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Linda Blair, Max Von Sydow and Jason Miller in the 1973 film The Exorcist (CNS Photo) An American exorcist has said the film The Exorcist led people to believe wrongly that the devil could "come and zap them" when in fact the devil is afraid of the power of Jesus inside them. Mgr John Esseff, retired exorcist of the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, told an audience of 400 students at Bowling Green State University, Ohio that the power of Jesus within them was "enormous". He said: "The devil is afraid of you - if you would just awaken to who...

GUEST LIST November 5 Fr. Thomas Euteneuer Exorcism Ask Fr. Thomas Euteneuer a question Fr. Thomas Euteneuer BIOGRAPHY: Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer became president of Human Life International in December of 2000. Human Life International is the worldÂ’s largest pro-life organization with affiliate offices and associates in seventy-five countries around the world. In five years of service to this unique mission Fr. Euteneuer has traveled more than 500,000 miles as a pro-life missionary and visited more than forty countries. Fr. Euteneuer was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1962, the fourth of seven children born to Joseph and Marian Euteneuer....

The Healing Power of Exorcism Oct 30th 2009 An Interview with Father Gary Thomas by Paul CiarciaThe day before I spoke with Father Gary Thomas was probably a typical weekday for most priests. For Father Thomas it was a typical weekday as well, except it involved a two hour-long, emotionally and physically draining battle with a horde of demons seeking to claim another person’s soul.“(The demons) operate in packs,” said Father Thomas. “The more powerful ones are over the less powerful ones.”“These demons have put up big fights,” Father Thomas said, recollecting the episode. “I think now we are...

Father Vincent Lampert (right), from St. Francis and Clare Parish in Indianapolis, Ind., lectures at Foellinger Auditorium on Monday. Fr. Lampert discussed his experiences as one of 12 officially trained exorcist priests in the United States. Joanna Mirowska The Daily Illini With Halloween around the corner and Hollywood releasing horror movies such as "Paranormal Activity" and "Saw VI," one cannot help but feel chills running down his or her spine. St. John's Catholic Newman Center had the timing right when it invited exorcist Father Vince Lampert to speak about his experiences Monday night at Foellinger Auditorium. Lampert, the head priest...

Someone pummeled and smothered 18-year-old Rayoung Kim in a bedroom of her home in a new suburban subdivision in Fairfax County. She fell unconscious and later died. Fairfax police think the fatal injuries occurred in July 2008 during a Korean exorcism, in which a spiritual shaman and family members try to force evil spirits to leave a possessed person. That account is in a police affidavit filed recently in Fairfax Circuit Court, which quotes Kim's brother as saying his sister was involved in a religious ritual in the moments before she passed out. The court filing also quotes the medical...

Five siblings from a New Zealand family escaped jail Friday after being found guilty of the manslaughter of their niece during an indigenous Maori exorcism ceremony. Janet Moses, a 22-year-old mother of two, died from drowning in October 2007 after members of her extended family forced water down her throat during a ceremony to lift a curse known as a makutu.

The July 8 issue of Catholic San Francisco covered the 2009 book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist, by Matt Baglio. The Rite, describes the training and practice of San Francisco-born Father Gary Thomas, a contemporary Bay Area exorcist. In 2005, Father Thomas was sent by San Jose Bishop Patrick McGrath to study in Rome under master exorcist Capuchin Father Carmine De Filippis. Father Thomas observed 80 exorcisms as Fr. De Filippis apprentice. From the Catholic San Francisco, article: “What sets exorcists apart from priests who are skeptical of the ministry may be their biblical belief in the...

Disturbing video of church casting out 'homosexual demon' from boy, 16, posted on YouTube By Mail Foreign Service 25th June 2009 Shocking footage of church elders carrying out a exorcism to cast a 'homosexual demon' from a teenage boy have been posted online. The video shows the 16-year-old lying on the floor, his body convulsing, while members of a small Connecticut church stand over him. 'Rip it from his throat!' a woman yells. 'Come on, you homosexual demon! You homosexual spirit, we call you out right now! Loose your grip, Lucifer!'

