that he would not die without the
Sacraments. Two priests of the parish had visited him previously without
success, so this time a priest who had had some experience with a number of
cases of exorcism went to the sick man. As usual he turned to the
wall. The exorcist stood at the foot of the bed and ordered the devil: “I
command you, evil spirit, in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, to depart, I command you in the name of
our Lord Jesus Crucified to leave this room so that this soul will return to
its God and Creator.” These words were said secretly. The sick man
turned and said, “ I do not know how to confess.” The answer of the
priest was: “I will help you. I will ask you questions, you merely answer
yes or no.” Once the confession was begun the sick man broke into tears,
and made a most humble and contrite confession. The priest then hurried
back to the Church and brought him Viaticum. Meanwhile, in the rectory, a
spirited debate was in progress among the other fathers. Some maintained
that the man was a hardened sinner who would never give in even to the point of
death; while others maintained that the exorcist would drive out the devils and
make it possible for the sick man to confess. They even made bets on the
outcome … those who had greater faith collected. The next morning the
poor man died.
The Devil Interferes with Parish Projects
Another
illustration of the power of the devils to hinder a good work, and the power of
exorcism to render them helpless:
A certain priest in North Dakota was trying to introduce Perpetual
Adoration into his parish, so that at no time during day or night would the
Prisoner of the Tabernacle be alone and unattended. His efforts aroused a
storm of objections and criticism. Certain prominent members of the
parish objected strenuously to the practice, and loudly claimed that the parish
had existed for many years without it, that it was something unheard of, that
no other parish practiced it, that the pastor should try to get the careless
Catholics to practice their religion with a fair degree of regularity, and
leave all that extra-ordinary piety to the cloistered nuns (who did nothing
anyway) and had plenty of time for new and strange devotions. The following Sunday the pastor announced to
his people before the sermon that he was going to read a special blessing for
them, composed by Pope Leo XIII as an antidote against the powers of
evil. He asked them to kneel down and join with him in prayer that the
powers of evil be diminished, and that the blessing would extend to their homes,
their farms, places of business, to the members of their families and to their
relatives and friends. He then read the Leonine Exorcism from the Rituale
Romanum. Immediately after Mass
several of those same men who had opposed the introduction of the practice of
Adoration into the parish pledged themselves to make hours of adoration, and
use their influence with the members of their families to do the same.
All opposition to the practice of Adoration immediately disappeared. It
is evident that the objections were overcome by eliminating the objector.
Open Rebellion
Another
example of a very practical value of the official prayers of the Church against
the devil is the following: A certain young lady told her pastor that she had a
very normal desire to marry, that she wanted to have a home and a family as
other women had, but that she could not hold any young man, that she seemed to
repel rather than attract them. She told of her past experience and
admitted that her life was far from being exemplary. The pastor told her
that she was rebelling against the will of God, and taking her salvation into
her own frail hands, that it was necessary for her to submit to God, that she
was trying to live her own life and not the life which God was pointing out to
her. She replied: “I have prayed to God, I have made novenas, I even have
fasted, and God has no right to deprive me of this human happiness. If
God refuses to hear my prayers for a husband I will never submit to Him, I will
hate Him eternally.” The pastor excused himself for a moment and returned
with the ritual and holy water. The girl was asked to kneel down before
him, and he recited “The Exorcism.” After this was done the girl seemed
to be entirely different. With tears of contrition she recited a formula
of submission suggested by the pastor, and promised that she would repeat it
daily. The strong diabolical influence in this case, and effectiveness of
the exorcism, is evident. If you are anxious to save souls of obstinate
sinners, recite the exorcisms over them. The power of the devil will be
broken and they surely will be converted.
