A secular book about exorcism says that one thing rankles demons.Posted on 05/31/2007 8:43:12 AM PDT by NYer
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. He prefers to use Latin when he conducts exorcisms, he says, because it is most effective in challenging the devil."
That tidbit comes to us at a time when Benedict XVI is ready to loosen restrictions on Latin Mass. It's in the new book -- a secular and sometimes skeptical but fascinating glimpse into the world of Italian priests who see their job as casting out demons.
While the numbers dwindle in countries like the Canada, France, and the U.S., exorcists are on the rise on the Vatican's home turf -- thanks largely to priests such as Father Amorth.
In Italy the number of exorcists has grown tenfold in the past decade, according to the priest (who is himself author of two bestsellers, An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories). Credit is also due to the legacy of John Paul II -- who made the notion of exorcism, which was founded by Jesus Himself, respectable again.
Father Amorth was born in Modena in northern Italy and has been a priest since 1954. In 1986 he began performing exorcisms under the tutelage of the vicar for Rome.
According to Wilkinson, Father Amorth accepted the task "after praying to the Virgin Mary for her steadfast guidance and protection."
"On the walls of Amorth's exorcism chamber, eight Crucifixes and pictures of the Madonna are hanging, plus a picture of Saint Michael the Archangel," says the book. "A two-foot-high statue of the Virgin Mary, the Madonna of Fatima, sits on a corner table.
"There are also pictures of the late Pope John Paul II; the popular saint Padre Pio; Amorth's mentor, Father Candido; and Father Giacomo Alberione, the founder of the Society of Saint Paul Congregation."
Father Amorth calls them "my protectors," adding that "the more recent addition of John Paul's has been especially effective and helpful."
"The demons become very agitated at his presence," Father Amorth says of the late Pope -- who himself performed several exorcisms during his pontificate and warned of the rise of dark forces both in 1977 and then in 2005 just days before he lapsed in his final bout with illness.
How is exorcism done? There is the Crucifix. There is the Holy Water. There are the ritual prayers. Many times, those afflicted have to come back on a regular basis -- the process a gradual one.
In Father Amorth's appointment book, women outnumber men by three to one. That is perhaps because they are more in tune with the spiritual, says the exorcist, or because they are special targets as the descendants of Eve.
The very word "hysteria" -- so often seen in the possessed -- comes from the Greek word hyster for womb. Greeks believed it was caused by abnormalities in the uterus.
"I maintain that in part, the reason is because women are the ones who do the most praying," says the priest. "Another reason is women are more inclined to approach a priest than are men, in case of need."
In some cases, say other exorcists, the devil attempts to mask possession as insanity. This sets up conflict with the far newer practice of psychology -- which looks down on exorcism as the psychiatrist's couch has replaced the confessional.
"An exorcism is the residue of a medieval practice completely devoid of any foundation in reason," the book quotes Sergio Moravia, a philosopher at the University of Florence, as saying. "I don't think it's crazy. It's worse."
Exorcists counter that psychological diagnoses such as "multiple personality" and "schizophrenia" are clinical covers for an infestation.
That opinion is shared by the many who have sought the services of Father Amorth -- finding relief when the devil was cast away after years of frustration at the hands of psychiatrists who saw their problems so differently.
Blessed salt and Holy Water are often used not just by the exorcists themselves, but by those who have been exorcised -- to stave off further disturbances.
Extraordinary strength, preternatural knowledge, speaking in foreign tongues unknown to the victim, vomiting of strange objects, and violent aversion to holy objects make pure psychological explanations suspect in strong cases.
Prayer, of course, also chases the devil and his manifestations away -- apparently, Latin in particular.
Bishop Andrea Gemma of Isernia -- who himself performs exorcisms -- ascribes the Church's move from Latin as part of a global plot to undermine Christianity.
"The devil is happy with the near-disappearance of Latin," said the bishop.
Does exorcism mask psychological illness with the supernatural, or is psychology itself a ruse, at least in certain instances, to prevent deliverance?
We have only to study the ministry of Jesus to know the answer.
I have read some of Martin’s books, but he is an ex-priest and I do take what he says with a grain of salt. Our diocese exorcist has lead a very long life! Fr. Amorth’s books were great reads, I do recommend them.
~ PRAYER ~
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits
who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+
Explanation of the Prayer of Saint Michael [Father Robert J. Altier]
How The Prayer of St. Michael Came to be Written
THE THREE ARCHANGELS: [St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael]
Feast of St. Michael the Archangel
Act of Consecration to St Michael the Archangel (for the Feast of St Michael, September 29)
No one will care, just answer the question.
From the article...
In Father Amorth's appointment book, women outnumber men by three to one. That is perhaps because they are more in tune with the spiritual, says the exorcist, or because they are special targets as the descendants of Eve.
LOL. That's called "covering all bases."
I'm sure that chant may have some little quirks of its own.
Our choirmaster uses the guide to pronunciation in the front of the "Chants of the Church" book - Spence, Charles E., ed., Chants of the Church: Selected Gregorian Chants. (Toledo, Ohio: Gregorian Institute of America, 1953.) It's a very dense 3 pages that explains it all.
The great thing about this book is that it includes (in red) an interlinear translation under the Latin. It is a strictly literal word-for-word translation, which means the English doesn't make sense at first glance, but it sure helps with Latin comprehension! I found a copy of my own on line dirt cheap (it's of interest to nobody but choir singers who do chant).