A Connecticut church posted a controversial video on YouTube that raised questions about the treatment of children by a leader of a gay and lesbian teen mentoring group among others The video features church elders performing what looks like an exorcism, of what they refer to in the video as "homosexual demons" The video shows leaders of the Manifested Glory Ministries in a frenetic scene, screaming, "Right now I command you to leave!" At the same time a teen writhing on the ground as the adults around him implore so called "homosexual demons" to get out. The leaders yell at...

It is almost too bizarre and disturbing to know that this sort of thing goes on in North America in modern times. A Connecticut Church, Manifested Glory Ministries, posted a video on Youtube of what can only be described as a gay exorcism. The video drew massive outrage on the site and was quickly removed, but not before someone recorded a partial copy (see below). A 16 year old boy, allegedly gay, appears in the video with members of the church and congregation and you can hear people yelling as they try to cast homosexual demons from the boy’s body....

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut church has outraged gay rights advocates by posting a video of members performing an apparent exorcism of a teen's "homosexual demons." The 20-minute video was posted on YouTube before it was taken down. Gay youth advocate Robin McHaelen (mih-KAY'-lehn) says the video appears to show abuse. She says she plans to report it to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. The boy confirms he is 16 but otherwise has declined to comment. The Rev. Patricia McKinney of Manifested Glory Ministries in Bridgeport says he is 18 and came to the church on his...

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2009 Vatican to receive briefing on Pelosi record prior to papal meeting Pelosi is not denying that she rushed to pass this massive stimulus bill because she had to catch a plane for her europian tour - a tour that includes a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI. No doubt she's looking for a quick photo-op with her Pontiff to convince her voters back home that everything is "okay" with her "identity Catholicism". Some people, however, have a different plan in mind...

The Dark Backward: Demons in the Real World by Tom Hoopes    2/14/09     "The lunatic is on the grass."   It was an hour before midnight. Ten-year-old James was in his bedroom, alone, when he was suddenly gripped by terror. A Pink Floyd song rang out through the empty room. The radio turned on by itself.   "The lunatic is on the grass. The lunatic is in the hall."   James lay paralyzed, locked in that helpless state that is itself as terrifying as whatever causes it. He wanted to move or cry out but couldn't. So...

An exorcist authorized to perform exorcisms in several dioceses spoke at a religious ministry luncheon on Sunday, explaining the basics of exorcism and its connection with abortion. Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, president of Human Life International and an exorcist, spoke at a luncheon hosted by In His Sign Network (IHS). He is an exorcist authorized to perform exorcisms in several states, and highlighted the connection between the abortion industry and demonic influence. “Abortion is a demonic industry,” he told The Bulletin. “Abortion is blood sacrifice of innocent blood to the devil. The clinics are like temples, the doctors are like priests,...

"When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the evil one and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcising. In a simple form exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. In solemn exorcism, called a 'major' exorcism, can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. The priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism...

The Texas Supreme Court, showing continued deference to religious practice, on Friday tossed out a $188,000 judgment against members of a Pentecostal church who restrained a teenager they feared had come under demonic influence. Laura Schubert claimed that rough handling during the hours-long 1996 incident — involving the "laying on of hands" and intensive prayer — left her disabled by post-traumatic stress disorder. Jurors agreed, finding that Schubert, then 17, was falsely imprisoned and assaulted by a pastor, youth minister and members of Pleasant Glade Assembly of God church in suburban Fort Worth. However, the state Supreme Court dismissed Schubert's...

ROME, APRIL 11, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Some of the mystery surrounding the devil and exorcism is being unveiled in a television and Internet report series, detailing the work of the exorcist of the Diocese of Rome. Society of St. Paul Father Gabriele Amorth, Rome's exorcist for the past 21 years and a specialist in the figure of Mary, explained in the first edition of the series how he performs exorcisms. "I go to one of Rome's churches, to a parish that is closed during the day," he said. "There is Mass in the morning and then the church is closed. There...