Priestly Powers
To
curb the influence of Satan, Christ has given priests necessary powers – the
powers of exorcism, but in our days they are buried deep in the ground for fear
that sometime they may be used. The servant who buried his talent in the
parable of the gospel was called a “wicked and slothful servant” by the Master,
and he ordered him to be caste into “the Darkness outside where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Every priest is an exorcist by virtue of
his ordination. This power must be used, and used very extensively, with
firmness and authority, otherwise the enemy creates havoc among the sheep of
God, unmolested even by those who have the duty and the obligation to guard the
flock of Christ. Priests should exclude the infernal wolves, not by
meekly begging them to depart, but by a firm command. “I command you to
depart in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified.” The Church does not
ordain priests with the power of forgiving sins only, but she gives them the
power to exclude the assassin who is the cause of all sin. The civil
government maintains a police force and the Church of God also has the
authority to cast into the abyss even the prices and powers of hell who are the
prime perpetrators of crime against God.
The Priest Should Not Fear
Good
priests should not fear to undertake an exorcism – and by good priests is meant
those who habitually live in a state of grace. It is not required that
the exorcist be a saint worthy of canonization, or even close to it. If a
priest can stand at the altar and offer the Most Holy Sacrifice with a clear
conscience, he can also be a successful exorcist. This work is a
spiritual one, and Christ stands ready to help whenever our strength falls
short. “Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and
scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt
you. Luke X, 19.
Valuable Experience
Exorcisms
are uplifting and instructive. One exorcism brings us closer to God, and
fills our lives with more spirituality than many retreats. One exorcism
will teach us more about the devil and his machinations than can be learned
from many books.
Fasting
Fasting
is necessary. During my own exorcisms I observe a “black fast” (total
abstinence from food and drink) for three days, then eat normally for a period
of three days, and so on during the entire exorcism. My experience with
these fasts is that the first day is the hardest, the second not so hard, and
since the fast ends on the third day at 3:00 PM, it is bearable. For
those who have no experience with total abstinence from both food and drink for
such long periods, I would suggest that they fast for a period of 24 hours
only, then eat normally the following day, and fast again on the third day –
and so on. Without fasting it is impossible to drive out the
devils.
The Stole
A
stole about ten feet long should be prepared, one long enough so that it may be
tied around the neck of the possessed person and still be long enough to be
worn by the exorcist. One end of the stole should be tied around the neck
of the person exorcised after the prayer: “Omnipotens Domine, Verbum Dei
Patris, etc.” has been recited. The prayers of exorcism begin with the
Litany of All the Saints, after which are recited the prayers contained in the
Roman Ritual in the section entitled “RITUS EXORCIZANDI OBSESSOS A DAEMONIO,”
and they should be continued without interruption for at least two hours at a
time. From eight to ten hours each day should be devoted to the work of
exorcising, until the evil spirits have been expelled. The physical
condition of the exorcist and the afflicted one should always be
considered. Prudence is the best guide. The psalms which follow the
rite of exorcism may be omitted and that time devoted to the recitation of the
direct prayers contained in the formula itself. The leonine exorcism,
which begins with the prayers of St. Michael, may be recited with the longer
formula. Once the exorcism has been started it should continue until the
possessing evil spirits have been driven out. This may be a matter of
hours or days, or of weeks or months; but the length of time is not so
important as the fact of expulsion. The exorcist must command the demon
to indicate the day and the hour of his departure, and what sign he will give
when going out. Generally the demon repeats his name three times before
leaving. The exorcist must never place too much reliance on any statement
or promise of the demons, but should continue the prayers of exorcism even if
the signs of departure have been given, to eliminate the possibility of
deception. The devils are liars. They will tell the exorcist that
they will not resist any longer, and that they are ready to leave. They
will mention their names three times as agreed, the possessed person will
appear normal, but all this is often only a maneuver of the devil to deceive
the exorcist. For this reason, even after the signs of liberation have
been given, the exorcisms should be continued for two or three days. If
the devil did not leave he will not be able to remain hidden under the ordeal
of exorcism for such a length of time.
The Relief Obtained in Certain Cases
Some
possessed persons can hardly be liberated, others will never be completely
freed; but even in these cases the exorcism will bring relief. The
exorcist should never be discouraged, because even in cases where the afflicted
one is never completely freed, great battles are fought against the enemy of
God, and his powers are weakened. Such exorcisms might be compared to
“delaying actions” in warfare, which are never accompanied by victory, but
nevertheless serve an essential purpose in the general plan of battle. It
is quite possible and in fact it often happens that relieved persons again
become possessed. Such possession cases should be treated the same as any
other case of possession.
