Association Of Exorcists Issues Document On What It Sees As Errors

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From the International Association of Exorcists [for discernment]:

INTRODUCTION

“Mercy motus est”[1] is the profoundly Christian attitude that springs from the heart of the Good Samaritan towards the man who, having fallen into the hands of bandits, is abandoned dying on a road that goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho[2].

From this Gospel page, the Church has always given great importance to the spiritual and corporal Works of Mercy[3], remembering that we are called to measure ourselves by their effective realization as proof of our charity[4].

Among the many forms of applying the works of mercy, special attention is given to the Ministry of exorcism, through which the Church wishes, following the example of the Good Samaritan, to pour “oil and wine” (Lk 10:34) on the wounds of those who are experiencing, among many forms of suffering, some torment due to the extraordinary action of the Evil One.

The teachings of Christ and the Magisterium of the Church, which always illuminate the life of the faithful, allow us to understand what attitudes should be that do not fully correspond to a correct exercise of the delicate task of the exorcist[5].

Objective of this note

This note is intended to offer the necessary clarifications so that the divine Mercy can be distributed properly through the Ministry of Exorcism.

The criteria for the conditions for carrying out a Major Exorcism will not be re-exposed here, nor will the Guidelines for this delicate Ministry[6], but rather some observations will be offered on certain pastoral practices which, instead of offering a service to the wounded body of Christ, increase suffering and cause disorientation. It is desirable that the faithful (clergy, consecrated persons and lay people) be able to know these observations in order to avoid attitudes and ways that do not correspond to the authentic action of Christ the Lord, the model for any exercise of the ministry of liberation from the extraordinary action of evil[7].

License of the Ordinary

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of those who, doubting or convinced that they are victims of an extraordinary action of the devil, in one of its various forms (vexation, obsession, possession or diabolical infestation), go in search of exorcists. Sometimes, this conviction is supported by people who, without any specific training in the matter[8] and without the mandate of the competent Ordinary[9], act in an inappropriate manner, causing confusion among the people of God, especially among those who, because of their simplicity, because of the situation of suffering in which they find themselves and, in some cases, because of the superstition of which they are victims, are more fragile. This is not in any way intended to deny that there are situations that require the intervention of the Ministry of exorcism that Christ has entrusted to his Church, but that the definitive discernment of a real extraordinary demonic action is the responsibility, in the various forms in which it can manifest itself, of those who enjoy the necessary training and act with the mandate of the ecclesiastical authority.

Christ, the only and only exorcist

It is worth remembering that the ministry of exorcism is always administered in the name and on behalf of the Church and that the exorcist acts as a minister of Christ (the only one who has, in himself, authority over all demons) and of the Church. The exorcist, with his ecclesial service, “draws near” to the devil, “binds up the wounds” caused by the extraordinary action of the devil, pouring upon them the oil of consolation and the wine of hope. He takes upon himself in his own prayer the suffering of the devil, walking alongside the relatives and friends of the one who suffers; he leads him “to an inn” (Lk 10:34), an image of the Church of Christ, and he takes care of him, paying with his own prayers the liberation implored[10]. As in every liturgical action, it is the Church that acts: “When no group of the faithful is present, even a small one, a presence required in itself by wisdom and prudence, the exorcist must not forget that the Church is present in his person and in that of the faithful tormented by the Evil One. And let him remind the faithful tormented by the Evil One of this as well”[11].

The exorcist, knowing that he acts in the name and representation of the Church, understands that, as a new Baptist, he must avoid any form of protagonism: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).

 

INCORRECT PRACTICES

Taking into account the preceding observations that aim to express the meaning and spirit of this note, recalling that the errors that can be committed in the Ministry of Exorcism are carefully treated in the aforementioned Guidelines , and based on the experience and legitimate concern of some, the International Association of Exorcists considers it appropriate to offer ten clarifications to shed light on some situations that are objectionable.

