EXORCISM - THE HIDDEN TRUTH

CHAPTER 6
PREPARATION AND CONSULTATION ; ATTITUDE OF THE RC CHURCH

          I'm sure there is no need to emphasise by now that thorough preparation on the part of the minister who is to perform the exorcism; by the team who will assist him; and of the subject who is to be "delivered", is of prime importance. The first part of this section will mainly be concerned with this theme. The following section, under the heading "Pronouncement", will look at some of the "ex-cathedra" statements (officially sanctioned by the Pope and his cardinals) on exorcism and its conduct, under various heads, such as in Papal Statements, decisions of Papal Councils, in the Catholic Encyclopedia and in the Catholic Catechism. Much of the above is in the nature of express guidelines for exorcists and is clearly spelt out; however there is a vital facet of this ministry, which is not so clearly spelt out, not so verbatim and literatim, but which is clearly UNDERSTOOD. This is the AUTHORITY with which exorcists are (covertly) invested, deriving from the long practice and belief of the Church, and which is possibly the main bulwark of priests engaged in combatting forces of evil.

EXORCISM: SUCCESS AND FAILURE

          Exorcisms, like everything else, can be successful or failures - it's just that we tend not to hear much of the failed sort! On the other hand it may be that most exorcisms are "successful" i.e. they result in in a return to normality - whatever the definition. When acts of exorcism do not achieve the desired results it is usually adduced that the "conditions" were wrong, not optimal and so on, and more rarely that the officiant was not sufficiently prepared, mentally, emotionally, maybe professionally. However it is not rare for the latter allegation to be made. As Richard Deutch points out in his book, EXORCISM, it may be that the priest's knowledge of the subject (the act) is scant and mainly academic. (26) "All too often", he writes, "the priest is not spiritually developed enough..." (p.26) Deutch makes the point (with which I concur) that the power of exorcism is usually a personal power which allows supernatural forces to work through the exorcist. It is possible to develop this strand, by remarking that exorcisms in the Christian faiths, are generally considered as being efficacious because they are tried and tested rituals, long honoured, but as we have said, the (prepared) personality of the priest is of equal importance. Deutch cites a young priest attempting an exorcism (unsuccessfully) because although he had the "licence" he did not have the power.

          Perhaps the young priest lacked conviction of the reality of possession in the case before him. Amyone who performs an act of exorcism must utterly believe in the evil force opposing him. This is the sine qua non of exorcism. One is much more likely to be "successful" if one has this firm conviction. Of course, it is also vitally important that the exorcist knows as much as possible of mental disturbances, psycho-somatic illnesses and of their possible causes to help him initially to make a correct "diagnosis". The long held belief that mental illness had a supernatural origin whereas physical ailment was "natural" did not help - such belief dies hard.

          As Martin Ebon says in EXORCISM, PAST AND PRESENT, there is nothing perfunctory about the ceremony: as deeply involved is the "team" standing by who must be as convinced as the officiant himself of the rightness of their position. Meanwhile the possessed person has "uncensored opportunity to act out his demon..." (p. 16) An exorcist is never, to use Ebon's words, engaged in mere nondirective therapy: he has an aim ...he is a man "in active combat, not in passive observation". Conviction, however, is a word open to interpretation. Conviction that one is going to fight evil and win is one thing but another may be the personal conviction that one's own way is better than the "official" way! Preparation of the exorcising priest is a difficult process under these circumstances. Some priests do not wish to follow the official line, prefering their own method (within the over-arching guidelines of course). A notable example is John Pearce-Higgens, a Canon of the Church of England who, although a very prominent exorcist, did not actually believe in devils and demons, preferring to believe in a possessing entity of some kind, a demonic element in human nature. He differed from the accepted ecclesiastical line therefore on its belief in demons, feeling that troublesome entities were spirits of dead people (rather than devils non-carnate) who needed kindness and sympathy rather than threats and commands. I feel sure there are more of like persuasion.