Causes of Possession
The
question: “What causes possession,” is often asked, but it cannot be fully
answered because some of the causes are known and some are not. The
general impression that possessions occur because of an obstinate sinful life
may or may not be true in a particular case. Even pious and holy persons
have been known to be possessed. The following are some of the causes of
possession.
- FORTUNE TELLERS AND THE LIKE.
Those who seek information from fortune tellers and ouija boards, or cures
from spiritualists, often become possessed. They seek information,
not from God, but from forbidden sources. Hence it is no wonder that
the devils enter and give them even more information than they care to
have. God complained of Ochozias, the King of Israel: “Is there not
a God in Israel that ye go to consult Beelzebub, the god of Accaron?”
Some spiritualists effect apparent cures by prayers, but afterward the
cured persons are afflicted in other ways day and night. The devil
makes them pay a heavy price for services rendered.
- MALEFICIUM. Maleficium placed in
food or drink will cause possession. The devil has his agents who
prepare this diabolical substance by which he is able to enter human and
animal bodies. In this way even innocent victims may become
possessed. The blessing of such food and drink will break the
maleficium and render it harmless. For this reason the Church
blesses all things, expelling the evil one, and dedicating them to the
purpose for which they were created. The unseen benefits of every
blessing will only be known in eternity.
- CURSING. Cursing by those in
authority, especially parents cursing their children, may sometimes cause
diabolical possession. Some children have been found to be possessed
because their parents directly offered them to the devil even before they
were born. On the contrary, in the lives of the saints we find that
some were offered to God before their birth. This practice is praise
worthy and it should be followed by every Christian mother.
- DIRECT INVOCATION. Should it ever
happen, quod Deus Avertat, that a person would directly give himself to
the evil one, possession by the devil would almost certainly follow.
God is just, even in His dealings with the devils and as he would
recognize the free choice of the creature who would choose Him as a
Master, so also will He permit the evil spirits to take possession of
those who deliver themselves to the enemy.
- PERMISSION BY GOD. For the
greater glory of God, and for His triumph over His enemies, God sometimes
permits that the devil take possession of perfectly innocent people.
These are His “Victim Souls,” who offer themselves to God to suffer every
possible torture in order that sinners may be saved. In such cases
there is no question of guilt, or just retribution for faults committed;
but such possession is permitted in order that the powers of Hell be
weakened and glory be given to God.
The Blessed Sacrament in Exorcisms
The
Rituale Romanum cautions that the Blessed Sacrament should not be placed on the
head of the possessed, or otherwise brought in contact with him, where there is
danger of irreverence. But if this danger does not exist, for example,
where the devils use no violence, this caution does not apply; and the Blessed
Sacrament can be used. When the Blessed Sacrament is used, it is placed
in an ordinary sick call pyx, and held on the head of the possessed by the
exorcist. Its effectiveness is remarkable, and it shortens the
exorcism.
Holy Water
Holy
water is blessed for the purpose of expelling demons. That which is
blessed on Epiphany is especially efficacious because it is blessed with all
the exorcisms. It should be given to the possessed at regular intervals
about every half-hour, or even oftener.
Routine
A
good routine to follow during the exorcism is to have the possessed person
kneel for fifteen minutes and then be seated for a similar period. A
crucifix should be place on the table, and when the time comes to kneel he
should adore and kiss the crucifix, and continually pray for his
deliverance.
If these lines will arouse
interest, and help the future exorcist to weaken the power of the devil over
God’s creatures, they will have served their purpose.