1. Disapproval of improvisation and sensationalism

The attitude of some priests, consecrated persons and lay people who, lacking adequate training and episcopal mandate, instead of referring cases of possible extraordinary action of the evil one to someone who has received a special and express mandate from the diocesan Bishop, undertake arbitrary paths of liberation, not authorized by the competent ecclesiastical authority, is condemned. Even more serious is when they dissuade the faithful from going to the official exorcist of their own diocese, suggesting that they seek other “more powerful” exorcists or to support the idea of ​​a demonic presence that they wrongly identify.

2. Centrality of the Gospel

It is deplorable that some, instead of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ which frees man from the slavery of evil and sin, focus their attention exclusively on the presence and work of the devil. Instead of accompanying the suffering on a journey of faith, prayer, sacramental life and charity, reminding them that spes non confundit (Rom 5:5), “hope does not disappoint”, they lead them to believe that liberation depends solely on a compulsive repetition of prayers and blessings[12], when, on the other hand, the peace that comes from Christ, and for which everyone yearns, can only be obtained through a life of charity, nourished by the Word of God, prayer, the frequency of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession, and an authentic devotion to the Immaculate Virgin.

3. Negligent discernment

Some priests, and sometimes unfortunately also exorcists, neglecting the serious and rigorous discernment prescribed by the Praenotanda of the Rite of Exorcisms[13], use criteria foreign to the Catholic faith, endorsing concepts of esoteric or new age origin [14]. This approach is unacceptable and contrary to the faith and doctrine of the Church[15].

4. Superstitious practices, improper use of res sacrae

Those who use superstitious procedures must be censured, asking for photos or clothing to identify possible spells, touching certain points on the body of the faithful in order to “diagnose the presence of malignant entities” or to “expel negativity,” or suggesting an improper use of the res sacrae (water, salt, blessed oil, etc.) which some call “exorcised.” These are erroneous behaviors that feed a superstitious mentality and practice, damage the dignity of the body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and induce a magical use of blessed objects, depriving them, in fact, of the real meaning of making present the saving presence of Christ.

5. Participation of inappropriate figures

It is unacceptable that some priests or pastoral workers collaborate with those who are considered “sensitive” or presumed charismatic, directing the suffering faithful to them, instead of putting them in contact with someone who has received a special and express mandate from the local Ordinary to exercise the Ministry of exorcism. Even worse is when it is the diocesan exorcist himself who delegates to these figures the task that the Church has entrusted to him: to make an authorized discernment of a real extraordinary demonic action, to which is added, in some cases, to allow himself to be guided by them to “free” the suffering people from evil. Such behavior evades the nature of the ministry entrusted to the exorcist, which requires him to take charge of the suffering of others and not omit personal, regular, scrupulous and, in some cases, burdensome time for discernment necessary to verify the possible extraordinary action of the devil and to accompany those who are truly his victims.

6. Exclusion of medical and psychological sciences

In discernment, the exorcist, in addition to the traditional criteria used to identify cases of extraordinary action by the devil,[16] can rely on the opinion of exorcists with consolidated experience and, in some cases, on consultation with experts in medicine and psychiatry. The ministry of exorcism, like every sacrament, is at the service of man. Therefore, one cannot exclude a priori the help of psychological and psychiatric sciences, as well as other positive disciplines, which in some cases can help to understand the origin of evils not necessarily of preternatural origin. This behavior is not only wrong, but exposes people to unnecessary risks, neglecting the contribution, in some cases decisive, of modern medical and psychological disciplines.

7. Reckless and harmful claims

The desire to identify at all costs an extraordinary demonic action as the cause of a situation of suffering, the origin of which is unknown, having omitted a previous serious discernment, besides being useless, can cause damage. In this case too, the Guidelines developed by the International Association of Exorcists constitute an excellent help and an indispensable reference[17].