CHOICE OF, AND PREPARATION OF, AN EXORCIST

          Naturally, it must be emphasised, that a potential exorcist is first singled out for his personal qualities among which strict adherence to the rules and dogmas of the Faith are paramount. When it comes to an actual impending exorcism the priest has to undergo much personal (spiritual) preparation . (More on this theme later; it might be opportune here to remind ourselves of the instructions of the "Roman Ritual": the priest who undertakes the office should be himself a holy man, of a blameless life, intelligent, courageous, humble and he should prepare for the work by special acts of devotion and mortification, particularly by prayer and fasting.)

MORE ON THE CONCEPT OF THE SUPPORTING TEAM

          Just as there may be conflicting thoughts in the mind of the exorcist, it follows that when selecting a "team" of "helpers" it is realised that people can and do differ in their beliefs and in their attitudes to the spirit world. On the one hand is the belief that indeed demons are responsible for the evil around us; on the other may be the belief that Satan and his followers are too far-fetched to be credible. Team members will be aware of possible divergencies in their ranks but nevertheless the team has to act as one, supportive at all times of each other and of the officiating minister. Michael Perry in his book DELIVERANCE, gives an excellent summary of what stance must be adopted by the supporting team. The first requirement is to take the problem seriously, no matter what doubts may be harboured. Try to discriminate between mental problems and spiritual ones; keep calm and fight against feelings of panic; have a commitment to prayer. Endeavour to get to know the facts of the case; learn who are the witnesses: are they reliable? Ascertain the background of the victim/patient/client: i.e. is there any evidence of occult activity? Try, as far as possible, to be sure of the mature Christianity of the other members (if you are one of the team) and that people of both genders comprise the membership (if you are involved in selecting the team). The parish priest concerned is to seek the advice of the team. In the initial stages the team is to be viewed as a second opinion by the parish priest "in order to satisfy himself he is working along the right lines". (p. 158). "The team should be seen as supplementing, strengthening and upbuilding the pastoral and priestly work of the parish clergy and not as supplanting it."

          I feel justified in quoting and paraphrasing Perry's comments here because they are so telling and pertinent. (The points are all to be encounterd on pp. 158-162 of DELIVERANCE.)

          A diocesan team should consist of several priests, a psychiatrist, and a female, who should all be Christians. A helpful outer circle would consist of medical experts who can give advice. This group should meet three or four times a year to review cases enabling the members to get to know each other, and at the same time honing their diagnostic skills. Training is essential for the team, in addition to their meetings, and therefore attendance at conferences is most valuable. This "Ministry of Deliverance" (essentially the diocesan team who administers the rite) is contacted by the parish priest when he suspects a case may need looking into - informing the area bishop, of course. The team, or rather a prominent member of it, will meet with the parish priest to give counsel. A provisional diagnosis is done and notes made which are studied by the team,and it is then that a decision can be made as to proceeding with an exorcism. If this takes place (a major exorcism) a report is sent to the bishop.

          There is of course a need for absolute respect for differing members' expertise especially between medical and clerical members. This has to begin before any action is taken, out of courtesy, by informing the patient's doctor what is going on. The doctor must be reassured of the integrity and experience of the team who can give advice. This is especially important as proper after-care for the patient must be arranged. No matter what may be the differences between say the medical members and the clerical (with regard to belief, religious persuasion, and so on) the supreme factor is, as Perry says, "there shall be a desire...on both sides that they are concerned with the same ultimate aim - to restore the patient to wholeness". (p.161)

          Apart from experise possessed by the team there is the practical benefit of having several assistants: maybe to afford a respite to the (main) exorcist; to offer physical help during the ritual (if necessary); the spiritual or emotional strength afforded by numbers. It need not be stressed that the team members must get on with other!

THE POSSESSED PERSON

          The afflicted "possessed" person must be prepared for the rite as best as possible. This may be difficult but must be attempted. A type of interview in order to glean as much as possible of the personal details, background, emotional state of the person is first required. Mainly, what we are seeking to discover is WHY the evil spirit has entered the victim's being. If it is discovered that the person is "with sin" (as the expression is) it is important that the sin or sins is/are renounced, "confessed", and that thereby the forgiveness of God is invoked. It may be of course that the victim is suffering not for something he or she has done but because of some offence committed against him/her by another person - may be in the distant past: childhood for example, if the afflicted person is an adult. Naturally "interviews" can be short if the demonised person is ready and willing to be "released"; or longer if the person is vacillating, unsure, not ready. If occult practices are revealed to be an element in the person's background then this can make the rite more problematic in its efficacy as the person may be, or have been, deeply into this sort of activity.