Permission to Exorcise
Exorcism
is a command to the demon, given in the name of God to depart from a person,
place or thing. The formula of exorcism as given in the Roman Ritual is
not reserved. It can be used by anyone, even by a lay person. There
is no prohibition forbidding its use and the Church did not reserve those
beautiful prayers, exclusively to the Sacred Ministers. Exorcism may be
solemn or simple; public or private. The exorcism is solemn if it is
performed to expel the demon himself; simple if it is performed to curb the
influence of the demon. The Exorcism is public if it is performed by an
ordained minister who acts as an Exorcist in the name and by the authority of
the Church, in virtue of the powers received in Sacred Ordination. This
power over possessed persons cannot be publicly used without special and
express permission of the Ordinary. This prohibition is clearly defined
in Canon 1151 No. 1: “No one endowed with the power of exorcising is allowed to
pronounce an exorcism over a possessed person unless he has obtained special
and express permission to do so from the Ordinary.” Hence, permission is
required for solemn public exorcisms over possessed persons. No
permission is needed for solemn public exorcisms over homes, field, animals, to
places and in all private and simple exorcisms. The Ordinary to grant this permissions is the Ordinary in whose
diocese the exorcisms are performed or the Ordinary of the Priest. If the
priest is an exempt religious his major superior may grant the
permission. The Exorcist having obtained the required permission
exercises his power received in Sacred Ordination and he acts in the name and
authority of the Church, therefore, he must use only the prescribed formula in
the Roman Ritual excluding all private formulas, regardless of how pious they
may be. The formula prescribed by the Church is self-sufficient, capable
of expelling all spirits of darkness, hence private prayers should not be used
by the exorcist during the exorcisms. Exorcism is private, if it is
performed not in the name and authority of the Church, but in the name of the
expelling person. If some good holy layman would undertake to exclude the
devil from a possessed person, he would be performing a solemn private exorcism
for which no permission is necessary from the Ordinary. The Church
restricts the public use of the power of her Ordained Exorcists, not private
persons. What is permitted to a lay person cannot be denied to a
priest. When the priest acts as a private person, he should not use the
exorcism stole. Although public exorcisms performed by the authority of
the Church are more effective, nevertheless the demon may also be expelled from
possessed persons by private exorcisms. Christ has promised not only to
His Apostles but to all who will believe in His Name, that they will cast out
the devils. “These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall
cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up
serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark
XVI, 17-18. Exorcisms should be used often, and whenever they are
needed. When the permission is necessary, it should be obtained, and
Ecclesiastical Superiors are not free to say yes or no. If the case is
certain it must be yes, because the Sacramentals cannot be denied to a person
who reasonably asks for them. It is a serious infringement of duty and
inexcusable sin to leave a person in the power and tyranny of the devil, who
torments his victims, day and night. In case of doubt the exorcisms can
be recited conditionally, and these trial prayers should be so continued until
more definite certitude is obtained. Sacraments are given conditionally,
and even greater liberty is permitted with the sacramentals. When the
time does not permit the recitation of long formal prayers, as for example, during
the sacramental confession, when the confessor notices the danger of a
sacrilegious confession or a difficulty in confessing sins, a simple command in
his own words pronounced with faith will suffice … e.g. “I command you, evil
spirit, in the name of our Lord Jesus Crucified to depart. Observe and
notice the change that will follow.
Use of Exorcism in the Church
Exorcisms
are used very extensively in the Church. In the blessing of salt and of
holy water, exorcisms are used so that these creatures of God in turn may break
the power of the enemy wherever they may be sprinkled, and even put to flight
the enemy himself and all his angels. The Church admits the necessity of
expelling demons in the ordinary affairs of our every day life. We find
water blessed for that purpose at the entrance of every church. This
water is blessed the same by priests who are so reluctant to admit the
necessity of expelling demons. The Church wants us to sprinkle our homes
and everything we use with holy water, to break the power of the devil.