8. Curses

Without denying the real existence of the practice of witchcraft, unfortunately more widespread in today’s society than one might think[18], we condemn the phobic attitude of those who see witchcraft as the necessary origin of all the evils and misfortunes that can befall a person’s life. Common sense and experience teach us that, even when an evil may have really originated from a witchcraft, concentrating on identifying it and sentencing people by saying that they are victims of it, is not only useless and irrelevant for the purposes of liberation, but can be harmful to the victim, provoking suspicions about the presumed instigators or authors who have carried out the witchcraft and pouring out feelings of hatred towards them, as the Guidelines clearly explain .

With regard to this important matter, we reiterate that it is necessary, instead, to concentrate our attention on the remedies of grace offered by the Church and on the Christian path to follow, remembering that it is essential to teach those who suffer:

  • the certainty of faith that God does not abandon his creature in trial, but in some way suffers with it and at the same time supports and comforts it with his grace;
  • the conviction that any suffering, caused by any evil that may strike us in life, if accepted with love and offered to God, turns evil into good. Indeed, “our present light affliction provides us with an incalculable and exceedingly great burden of glory” (2 Cor 4:17), by completing in our flesh what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings for the sake of his body, the Church (cf. Col 1:24).

9. Intergenerational healing (family tree healing)

Although animated by the best intentions and with the desire to alleviate people’s suffering, some priests, and even some exorcists, carry out the practice of so-called intergenerational healing, as a sine qua non condition , without which healing or liberation cannot be achieved, without realizing the damage they do to their faith and to that of the people, as well as the consequences that the latter may suffer at an existential level. Various local Ordinaries and Episcopal Conferences have already intervened in this area, giving doctrinal motivations that demonstrate how such practices have no biblical and theological foundations. To this position we refer, in particular to the latest, in order of time, of the Spanish Episcopal Conference[19].

10. Banish fear

The exorcist must lead the tormented faithful to receive the peace that comes from Christ. To do this, he must first be inhabited by this peace, rejecting every form of fear and educating those he accompanies with his Ministry to combat it. Because fear, whatever the reason that provokes it, when cultivated, leads to the weakening of faith and the loss of trust in God. The devil uses it to enslave man (cf. Heb 2:14-15), while in the Bible God’s invitation not to be afraid resounds at least 365 times. A priest who was afraid of the devil in the exercise of his Ministry or in his daily life could not exercise the Ministry of exorcism without exposing himself to grave dangers for his spiritual life, especially if, instead of cultivating trust and total abandonment of himself into the merciful hands of God, he tries to confront it with more or less superstitious practices.

 

CURRENT SOCIETY

The iridescent and complex social reality in which the Ministry of exorcism is exercised, taking into account the panorama icastically defined as liquid[20], is burdened by the weight of cinematographic presentations that contribute to an idea of ​​the sacramental of exorcism as dark, disturbing and terrifying: the censurable forms of the horrendous thus foster a very terrifying vision of the extraordinary action of the devil. For this reason, it is necessary to focus on the formation of Priests, of the Consecrated and of the Lay Faithful, so that they do not find themselves walking along dangerous paths that would lead them “into the hands of bandits” (Lk 10:30). We can all see how successive cinematography[21], with the dissemination of products of dubious morality, feeds an unhealthy curiosity about the preternatural; and this is often due to a lack of balance on the part of those who, instead, should be “models of the flock” (1 Pet 5:3).

EXORCISM, AN EXPERIENCE OF GOD AND JOY

The experience of those who carry out the ministry of exorcism, as well as that of the assistants who collaborate in various functions, confirms that exorcism, contrary to the widespread idea, is imbued with a profound joy: one is an authentic witness of how powerful is the action of the Risen Christ, who illuminates the darkest darkness and frees us from the most terrible sin. The intercession of the Immaculate Virgin, first of all, of the Saints and Blesseds of Heaven, of the Angels, faithful servants of the Most High, who are felt during exorcisms, demonstrate how disruptive the Communion of Saints is.