An American woman who levitated, demonstrated paranormal psychic powers and spoke foreign languages unknown to her was clearly demon possessed, according to a board-certified psychiatrist and associate professor of clinical psychiatry at New York Medical College. The unnamed woman, with a long history of involvement with Satanic groups, was observed by a team of priests, deacons, several lay assistants, psychiatrists, nuns, some of whom also had medical and psychiatric training, levitating six inches off the ground while objects flew off shelves in the same room, according to Dr. Richard E. Gallagher, who documented the case in the February issue of...

Council pays psychic for exorcism A psychic was paid £60 by a council to rid a County Durham home of a "poltergeist" after a family became "distraught" by unexplained events. Easington Council employed the ghostbuster after a Peterlee tenant reported paranormal activity. The mother-of-two had even called police after seeing objects flying across rooms and hearing banging. A council spokesman said it funded half the psychic's fee as it was the most cost effective solution. Andrew Burnip, the council's homelessness and housing advice manager, said the tenant's two young children had been "traumatised" by the strange goings on and wanted...

ODESSA, Texas (AP) - A man accused of killing his wife says he was trying to exorcise a demon from her when the devil entered his body and caused her to die, according to a police probable cause statement. Jan David Clark, 60, was arrested Friday after authorities went to his home and found Susan Kay Clark's body wrapped in a bed sheet with a cross and sword on top of it. Officers had gone to the home after being told that Clark had called a friend and said his 59-year-old wife was dead, said Sgt. Gary Duesler said the...

Don Gabriele Amorth is the busiest exorcist in Europe. His job is to keep the Roman Pontiff free of demons. This is because, says the priest, the devil is abroad in the Vatican. SPIEGEL Author Alexander Smoltczyk has visited the priest - and to test out any demons. Rome - Everything goes wrong today. First, the Roman taxi drivers strike without any warning. Even the address specified cannot be found on the map plan of the city. Then the photographer calls and says that his camera had not charged. He must dismantle and repair it. All seems jinxed. "You are...

Satanism on the rise: Pope Benedict has unveiled plans to set up specialist exorcism squads The Pope has ordered his bishops to set up exorcism squads to tackle the rise of Satanism. Vatican chiefs are concerned at what they see as an increased interest in the occult. They have introduced courses for priests to combat what they call the most extreme form of "Godlessness." Each bishop is to be told to have in his diocese a number of priests trained to fight demonic possession. The initiative was revealed by 82-year-old Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican "exorcistinchief," to the online Catholic...

VATICAN CITY, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The Vatican is denying reports it plans to install more exorcists around the world so possessed people can get help quickly. "Pope Benedict XVI has no intention of ordering local bishops to bring in garrisons of exorcists to fight demonic possession,'' Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told reporters in Rome Friday. On Thursday, the Roman Catholic Web site Petrus said the pope planned to install more exorcists in every diocese next year and reintroduce a prayer during mass to St. Michael the Archangel, believed to be the prime protector against evil, The Telegraph in Britain...

The Pope has ordered his bishops to set up exorcism squads to tackle the rise of Satanism. Vatican chiefs are concerned at what they see as an increased interest in the occult. They have introduced courses for priests to combat what they call the most extreme form of "Godlessness." Each bishop is to be told to have in his diocese a number of priests trained to fight demonic possession. The initiative was revealed by 82-year-old Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican "exorcistinchief," to the online Catholic news service Petrus. "Thanks be to God, we have a Pope who has decided to...

Audience members at Church of the Annunciation, Rosedale, were so intently focused on Father Thomas J. Euteneuer’s exorcism talk Oct. 21, that when someone in the crowd muffled a sneeze – they flinched. About 130 people attended “An Evening with an Exorcist,” listening carefully as Father Euteneuer talked about how demons target their victims and how an exorcism takes place. Father Euteneuer, a priest for the Palm Beach, Fla., diocese who is living in the Archdiocese of Arlington, Va., said he’s been involved in exorcisms for nearly five years and has performed three or four that expelled demons as well...