DEMEANOUR

          It is important to be calm at all times during the interview; not domineering but confidant of tone and demeanour. This is especially difficult at that stage when the ritual has begun and you [the exorcist] detects a change in the sufferer's mentality or character. It may be that at this time a personality disfunction (due to evil influences) is taking place. Often this is described as temporary possession. The exorcist may now feel that a "laying-on of hands" would be salutary and different ministers have different responses to this prompting: i.e. some do, and some do not. ("Laying-on of hands" is an act frequently practised, often by lay people, in churches today.)

          A frequently encountered expression associated with the act of exorcising is "discernment" - that is to say a person, member of the team, may be seen to be blessed with the gift of discerning the true nature of a case or more properly the true nature of the victim's possession. This is by no means usually the priest; usually it is an "ordinary" member of the assisting or back-up team - not say, a medical professional. Having such a person "on board" is invaluable; it may save much time and searching; the ability to diffentiate between true and false "possession" - to put it at its simplest. The corollary of this is the victim's realisation (or discernment) of the moment when the evil influence has left. This is not always co-terminous with the priest's (or team's) realisation - which may come a few moments or minutes later.

          Of course, it may be that it is evident the exorcism will take more than one "session"; in such cases it is vitally important that the team can be relied upon to reconvene on future occasions, if need be, i.e. the team must be committed and reliable. It should be emphasised here, if not made clear already, that the team about the exorcising priest, is not by any means passive, but is praying, not necessarily silently, in the background.

HOLY SUBSTANCES

          Another element in the preparation of the victim is the use of water, salt and oil: all blessed and themselves exorcised. These are used during the ritual, especially so in the early stages of the exorcism. The water is used to sprinkle the person (or the room), the salt is sprinkled in the room before any prayer is said, and the oil is used to anoint the victim. If the ritual is felt to have been successful, some counselling (very much a modern term!) is to be offered to the sufferer, and it is usual to pray for the team in order to cleanse them from any evil contagion. Naturally all this is time-consuming, especially if more than one session is needed, - not a commodity (time) in plentiful supply in modern life!

          So far we have said little about the medical people on our team. Engaging in exorcism is not everybody's cup of tea. Doctors have lots of other pressures on their time. Such people (like the other members) have to be special. He (or she) must believe implicitly in his or her calling and its efficacy; be convinced of the correctness of his medical or psychiatric treatment; be enthusiastic about his contribution to the (generally) spiritual, but by no means exclusively, healing process; present a desire to effect a cure, no matter what his personal attitude may be towards the victim.

          I would like here to quote some wise words from Francis MacNutt's book DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL, where he says "Exorcism ...is a form of pastoral healing because it places the problem-possessed parishioner within a religious setting that he or she may not have known since childhood, finds reassurance in smell, touch and sound...The dialogue between parishioner [not always] and clergyman follows the age old pattern of that between possessed and exorcist, complete with established values and a ritual setting. To be successful it requires maximum faith and understanding on both sides". (p. 225)

          Another quotation: "Satan is strong enough to possess 10,000 people at the same time all over the world": the words of Father Gabriele Amorth, author of AN EXORCIST TELLS HIS STORY (already gone through twelve Italian editions by 1994),and principal exorcist of the Rome diocese. It is a remarkable book, not so much because of the relation of his numerous rituals, but more because of the unwavering belief in his ministry of war against evil which shines through every page. Not for him the new, trendy line in exorcistic rite, which prefers wording like "the cause of evil" rather than "Accursed Dragon" or even "Satan"; for him "the devil is real", as he says. Thousands believe with him. Who can prove they are wrong?