THE ART OF ACCOMPANIMENT

In this sense, “The Church will have to initiate her brothers – priests and lay people – in this ‘art of accompaniment’, so that everyone may always learn to take off their sandals before the sacred ground of the other” [22]: this means taking the other and leading him to the divine Host, following the example of the Good Samaritan who does not cease to care for the unfortunate, but takes care of him by paying whatever is necessary for his salvation (cf. LC 10:35): and the price is the Cross of Christ.

The main task of every exorcist will therefore be to give peace and hope, avoiding any gesture or behavior that causes confusion and feeds fear at the invitation of the Apostle: “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1).

SAINTS: TEACHERS AND MODELS

The Church, recognizing the heroic holiness of the priests who, as teachers and models, have preceded us on the journey to Paradise, gives teachings that we must make our own. Among the many holy figures of priests who are exorcists, we recall here St. Vincent Pallotti[23], to whom the Queen of the Apostles said: “I wish to teach you, my son, a doctrine that is almost unknown in the world, or at least little regarded: every work, precisely because it is done by the Eternal Word incarnate, acquires incomprehensible degrees of dignity in his Church; learn, therefore, to know more and more the sublimity of the Office of exorcist, precisely because this Office was exercised by the divine Redeemer”[24].

THE SUBLIMITY OF THE EXORCIST’S PROFESSION

Priests called to the Ministry of exorcism should remember that, just as the Lord Jesus did not want to be exempt from being tempted, they too are subject to the ordinary action of the devil, an action which cannot be overcome without great faith and profound humility. Let the founder of the Pallottines serve as an example for them. During an exorcism on a holy priest who, after having devoted himself for a long time and fruitfully to the preaching of popular missions, suffered the extraordinary action of the devil for 13 years[25], he wrote this prayer: “Not I, but God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, I command you, O devil, you and your satellites not to disregard any command. You will do no harm to this most beloved servant of God AG; you will not prevent him from any exercise of piety and you will not speak unless you ask them.” This prayer manifests at the same time the great humility of the Roman priest – which every exorcist must make his own – and the robust trust in the Holy Trinity.

THE POOREST AMONG THE POOR

In the presentation of the Rite of Exorcisms published by the Italian Episcopal Conference, it is recalled that “the faithful who asks for an exorcism is a member of the community, one of those members whom the community must love with a preferential love: when he is in the power of the Evil One, in fact, he is the poorest of the poor, in need of help, understanding, and consolation. The ministry of the exorcist, therefore, is not only a ministry of liberation, but also a ministry of consolation”[26]. For this reason, recalling the words of St. John of the Cross: “In the evening you will be examined in love,” the exorcist cannot help but be guided by these feelings towards his brothers and sisters who experience this extraordinary form of suffering, so that before them and before the world “there may be witness to the presence of Christ the Savior, who has conquered every power hostile to life”[27].

 