Can anyone claim that this diabolical power does not exist? In every
baptism the priest uses exorcisms when he says “exi ab eo, immunde spiritus, et
da locum Spiritui Sancto Paraclito,” and when he says, “Exorciso te, immunde
spiritus, in nomine Patris; et Filii; et Spiritus Sancti; ut exeas, et recedas
ab hoc famulo Dei (N.). Ipse enim tibi imperat, maledicte damnate,
recognosce sententiam tuam, et da honorem Deo vivo et vero, da honorem Jesu
Christo Filio eius, et Spiritui Sancto, et recede ab hoc famula Dei (N.), qua
istum sibi Deus et Dominus noster Jesus Christus ad suam sanctam tratiam, et
benedictionem, fontemque Baptismatis vocare dignatus est.” It is a direct
command to the evil one to depart. Thus in the blessing of the sick the
Church says: “Effugiat ex hoc loco omnis nequitia demonum, adsint Angeli pacis,
Donumque hanc deserat omnis maligna discordia.” When she blesses sick
animals: “Extinguatur in eis omnis diabolica potestas et ne ulterius
aegrotent.” In the blessing of linens for the sick the priest prays:
“Domine Jesu Christe qui … spiritus nequam ab infirmis easem virtute fugasti
sanitatem … percipere mereantur.” The official prayers of the Church
admit a diabolical power to produce storms and other disturbances, for she says
in the prayers for repelling tempests: “Nibil proficiat inimicus in
nobis, et filius iniquitatis non apponat nocere nobis. A domo tua,
quaesumus Domine, spiritales nequitiae repellantur, etaerarum discedat
malignitas tempestatum.” In the blessing of gold, myrrh and incense:
“Exorciso te creatura auri, myrrhae et thuris, per Patrem, etc. … ut a te
discedat omnis fraus, dolus et nequitia diaboli, et sis remedium salutare
humano generi contra insidias inimici.” Again, even in the blessing of
the simple and pure flowers of the field on the Feast of the Assumption there
is an element of exclusion of diabolical powers: “Concede ut contro diabolicas
illusiones et macinationes et fraudes tutamen ferant in quocumque loco positum
vel portatum aut habitum aliquid ex eis fuerit.” From these references
one can read the mind of the Church in the practice of blessing.
Blessings have a two-fold purpose; to bread the influence of the devil, and to
consecrate the object to God. Since the Church in her official prayers
and practices admits the influence of evil spirits in the sicknesses of men and
of animals, in plants and flowers, and even in inanimate objects, it would be
quite presumptuous to hold a contrary opinion. To assert that the evil
one has no influence over external objects is in direct opposition to the
teachings and practices of the Church. Exorcisms, then, should be recited
in sickness, in disaster, and war, in every disturbance, in fact, in everything
which brings harm to mankind; over persons who refuse to attend divine
services, and over those who are habitually in the sate of sin. In all of
these cases the influence of the evil one is clearly seen, and Holy Mother
Church has provided a clear and efficacious remedy in her prayers against the
devil. Exorcisms may be recited at a distance from, and in the absence
of, the persons molested. It behooves every Christian, and especially the
priests of Christ, to challenge the devil at every turn. The demon is the
author of evil, and there is no evil which does not come from him. It is
the devil who prompts all disobedience to God’s laws, it is he who instills the
pride of unbelief, and it is he who sets creatures above God. He is the
author of temptations, and were it not for the restraining power of God he
would tempt us more than we could stand. God sets a limit that the
temptation be not beyond our strength, and gives us power to fight and overcome
every temptation. Temptations may arise without the tempter, but very
seldom will they end without him. The cunning serpent will take every
opportunity to bring about our downfall. “The devil, as a roaring lion,
goeth about seeking whom he may devour.” Peter V, 8-9. In the
prayers of exorcism in the Roman Ritual the demon is thus addressed: “Audi
ergo, et time Satana, inimici fidei, hostis generis humani, mortis adductor,
vitae raptor, justitiae declinator, malorum radix, fomes vitiorum, seductor
hominum, proditor gentium, incitator invidiae, orgo avaritae, cause discordiae,
excitator dolorum, … exi trangressor. Exi seductor, pleni omni dolo et
fallacia, virtutis inimice, inocentium persecutor … Deus es Filio eius Jesu
Christo Domino Nostro, quem tantare ausus es et cricifigere presumpsisti.