A QUESTION OF BELIEF

          Belief in demon (or devil) possession is undoubtedly widespread today; it should not dominate however which may lead to the practice of illicit ritual. At the General Synod of the Church of England (in July, 2000) a report was debated concerning the great increase in numbers of people seeking "deliverance" from demonic possession. This was regarded as disconcerting; the Catholic Church has seen similar increases, world-wide; there are "more people in need" because of irreligion, as an RC spokesman for the Westminister Diocese puts it. However, it is indisputedly true that within the last few years the number of priests carrying out exorcisms in Italy has risen considerably. A further corroboration is given by Dr David Burnett, a lecturer at the Christian College in Herfordshire, who is on record as saying that there has been a big increase in exorcisms, largely due, he says, to a general feeling of dissatisfaction with the secular, materialist world [of today]. In September, 2000, it was announced that the Archdiocese of Chigaco had, for the first time in its history, appointed a full-time exorcist. Despite the fact that the major Christian Churches retain a degree of scepticism about the validity of great numbers coming forward to be exorcised, it is nevertheless a healthy sign because it is an acknowledgement that there is a realm of reality beyond what we see: a world of angels and devils. fallen angels, as a spokesman on exorcisms in the diocese put it. "As people lose their respect and reverence for life, spirituality and human beings, the devil can move in. He can attack them by possessing them and rendering them helpless": the words of the Rev. James Lebar, a New York exorcist.

          The Report mentioned above stated clearly that demons do exist, The convenor, The Right Reverend John Perry, Bishop of Chelmsford, said that "there are evil forces at work which cannot be psychologically integrated and where the resources of medecine and psychology are only partial solutions". This report, entitled "A Time to Heal" encourages churches to set up groups of clergy and trusted churchgoers to try to help those physically or psychologically troubled. A study on the "ministry of healing" led to the acknowledgement of evil; the study was concerned with trying to cure sickness through prayer and "laying on of hands". While I am quoting it may be opportune to cite the celebrated author Colin Wilson, who began as a sceptic but over the years became a believer in a form of possession. "Now", he says, "I am aware that the world is full of more strange forces than I can possibly understand" (in an article published in the Daily Mail, June 9th, 2000.

          The term "Exorcism" is sometimes replaced by the word "De-possession" - a type of psychological exorcism and is understood to be the act of exorcising discarnate human spirits and non-human spirits attached to living people causing many physical, mental and emotional ills. Depossession is regarded as a type of therapy in which the causes of present physical and psychological problems are traced to alleged past-life traumas and death experiences. The attached spirits are believed to be deceased humans who have not yet departed the earthly plane. Modern "deliverance" may subsume the above but is much wider in its approach (to secure release or normality).

THE RUBRIC OF THE "RITUAL"

          The rite of Ordination of Exorcists is laid down in the RITUALE ROMANUM (see appendix). Once ordained into the order of exorcists, the priest must of course adhere to the prescriptions of the RITUALE. He is chosen according to the following guidelines, (as in the RITUALE): he should be of mature age; humble; of blameless life; courageous; be experienced; and a man of prudence. Faced with the task of exorcism, he must prepare himself by special acts of devotion and mortification; by frequent and fervid prayer; and by fasting. (Derived from the Gospel of St. Matthew). He must be a man of scholarship and learning, a systematic student and well versed in psychological science. (This summary is indebted to Summers' chapter on "Diabolical Possession" in his book THE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT). Possession is not to be taken for granted, though facets of the case may suggest so. The exorcist must be a person who can speak during the ritual with command and authority and be able at all times to pray with great faith. The potential exorcist is warned not to indulge in "idle" or meretricious "conversation" with the possessing spirit (easily done) and must not allow the spirit to talk at length or in any way to monopolise the conversation.

          It is in the MANUAL OF EXORCISM of 1720, author/s unknown, but translated from the original Spanish by Beyersdorf and Brady, that the desiderata for exorcists are spelt out in fullest detail. The Manual itself is a very revealing, and fascinating, insight into the beliefs of the time concerning demons and the Devil. Not only this, but it also gives a thorough account of the desired comportment of the priest/exorcist throughout the ritual. The book is so significant on the above counts that only by quoting extracts can one do it justice - or give its true flavour. I begin with a passage entitled "Warning".