PHOENIX — Officers responding to a report of an exorcism on a young girl found her grandfather choking her and used stun guns to subdue the man, who later died, authorities said Sunday. The 3-year-old girl and her mother, who was also in the room during the struggle between 49-year-old Ronald Marquez and officers, were hospitalized, police said. Their condition was unavailable. The relative who called police said an exorcism had also been attempted Thursday. "The purpose was to release demons from this very young child," Sgt. Joel Tranter said. Officers arrived at the house Saturday and entered when they...

Baptism and the usus antiquior I have carried out a Baptism once or twice using the older form and preferred it greatly to the rather didactic and plodding ceremonies of the newer rite. Looking through it again today confirmed me in the view that it is so much more, well, "pastoral". It is a relief to drop the liturgical re-education necessary to prevent the mother handing the baby over to the Godmother for the ceremony. The "exorcism" in the newer rite is as bland as possible in contrast to the older rite's determined exorcisms, warning the devil in the name...

A Westminster family planning doctor prescribed an exorcism to a patient seeking contraceptive advice, a medical tribunal has heard. Dr Joyce Pratt, 44, is said to have told the woman she was possessed by an evil spirit and had "something moving inside her". The patient - known as Mrs K for the hearing - mentioned she was experiencing pain and bleeding during an appointment for a routine contraceptive injection, the General Medical Council heard. During the "bizarre" consultation at Westside Contraceptive Services in Westminster, Dr Pratt told Mrs K she would use her "black magic powers" to help her, the...

An open conflict has erupted in the Church between exorcists who believe that demons can cause many maladies, especially mental ones, and psychologists who all but dismiss exorcism as a product of the Middle Ages, according to a new book by Los Angeles Times reporter Tracy Wilkinson. The volume, entitled The Vatican's Exorcists, marshals a highly secular and often skeptical view of exorcisms at the same time that it presents fascinating facts on priests who administer the rite in places like Rome and those who have suffered from demonic oppression. The conflict -- psychology versus demonology -- has penetrated the...

"[Prior to Vatican II, w]hen holy water [was] blessed, the priest reads several prayers, which included an exorcism of the salt and the water. An exorcism is the banishing of evil spirits......therefore, when any material object is to be devoted to the service of God, the Church often prescribes for it a form of exorcism, to free it from the power of the Evil One....... Exorcism of Salt O salt, creature of God, I exorcise you by the living God, by the true God, by the holy God, by the God who ordered you to be poured into the water...

A secular book about exorcism says that one thing rankles demons. "The devil doesn't like Latin," writes Tracy Wilkinson in The Vatican's Exorcists. "That is one of the first things I learned from Father Gabriele Amorth, long known as Rome's chief exorcist, even though that has never been his formal title. "Now past the age of eighty, Father Amorth has dedicated the last decades of his life to regaining a measure of respectability for exorcism. Despite his advancing age, he continues to perform the rite several times a week at his office in Rome. "Scores of people seek him out....

The Advocate vs. The Accuser In a few months I will publish a book on exorcism and deliverance by which I hope to educate the Church Militant on the reality of spiritual evil and the truth of the ChurchÂ’s power against it. On this weekend where our Church celebrates Pentecost, the great Feast of the Holy Spirit, I offer an excerpt from this upcoming book to highlight the influence of the Holy Spirit in defending our cause against the accusing spirit of the devil. If we are to fight for the salvation of souls, we must know our enemy and...