GRADES

[1] “He had compassion” (Lk 10:33).
[2] Cf. Lk 10:30-37.
[3] “The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we assist our neighbor in his physical and spiritual needs (cf. Is 58:6-7; Heb 13:3). Instructing, advising, consoling, and comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and patient endurance. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, and burying the dead (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Among these works, almsgiving to the poor (cf. Tob 4:5-11; Sir 17:22) is one of the principal testimonies of fraternal charity; It is also a practice of justice that pleases God (cf. Mt 6:2-4): “He who has two tunics, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do the same” (Lk 3:11). “Rather, give alms of what you have, and all things will be pure for you” (Lk 11:41). “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm and fed,’ but you do not give them what they need for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15-16; cf. Jn 3:17) (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2447).
[4] Cf. Mt 25:31-46.
[5] From now on, the term exorcist is understood to mean the priest to whom the local Ordinary, normally the diocesan Bishop, has entrusted the ministry of exorcist, as established in the Code of Canon Law (CIC), can. 1172, § 1.
[6] On this important point: International Association of Exorcists, Guidelines for the Ministry of Exorcism in the Light of the Current Ritual, Editorial Ágape Libros, Buenos Aires 2021 ( Linee guida per il ministero dell’esorcismo. Alla luce del rituale corriente , Edizioni Messaggero, Padova 2019), hereinafter: Guidelines.
[7] It is not the intention of this note to enumerate the numerous evangelical episodes that testify how the Lord Jesus fought the action of the devil.
[8] Rituale Romanum ex decree Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II instauratum auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. promulgatum. De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus quibusdam , Editio Typica emendata, Typis Vaticanis 2004, n. 13, cited below as DESQ followed by the corresponding number.
[9] Cf. Code of Canon Law can. 1172, §1, cited below as CIC followed by the corresponding canon.
[10] Cf. Lk 10, 33-35.
[11] DESQ no. 34, b.
[12] The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in its number 1078, states: “Blessing is a divine action which gives life and whose source is the Father. His blessing is both word and gift (“bene-dictio”, “eu-logia”). Applied to man, this term means adoration and surrender to his Creator in thanksgiving.” The meaning that the Catechism of the Catholic Church gives of blessing is enlightening for our purpose: something which gives life, which comes from the Father. Putting together the concepts of word and gift, we are helped to understand that the ministry of exorcism, exercised by means of the word, is a gift from the Father: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt 7:11).
[13] DESQ no. 14-17.
[14] Expressions such as opening and closing chakras, eliminating negativity, using positive or negative energies, astral body, etc., do not belong to liturgical language, much less to theological language, but are the fruit of beliefs, superstitions and philosophies contrary to the Catholic religion.
[15] There are several magisterial pronouncements that openly condemn the practice of the New Age and doctrines of an esoteric nature. In this regard, see the website of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
[16] Guidelines, Chap. XII and XIII.
[17] Ibid. Chap. V.
[18] Ibid, no. 86-89, p. 65-67.
[19] Spanish Episcopal Conference – Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith, His mercy extends from generation to generation (Lk 1:50). Doctrinal note on the practice of “intergenerational healing” , Madrid, November 1, 2024.
[20] Cf. Bauman Z., Liquid Modernity , Editorial Fondo de Cultura Económica, Mexico 2003.
[21] There is no shortage, however, of films that approach the subject constructively, helping the viewer to reflect in a balanced way. Among them, «Nefarious» (2023), by C. Solomon and C. Konzelman, which, in the light of modernity, manages to portray the struggle between good and evil, and shows how the devil as a personal being really operates in it. We also highlight the doc-film sponsored by the International Association of Exorcists: «Libera nos. El triunfo sobre el mal» (in the Spanish production its title is: «Libera nos. El combate de los exorcistas»). Through interviews with exorcist priests, biblical scholars, theologians, liturgists, canonists, psychiatrists, and with some scenes of exorcism entirely cinematically reconstructed from real events, this work aims to be a useful tool for all the faithful, both lay people and priests, in order to help them understand what exorcism is in the light of the Gospel Truth and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
[22] Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium , Rome, 24 November 2013, n.
[23] Saint Vincent Pallotti (born in Rome, April 21, 1795 and died in Rome, January 22, 1850) was a priest and founder of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, proclaimed a saint by Pope Saint John XXIII in 1963. [ 24
] Amoroso F., San Vincenzo Pallotti romano , San Paolo Editore, Cinisello Balsamo (MI) 2004, p. 48.
[25] This event recounted in the life of Saint Vincent Pallotti reminds us that the extraordinary action of the devil is not always caused by one’s own responsibility; in some cases, as in this one, it is infinite divine Providence that permits such sufferings, offered as an act of reparation, for the sake of a greater good. In the event narrated here, the chronicles of the time relate how the devil, during the exorcism, amused himself by revealing the abuses committed by the hierarchy, the religious and the people in order to be able to amend himself and change his life (Cf. Amoroso F., San Vincenzo Pallotti…, p. 49).
[26] Italian Episcopal Conference, Rite of Exorcisms and Prayers for Special Circumstances , Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 2001, n. 16.
[27] Ibid, n. 17.