When the demon, compelled by the incantations, says his name, the exorcist must try to learn its meaning because the name that he bears usually explains his importance, characteristics, or natural inclination or disposition; that is, the vice or sin that he takes command of and governs. In this way the exorcist can oblige the demon to reveal the nature of his name or the sin over which he presides and reigns in order to be able to apply more easily the remedy that is effective against it. If it is that of pride, use humility...if it is lust...use the purity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and so forth...

and continue:

Sometimes when demons leave the bodies of the possessed, they are in the habit of showing themselves and appearing in the frightening shape of various animals ...though they might not be seen by the bystanders. This is very simple because these apparitions can be just imaginary in order for the Devil to stir the blood and temper of the victim and to form some image which represents him.

and on the exorcist himself:

The exorcist is not only a minister of the Church but he is also a doctor of souls; therefore he ought to know both how to apply the remedies to the possessed person and how to remove the obstructions, whether they be from within or without, which can delay the success of his labours. For this reason he should advise the possessed person to practise assiduously the three theological virtues [faith, hope and charity] which are so pleasing to God...

and the "signs":

It is certainly a well known symptom that one is bewitched when the sick person's natural colour changes to dark grey or cedar colour and his eyes are vey distressed, the body fluids are dry and all his limbs seem useless. Another common symptom of possession by the Devil is pressure on the heart and pit of the stomach so that the victim feels he has a ball on top of him.

and a "model" mode of exorcistic expression:

I exorcise you, filthy spirit, every invasion of the enemy, every phantasm, every legion, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who ordered you sunk below the earth commands you to decamp and be gone from this creature of God. He who rules the sea, the winds and the storms commands you. Hear therefore and tremble, Satan, enemy of the faith and of the human race, procurer of death, ravisher of life, corrupter of justice, root of evil, source of error, seducer of mankind, betrayer of nations, inciter of envy, wellspring of avarice, cause of strife, arouser of sorrows. Why do you stay, why resist since you know that Christ the Lord has ruined your forces...Therefore depart in the name of the Father and of the Son and Holy Spirit...

and continues:

I conjure you further by the aforementioned...to obey my earlier instructions and this I command not by my own power and authority but in the name of him who cast you out of heaven for your pride and envy and with the support of the faith and sanctity of the Church for which I act as agent. [These powers] should force you ...instantly to obey my commands ...and depart from the body of this creature ...[If not obedient] I will bring against you the sentence of your damnation, excommunication, and condemnation in the pool of fire and sulphur throughout eternity.

          Much of the above wording has been updated, modernised, of course but much of it still holds sway in the hearts and minds of exorcists of differing faiths, different persuasions. It is a difficult and controversial subject, it goes without saying, so much so that Douglas Howell-Everson, very experienced in the work of exorcism, had to privately print and publish his valuable study, A HANDBOOK FOR CHRISTIAN EXORCISTS. In it Howell-Everson attempts to define exorcism, refers to the qualities needed by an exorcist and discusses the ideal backup team (among many other things). His section on how the exorcist works is particularly clear and concise; the rite of exorcism he stresses needs stringent rules and circumstances if it is to be successful. For example, the physical situation of the patient:

who must have absolute privacy;

who must be placed where he cannot damage himself or any objects or members of the team;

who must be made comfortable but secure;

and hot water and towels should be available; maybe even drinks (non-alcoholic!)

Regarding the place: wherever possible this should be a church or other consecrated building; measures should be in place in the event of anti-social behaviour by the patient; no children to be present; the room (if a house) should be blessed; objects and furniture which could be misused are to be removed. He discusses very fully the "signs" of demonic possession (see pages 44 to 48), appropriate "treatment" and aftercare. The "haunting" (or possession) of places is throughly treated by Everson (p.140 and following). He has some interesting words to say upon the subject of trickery (where places are being treated):

All inhabitants must be kept in one place under surveillance;

check all loose floorboards and locked cupboards;

tape up all doors, windows etc., and stretch black thread across passages etc., smear vaseline on door-plates, handrails, and so on.

use of a tape recorder may be helpful (in another room);

strategically placed mirrors may help to detect trickery.