Litchfield, Conn., is the kind of place a lot of people might choose to raise a family. Among its other appealing qualities, Litchfield has a microscopically low crime rate, as in other suburban communities across America. 'The Grip of the Devil' But no town can be protected from all things evil. Some time ago in this peaceful community, wife and mother Pat Reading felt as though she were possessed by satanic spirits. In a series of exorcisms, a local bishop tried to free her from what they saw as the grip of the devil. Reading's then-teenage daughter Michelle Reading witnessed...

Romanian priest sentenced for exorcism Mon Feb 19, 10:47 AM ET BUCHAREST, Romania - A Romanian priest who led a dayslong exorcism ritual for a young nun that ended with the woman's death was sentenced Monday to 14 years in prison. Four nuns were also sentenced in the case. The dead nun, Maricica Irina Cornici, believed she heard the devil talking to her. She was treated for schizophrenia, but when she relapsed, Daniel Petru Corogeanu — a monk who served as the priest for the secluded Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania — and the four other nuns tried exorcism....

A Romanian priest has been sentenced to 14 years in prison today after a nun died during an exorcism ritual. Sister Maricica Irina Cornici, 23, who was being treated for schizophrenia, said she believed the devil was talking to her. Daniel Petru Corogeanu, a monk who served as the priest for a secluded Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania, and four other nuns, chained Cornici to a cross in an attempt at exorcism. She survived several days without food or water, but died of dehydration, exhaustion and suffocation. The court in the northeast city of Vaslui convicted Corogeanu and the...

Los Angeles-A man accused of trying to exorcise the devil from a "Days of Our Lives" star after bursting into his Malibu backyard pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and entering private property without permission. In addition, a judge granted a restrainging order sought by actor Drake Hogestyn against Carl Raymond Cheney of Oregon, who entered his plea Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

1. What is an exorcism?Q: I saw your article about a post-exorcism experience on Spirit Daily. Just what is an exorcism and is it anything like the movies? Exorcisms are rarely similar to what is portrayed in the movies such as The Exorcist or The Exorcism of Emily Rose (see below). There are certainly points of comparison, but Hollywood needs theatrics to dress up or sensationalize an experience of something extraordinary like the supernatural battle against evil. The exaggerations of Hollywood only serve to diminish our sense of the reality of evil and the existence of the devil.... Fundamentally, an...

The Holy See has warned that there will be “serious consequences” for a rebel African archbishop if reports that he is to work with the author of the Da Vinci Code on a new novel about exorcisms are true. Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, the unpredictable African faith healer and exorcist, is reported to have agreed to work with Dan Brown on the project. The agreement was said to have been reached at a meeting in Houston, Texas, attended by representatives of Dan Brown, Sony Pictures, Random House publishing company and Target, an American company which intends to finance the film. Participants...

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.To believe in exorcism you must first believe in the devil. Exorcism is the act of driving out or warding off evil spirits from persons, places, or things. The means employed for this purpose are especially the solemn and authoritative adjuration of the demons, commanding them in the name of God to leave the person or the object which is under their malevolent influence. Among polytheistic religions the use of protective means against the molestation of evil spirits is an essential part of their worship of the deities. The benevolent gods are invoked for whatever...

A FORMER Jesuit turned university professor has set himself an ambitious project: rehabilitating the devil.Henry Ansgar Kelly says Satan is the most maligned figure in history and has endured 17 centuries of unjustified character assassination."For 1700 years Satan has been the enemy of God, whereas in the Bible he works for God, he's his prime minister or attorney-general, in charge of policing the world," Professor Kelly said."He is one of God's angels, and his job is to test people."The 71-year-old University of California professor has played devil's advocate for four decades, and is the author of many books and scholarly...

Twenty-nine years have passed since that day, June 29 1972. It was the Feast of Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles. It was the Feast of Saint Paul who brought the Gospel of Christ to the extreme corners of the West. On that day, June 29, Feast of the Patron Saints of Rome, Peter’s successor who had taken the name of Paul issued a dramatic warning. Paul VI spoke of God’s enemy supreme, that enemy of man called Satan, enemy of the Church. “The smoke of Satan”, warned Paul VI, “has found its way into the Church through the fissures”....