Tibi et angelis tuis inextinguibile preparatur incendium; quia tu es princeps
maledicti homicidii, tu auctor incestus, tu sacrilegorum caput, to actionum
pessimarum magister, us hereticorum doctor, to totius obscoenitatis
inventor.” In these prayers of exorcism the demon is called the enemy of
faith, the enemy of the human race, the author of death, snatcher of life,
sources of evil, fomentor of vice, origin of avarice, seducer of men, betrayer
of nations, instigator of envy, cause of discord, producer of pain, persecutor
of the innocent – he who has tempted, and even presumed to crucify, our Lord
Jesus Christ. He is called the master of evil, the doctor of heretics and
the inventor of all obscenity. Since the Church admits the influence of
the evil one in all vices, it follows that the tempter should be curbed and put
to flight whenever vice appears. Certainly figs are not found on thorn
bushes. Good comes from God – evil comes from the devil. Many sins
can be prevented, and much trouble in parishes avoided, by curtailing the
activities of the evil one. It is easier to curb the demon than to try to
cure the disorders caused by him.
The Devil Should be Exposed
The
faults of a community are not secret to anyone. The bad fruit is visible
to all, but many fail to see the tree on which it grows, and to recognize the
demon as the originator of the evil. The blindness means success to the
enemy of salvation. Many a soul would lead a much holier life if the
demon were recognized as the source of sin; and sinners would not be so proud
of their vices if they knew that they were following the devil, and that he was
an actual reality and not a vague enigma, existing only in human fantasy.
The Church sees the devil in every evil, and provides a remedy in her numerous
blessings and exorcisms; but there are clergymen who, even after many years of
experience, do not recognize the instigator of all vice, and will say that they
have never seen a person under the influence of the devil. They have seen
sinners dying without confession, they have parishioners who have led sinful
lives for years, but they will maintain that these are all free agents, that it
was all their own doing, and that the sinners alone are responsible. They
will absolve the tempter from all blame, and, in effect, defend the
enemy. This attitude is not in accordance with the mind of the
Church. Such blindness is truly regrettable. The general who would
survey a battlefield and view the corpses of his slain soldiers, and still
maintain that the enemy had not been there, would be removed because of
stupidity. Christ has sent his priests to lead souls to heaven, and
when Christ’s anointed observe that many souls are slaughtered and lost for
eternity, it should not be difficult to conclude that the enemy of God has done
this. Show the devil to Christian souls as he really is, and his ugliness
will not attract them; hid the devil, and in ignorance they will follow
him. The devil has been hidden too long – not by the Church, but by the
some who pretend to possess greater wisdom than the Church. The power of
the devil vanishes as soon as it is discovered.
Possession
Besides
the sporadic influence of evil beings in persons as evidenced by temptations
and other evils that come to them, the devil often tries to claim for his own dominion
not only men but material objects as well. When persons become possessed
the condition is accompanied by various phenomena. They are forced to say
and do things quite contrary to their will. They are annoyed and even
tortured to an incredible degree. Food and sleep are curtailed.
These manifestations differ in every case. Two elements constitute
possession: presence of the devil in the body, and dominion exercised by the
devil over the body. The devil does not enter the soul; he affects it indirectly
through the body.
Signs of Possession
The
Roman Ritual mentions three principal signs of possession: speaking unknown
tongues or understanding them when used by another, making known hidden and
distant facts, exhibiting strength out of proportion with one’s age and
circumstance. These signs are not by any means exclusive, for the Ritual
says: “These and other similar signs, when they occur in great number, are the
surest indications of possession.” It is quite possible to have a perfect
case of diabolical possession without any of the above mentioned signs.
The devil is not anxious to prove his presence by speaking unknown tongues or
to disclose his identity by marvelous signs. Like the submarine, his
power lies in his ability to remain hidden while striking from ambush. On
the other hand it is impossible for the devil to possess a person without
giving some sign of his presence. If the devil is there he will
act. He will assert his dominion over the body by tyranny and torture.
He may be able to hide some signs of the possession, but he cannot hide them
all. In all cases of possession there are evidences of dual personality –
the person himself and the possessing spirit. The physical person will
complain of the intrusion of the other, and of the volition of his
liberty. He will indicate how he is forced to act by that “something
inside of him” contrary to his own conviction and violation. The
possessed person will desire to eat, something will stop him; he will desire to
pray and that other personality will interfere. These persons did not
lose their mind, they know exactly what ails them; they are conscious of
another intelligent force within them, which interferes with their
freedom. They need help, and that help should be given by those who have
the care of souls. It is their duty and obligation to see that these
victims of diabolical possession receive the benefit of Sacramentals instituted
by the Church for that purpose. It is cruel and unjust to leave them
without help.