          It is clear from reading Everson's book that he is a firm believer in demonic possession - and he has many years experience! I shall quote his concluding paragraph (on p. 1643) in his section on phenomena associated with demonic infestation:

The exorcist will either be subjected to the full blast of demonic fury...or will find his arrival produces a spurious peace which will last until some move is made to exorcise the place. The latter situation will arise where the demonic interference has attempted to pretend that there is no situation which requires qualified attention. As might well be expected there [may] be poltergeist phenomena but their aimlessness will be directed against Christian objects.

          As complete a believer as Everson is Don Bashan whose book DELIVER US FROM EVIL is an intriguing account of the author's life and career in and out of the exorcist scene (or ministry). Particularly interesting is Bashan's section entitled "What we are up against in the Deliverance Ministry" where under the headings of "demons" who we are warned are physically strong, like their master, Satan, are proud, capable of multiple occupancy, are filthy and anything but God fearing, he devotes several paragraphs to a consideration of each of these heads. Demons will try to kill and destroy; they are resourceful and cunning. Bashan has encountered all this. he tells us, but "one day" he glimpsed the key, (or the truth).

"Satan's vaunted power to steal, kill and destroy is based on a lie: the lie that he is still in command. But we know the truth and we must proclaim that truth in the Church. The truth is that Satan is a defeated foe, conquered once and for all on Calvary by the One who loved us before the foundation of the world."

          Bashan adds more on the topic of the delivered person who from henceforth must live by the Scriptures, must praise god continually, must guard his thoughts, must cultivate the right relationships, and must submit to discipline.

          For him, the deliverance ministry, which he defines as the authority given Christians over Satan and evil spirits in the name of Jesus Christ, provides one weapon in the cosmic struggle against wickedness.

          Derek Prince, a colleague of Bashan, in addition to the usual listing of pre-existing conditions which can bring about possession, has a thoughtful chapter (entitled "What is the Occult") in which he discusses misleading beliefs about "false" religions such as those that promise a sort of heaven on earth; teach that people can achieve righteousness by their own efforts; offer some form of esoteric knowledge available only to a privileged few; and suggest a plurality of "gods" to honour.

          Prince has a totally unambiguous line in his book where he states "I believe demons are behind almost every form of spiritual deception" - and of course this applies to cases of possession.

AUTHORITY

          Regarding the exorcist himself, Prince emphasises that acting "under authority" and being conscious of it, is essential. Naturally there is the authority of the Church but the supreme source of all authority is God. In this way, and armed with this faith, the priest is spiritually protected. An example is the person who is not in a right relationship with the "Body of Christ" [Prince's words] i.e. is not in the structure of the/a church, but who attempts to loose demons, so as a consequence he will be lacking the authority to do anything effective.

          In his chapter "Helping others be set free", Prince lists what he calls a few final practical points for the exorcist to bear in mind. (pp. 267/8): look for repentance, forgiveness and renunciation (in the victim); give encouragement if the patient/victim seems to be struggling; be prepared for unnerving sights and sounds emanating from the possessed person at the moment of "delivery"; no shouting; above all, no showing the slightest sign of fear.

          To round off this section I will quote some words of Timothy Pain (from his book DELIVERANCE, p. 81).

"The important points to remember are, firstly, that while a very occasional believer may need exorcism, the overwhelming majority will only need to embrace and experience the power of God's forgiveness; and secondly that the main thrust and emphasis of exorcisms must always be in evangelism and never in pastoral care...a demon will flee only because he is confronted by Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, not because of a special licence, holy water, a violet stole, a song in tongues, or a loud American accent." (!) (Pain is himself an American.)

PRONOUNCEMENTS

          At this juncture we shall change tack somewhat and look at some of the pronouncements of (mainly) the Roman Catholic faith down the years relating to our subject. The perspective on exorcism (and exorcists) alters to an extent with the time. In the first years of the Church, exorcism was viewed as a legitimate and frequently necessary ritual to be practised by any ordained cleric whenever the occasion arose. This soon led to a disorganised ministry and cases of misdiagnosis and what can only be described as failure. As a consequence, the Church hierarchy felt the need (from time to time) to try to bring some control to the scene by issuing guidelines to potential (and authorised) priest/exorcists. Accordingly, Church Councils discussed the topic which resulted, under the aegis of the Pope, in the dissemination of "rules" of mandatory "guidance".