Twenty-nine years have passed since that day, June 29 1972. It was the Feast of Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles. It was the Feast of Saint Paul who brought the Gospel of Christ to the extreme corners of the West. On that day, June 29, Feast of the Patron Saints of Rome, Peter’s successor who had taken the name of Paul issued a dramatic warning. Paul VI spoke of God’s enemy supreme, that enemy of man called Satan, enemy of the Church. “The smoke of Satan”, warned Paul VI, “has found its way into the Church through the fissures”....

Some questions about the Christian life have easy answers. Others do not. In a nice article from January 17th, 2006, D.C. Toedt at The Questioning Christian addresses the thorny and complex issue of Christianity and mental illness. It is my opinion that the Christian community in general has historically not done a very good job at of understanding and ministering to those with mental illness. Christians have no problems helping those suffering from heart disease and cancer, but often blame mental illness on the patient. How many Christians have been told "If you just prayed more and developed a better attitude" you...

December, 28, 2005Dear Friend,            A warm handshake, the touching of each cheek in turn (in true Italian style), and the words, “We are doing the same mission for our Lord Jesus Christ.”            That moment bridged a gap of centuries. Five hundred years ago I would not have been standing in the Vatican and a priest might have called for my death as a heretic. But this day in December, 2005, was a day of reconciliation and embracing on common ground–the belief in waging spiritual war through exorcism, deliverance, and healing. St. Peter's Basilica. The largest church in the world.            ...

I have been an exorcist for three years, and I know all too well that it always costs something to enter onto the devil’s territory and wrench a soul out of his grip, but I have never experienced a demonic retaliation like the one I am about to recount. The only reason I write this true story is to encourage those who read this to remain vigilant, faithful and confident that Christ and His angels have all-surpassing power over demons. The demons may make us suffer temporarily, but they are no match for the power of Christ’s Love and the...

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 22, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Georges Cottier, while he was still the theologian to the Pontifical Household, wrote an introduction to the book "Presidente degli Esorcisti -- Esperienze e Delucidazioni di Don Gabriele Amorth" (President of the Exorcists -- Experiences and Clarifications of Father Gabriel Amorth). Father Amorth is an exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, and founder and honorary president of the International Association of Exorcists. The book has been recently published by Edizioni Carismatici Francescani. Here is a translation of Cardinal Cottier's introduction. * * * The Church must speak about the devil. Though he sinned,...

Dennis Rader’s pastor sought permission to perform a jailhouse exorcism on the BTK killer but authorities wouldn’t allow it, the Rev. Michael Clark told an Overland Park audience Sunday. Clark believes demonic forces drove Rader to murder 10 victims in the Wichita area, he said at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. In response to an audience member’s question, the Lutheran pastor said he spoke at length with the Sedgwick County sheriff about performing the exorcism. The sheriff politely refused to allow it, Clark said. “Dennis was influenced, I believe, by some kind of demonic force and that played a role in...

Italy's leading exorcist said on Thursday there were up to 330 priests practising the Vatican-approved procedures for casting out the Devil all over the country . In the Catholic Church exorcists must be priests and they have to be given a sort of 'licence' to perform the special rites by their local bishop . Father Gabriele Amorth, founder and head of an international association of exorcists, said there were no official figures for Italy but he reckoned the number was between 300 and 330 . While exorcists were busy trying to expel Satan from possessed Italians, Father Amorth implied that...

A judge ordered eight adults committed to a prison psychiatric facility for 40 years on Thursday for the grisly exorcism slayings of a seven-month-old baby and a 13-year-old girl in a remote mountain community in western Mexico. The brutality of the Dec. 7 killings -- the baby was hacked to death and dismembered while the teenager killed with stones -- has shocked Mexico. Officials say the killers were the victims' own parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, who had become convinced the girls were demons or possessed by the devil. They carried out the ritual slayings, accompanied by prayers, the lighting...