Procedure
In
such cases a prudent priest will ask the afflicted person to kneel and pray and
say that he will recite some prayers over him – without mentioning that it is
an exorcism. He will recite the Leonine Exorcism, observing well if there
be any reaction. If there is, then immediately he should stop the prayer
and say: “I command you in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, in the name of
God the Father, and of God the Son, and of God the Holy Ghost, tell me your
name.” It is even better to propose the question in Latin in order that
the person afflicted may not be made conscious of his condition. A useful
formula is: “Praecipio tibi in nomine Sanctissimae Trinitatis, in nomine
Patris + et Filii + et Spiritus Sancti + dic mihi nomen tuum. Praecipiat
tibi Deus Pater + Deus Filius + et Deus Spiritus Sanctus +. Dic mihi
nomen tuum.” If no reaction be observed, recite the entire exorcism a few
times at least, and then propose the questions. If the evil spirit
answers, then ask: “How many are with you? How long have you been in this
person, and why?” If the priest receives answers to these questions, then
there is no longer doubt about the possession. Once the fact of
possession has been established, permission of the Ordinary should not be difficult
to obtain but gladly given. “Sacramenta et sacramentalia sunt propter
homines, et legitime potenti denegari nequent.” Bishops are successors of
the apostles, sent to spread the Gospel and establish the Kingdom of our Lord
Jesus Christ in the souls of men. But to do so the dominion of the devil
must be broken, and souls freed from his oppression. Ecclesiastical
superiors should beg good priests to undertake this strenuous and hard work of
exorcisms – not that the priests should beg them. Frequently it is very
difficult to convince the authorities of a possession case and obtain the
necessary permission. All priests are exorcists. This was one of
the first powers given by the Master to His apostles, and it is one of the
first priestly powers given in Holy Orders. If ecclesiastical superiors
would tell their priests that they would be called on to undertake cases of
possession, and to prepare themselves for it, we would have less skeptics and
more piety. This alone would be a very efficient urge to every exorcist
to a holy life. The nightly vigil advocated by Father Matteo, and an hour
a day before the Blessed Sacrament, would become a universal custom. If, after few recitals of exorcism, no
answer is received, it does not mean that there is no possession. In some
cases the demon gave answer to the above questions only after ten days of
exorcisms. In milder cases the answers are given almost at the very
beginning.
Possession Not Rare
Let
no one think that possession cases are so rare that it is necessary to go back
to the time of Christ to find one. There is no city, not even a single
parish, free from cases of possession. This is not a wild assertion made
without thought or consideration, but is based on personal experience. I
have discovered so many cases of possession that I could not handle them all,
even if I worked at them 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The
possession of animals is even more frequent. Inanimate objects and
articles used for sinful purposes may be possessed. The possessed ouija
board will give answers, but if such a board be blessed it will not give any
answers. Satan establishes his claim on places and articles of sin,
because by sin they have been dedicated to him; just as by blessings of the
Church, objects and places are consecrated to God. Hence, it is useful to
bless places often. The Church advises that the homes of the faithful be
blessed every year. As the state of grace is lost by sin, articles loose
their blessing when they are used for sinful purposes, and places become
defiled when sins are committed in them. For this reason the Church
reconciles Churches and cemeteries when crimes were committed in them. It
is a known fact that there were many cases of possession in the time of Our
Saviour. Christ is mentioned about thirty times in the Gospels expelling
the demon. The Apostles frequently used their powers, and their
successors throughout the ages have done the same. Of this we have many
examples in the lives of the Saints.
Criticisms
Constructive
criticism which throws more light on the subject is welcomed and appreciated,
but criticisms based on ignorance and inexperience only multiply the hardships
of the exorcist. He should be helped by sacrifice and prayers in a work
which so few are willing to undertake, rather than be laughed to scorn by those
who do not know. To all skeptics and critics who have no experience in
such matters, and only criticise “a priori,” there is only one answer: “Your
criticism is a contra factum.”