          The Councils are not brief affairs by any means: some last for years! Deliberations are consequently thorough and well-thought out. They have to be; ultimately their main recommendations will be voiced by the pontiff himself as a Statement emanating from the Holy See. Here may be seen in practice the Catholic belief in the "infallibility" of the Pope when he speaks on matters of faith and morals, "ex cathedra", meaning in his official status as supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church.

          Occasionally also doctrinal "revisions" or rethinks are announced by prominent Cardinals (in Rome) which of course need to have the authorisation of the Pope. Any subsequent printed matter also has to be sanctioned, and the "imprimatur" (let it be printed) given by an area archbishop or cardinal also naturally under the authority of the Holy Father. Attitudes of the Church do not therefore stand still especially on matters of fundamental importance like that of exorcism. These attitudes are constantly under review with a noticeably more liberal note being sounded in later pronouncements.

          Perhaps more accessible is the information on current Catholic thought contained in the ENCYCLOPEDIA and the CATECHISM, editions of which appear at intervals. References to demons and the devil (and to exorcism itself) appear to get shorter the more recent the edition! In the 1994 version of the Catholic Catechism the topic of exorcism has only some fourteen lines, one paragraph, in a section entitled "Other Liturgical Celebrations", under the heading of Sacramentals. (p. 174). The definition should be quoted verbatim: "Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church". There is no reference to "demons" in the index, although the devil (Satan) get a few lines. The word "possession" gets no mention at all.

          The earliest mentions of the practice of exorcism (outside the Scriptures) is in the work of St. Hippolytus (170-235).

          Here we may gather that exorcism was indeed at that time somewhat unregulated. It was still taken seriously however by initiates and authorising clergy. Baptism it seems was universally seen as an act of exorcism and therefore great importance was attached both to the sacrament and to the ritual. It may be worthwhile mentioning at this juncture that the Eastern Orthodox Churches preserve (or reserve) the practice mainly for baptism.

          We have said earlier on that the second of the "minor" orders conferred on the ordained priest was that of exorcist, authorised in the pontificate of Cornelius (about 250 AD). The regulations laid down then largely remained in place until the 1960s when some reform was undertaken. As we know, the most significant strictures were laid down in the Roman Ritual of 1614. Of course it must be said that the Roman Catholic Church was not the only congregation to review the topic: for example, Methodist Conferences, General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland as well as Anglican Churches, to mention only some, have given it attention. The (CofE) Canons (doctrinal statements) of 1604 for instance among other things state clearly that casting out devils must seriously and legitimately be carried out by duly sanctioned personnel.

          However, the provisions of the Canons of 1604 lasted only to 1969 when they were revised (and some provisions repealed altogether) where the stringency was loosened somewhat i.e. those which spelt out dire penalties if any sort of exorcism was undertaken without the express permission of the area bishop. In 1972 came the watershed of the "Exeter" report, in which deliberations by a commission consisting of Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy came out with the recommendation that every area should have a duly approved diocesan exorcist. The body was soon known as the "Christian Deliverance [instead of Exorcism] Study Group denoting a significant change in emphasis.

          One of the major changes in the thinking upon the subject of exorcism is the importance attached to training for a group concerned with exorcism/deliverance.

CANON LAW

          Canon Law, namely the laws laid down by the Church under the aegis of the Pope which dictate behaviour and response for adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, has of course its specific reference to exorcism (in Canon 1172) where it clearly states that exorcism is sacramental, and in Canon 1167, is spelt out how sacramentals are to be carried out with the approved rites and formulas. The essence of Canon 1172 is that permission must be granted by the "Ordinary" (area bishop or archbishop) before any exorcism can be undertaken. The fourth Council of Carthage, (398), states in the seventh canon, that the rite of ordination for exorcism is to begin by the bishop giving the exorcist the book containing the formulae of exorcism saying "Receive and commit to memory and possess the power of imposing hands on energumens whether baptized or catechumens".