That is an awesome book (did J. Meade Falkner ever write anything else? and was it as good?)
The grounds are simply in the statement by an old priest in this article. He has performed thousands of exorcisms during his life. He has an intimate knowledge of evil as his speciality. We can believe him or not. I do not intend to experiment with evil and try a few exorcisms and see if he is right or wrong. I take his word for it. That seems reasonable to me.
Biblical grounds - Scripture does not suggest what languages to use for exorcism as far as I know.
Is the name of Jesus spoken in English less powerful than when spoken in Latin?
I think it is the same. The article is about an series of exorcisms and lengthy exorcism prayers using one language over the other. It is not limited to the holy name of Jesus. The exorcism prayers are not a series of Jesus-Jesus-Jesus, until demons depart.
The best answer I have for why it could be more effective is simply related to the diabolic itself. The diabolic is all about destruction, disorder, disunity, disorientation, disequilibrium, and all the opposites to unity or union with God. Latin represents the official language of a unified Church. Therefore Latin is spoken as the Churches language and represents unity versus a diversity of language. Outside of this I think we need to ask the priest.
The problem is Catholicism is a faith with much of its doctrine built on the speculation of men and what sounds "reasonable" or "likely " without a foundation in the word of God
This is not a doctrinal issue, but one of specialist in his field observing results.
You can have my share! I'll stick to Bass or Belhaven . . . used motor oil is not my favorite tipple. But some folks like it . . . < g >
This was my first thought as well. It is not the language that the prayers are spoken in, it is to Whom the the prayers are spoken to.
I also agree with you charitable assesment of Fr. Amorth.
I might just have to steal your tagline....baby #3 is due Decemeber 1st.
I think they put the pigs toward the back of the line...just in case.
I learned “classical Latin” in a classical high school curriculum which changed over (got dumb) in my third year.
I “served” Latin saying “Church Latin” with an old Pastor who was born before Vatican I, I think.
So, pardon me if I get mixed up. There are differences. Classical uses “hard C’s” all the time whereas Church uses the “CH” sound (as in caelum).
What we need is to have the Pope give us the go ahead so we can exercise those Latin muscles again!
I am weeping tears of pure joy! Bless you!
Deus, in nómine tuo salvum me fac,
et virtúte tua age causam meam.
Deus, audi oratiónem meam;
áuribus pércipe verba oris mei.
Nam supérbi insurréxunt contra me, et violénti quasiérunt vitam meam;
non proposuérunt Deum ante óculos suos.
Ecce, Deus ádjuvat me,
óminus susténtat vitam meam.
Retórque malum in adversários meos,
et pro fidelitáte tua déstrue ilos.
Voluntárie sacrificábo tibi,
celebrábo nomen tuum, Dómine, quia bonum est.
Nam ex omni tribulatióne eripuit me,
et inimícos meos confúsos vidit óculos meus.
Glória Patri.
V. Salvum (-am) fac servum tuum (ancillam tuam).
R. Deus meus, sperántem in te.
V. Esto ei, Dómini, turris fortitúdinis.
R. A fácie inimíci.
V. Nihil proficiat inimicus in eo (ea).
R. Et fílius iniquitátis non appónat nocére ei.
V. Mitte ei, Dómine, auxilium de sancto.
R. Et de Sion tuére eum (ea)
V. Dómine, exaudi oratiónem meam.
R. Et clamor meus ad te véniat.
V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spírito tuo.
Orémus Oratio
DEUS, cui próprium est miseréri semper et párcere: súscipe deprecatiónem nostram; ut hunc fámulum tuum, quem (hanc fámulam tuam, quam) delictórum caténa constríngit, miserátio tuæ pietátis cleménter absólvat.
DÓMINE sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus, Pater Dómini nostri Jesu Christi, qui illum réfugam tyránnum et apóstatam gehénnae ígnibus deputásti, quique Unigénitum tuum in hunc mundum misísti, ut illum rugiéntem contéret: velóciter atténdem accélera, ut erípias hóminem ad imáginem et similitúdinem tuam creátum, a ruína et dæmónio meridiáno. Da, Dómine, terrórem tuum super béstiam, quæ extérminat vineam tuam. Da fidúciam servis tuis contra nequíssimum dracónem pugnáre fortíssime, ne contémnat sperántes in te, et ne dicat, sicut in Pharaóne, qui jam dixit: Deum non novi, nec Israël dimítto. Urgeat illum déxtera tua potens discédere a fámulo tuo N. (a fámula tua N.) +, ne diútius præsúmat captívum tenére, quem tu ad imáginem tuam fácere dignátus es, et in Fílio tuo redemísti: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum.
Amen.
I highly recommend "Hostage to the Devil" by Malachi Martin. Terrifying book though.
Would you also recommend Malachi Martin's books and writing in which he reveals that the Vatican has been controlled by Luciferians and Free Masons for a long time?
Suggested reading, "Keys To This Blood", Malachi Martin.
Well the gullibility shown on this thread alone is strong evidence.
von Dollinger predicted it in the 19th century;
"In the future every Roman Catholic when asked why he believes this or that can and may give but the one answer: 'I believe or reject it because the infallible Pope has bidden it to be believed or rejected'"---Declarations and Letters, pgs. 101,101
Can you show me where we are taught that there is any such thing as “holy water” or that it has any power?
That's in the "Gospel of Judas" isn't it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.