          The Catholic Church still of course believes in possession and adduces the "signs" which we have earlier mentioned, along with the announcement of January 1999, where Pope John Paul authorised the dissemination of a document giving a new liturgical form for the ritual. In fact, it must be said, that the Catholic Church has practised many forms of exorcisms over the years. It might be instructive to quote from the Newsletter of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (Feb. 1999) to see encapsulated the essence of the new ritual: "The liturgical ritual is centered on supplicatory prayers asking for God's help and 'imperative' prayers addressed directly to the Devil, commanding him to depart. The prayers are to be said as the exorcist lays his hand on the individual and are part of overall ritual which includes specific blessings and sprinklings with holy water. The ritual also includes the litany of the saints, the reading of the Psalms and the Gospel and a proclamation of faith which may be the familiar Creed or a simple question and answer : Do you renounce Satan? I do. the ritual concludes with the kissing of the cross and the final prayer proclaiming the triumph of Christ and his Church".

          Tertullian (160-220) one of the "Fathers" of the Church, a theologian, was a committed believer in demon possession and as such influenced the early Church in its thinking. Throughout the Middle Ages church councils kept the matter under review and discussion was ongoing. The papal Bulls of Innocent V111, 1484, Julius 11, 1504, Adrian V1, 1523, played their part in the witchcraft mania, and conferred the powers of exorcism on every priest.

          In 1998, Pope John Paul II addressing the crowd during a General Audience in St. Peter's Square, made a comment to the effect that Jesus was often involved in exorcism - and thereby confirmed the traditional view of the validity of exorcism. Some little time later a notable Catholic expert on demonology and related matters, Father Balducci, made the statement that "today the work of the exorcist is an ecclesiastical apostolate, a social service which consists in listening to people who think they are the victims of demonic presence. If the Church does not offer them the possibility of going to a priest who is assigned to practise exorcisms, they will turn to sects or wizards".

          The important word in the above is the word "think": it is very significant. Only slightly less so is the phrase "social service"; clearly matters have come a long way from the early days of believing almost all exhibitions of mental, emotional, maybe physical illness, were due to demonic possession. Reading the above it almost seems as if exorcism (in the old sense) is no longer believed in. This would be a mistaken impression. Fr Balducci's statement is for public/press consumption and is more in the way of an apologetic. However, it is an important pronouncement, as it does reveal (some) modern thinking on the subject.

          I refer to "early days" when both priest and layman were able to perform the rite of exorcism. It was only in the twentieth century, in the time of Pope Pius XI, that exorcism was restricted to an ordained priest. As early as 1604, the Anglican Convocation restricted by ecclesiastical law an Anglican minister to seek the permission of his Bishop before he could perform exorcism - denoting a growing lack of belief in demonic possession. It can be stated that the Catholic Church, on the other hand, retained its belief in possession and in the need for exorcism under the proper circumstances - as it still does today. This is not to say that the Anglican Churches do not accept the need for exorcism in suitable cases; they are a little less credulous, shall we say. It tends to be known now as the "deliverance" ministry, as we have said.

          The "Minor Orders" to which we have referred earlier, included the Order of exorcist, but this latter was dropped by Pope Paul VI in 1972, clearly with the assumption that "exorcist" was no longer very significant. However, Pope Paul VI stressed (in the same year) in a General Audience of November, 1972, that evil was "an effective agent, a living, spiritual being, perverted and perverting". What does rule in all Churches is: caution.

          This chapter 6, has looked initially at the paramount need for PREPARATION: on the part of the exorcist, the team and the patient/victim. We have read about the importance of CONSULTATION, involving medical, psychiatric and religious elements. This led on to a mention of some of the important Council deliberations, and the significance of certain Statements emanating from the Holy See and what light the Catholic Encyclopedia and the Cathechism could throw on our subject.

          The next chapter will deal briefly with the subject of "referrals" (to a minister), and the inexact "science" of diagnosis including some general personal observations relating to exorcism of people and places (mentioned earlier). Some famous (or infamous!) cases of today and yesterday are recounted and examined.

© A.B. Finlay Ph.D