[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] The Chain that Sets Free

Father Francesco Bamonte's witness to the power of the Holy Rosary in his book, Possessioni diabolici ed esorcismo (Paoline, 2006) so impressed me that I decided to translate it for the readers of Vultus Christi. Father Bamonte is one of the teachers of the course on Exorcism and the Prayer of Deliverance given at the Pontifical Atheneum Regina Apostolorum in Rome.

Concerning the Holy Rosary, once while the priest placed a rosary around the neck of the person who was being exorcised, all of a sudden the demon began crying out, "It is crushing me, it weighs on me, it is crushing me, this chain with the Cross on the end of it." The exorcist exclaimed, "From this day forward this sister of ours will pray the Rosary every day." Immediately the demon replied, "But you are so few who say it (the Rosary), compared to the whole world!" It is just as well for me that it should be so, because it (the Rosary) harms me. You invoke That One (referring to our Lady), you make me remember the life of That One (referring to the life of Jesus meditated in the mysteries of the Rosary).

Another day, while exorcising the demon, the exorcist pulled a rosary out of his pocket; immediately the demon cried out: "Take away that chain, take away that chain!" "What chain?" "The one with the Cross on the end. She whips us with that chain." This, of course is metaphorical language; it makes us understand, all the same, in very concrete terms, the power of the Rosary and how much the devil fears it.

There are certain situations of spiritual bondage and patterns of sin that, by a mysterious disposition of God's providence, are broken only by perseverance in the humble prayer of the Rosary. A holy Passionist priest here in Rome, one of the chief exorcists of the diocese, teaches that the Rosary is the most powerful of prayers in overcoming the forces of evil in one's life. The Rosary is, in fact, a "preaching to the meek." It "heals the contrite of heart," and "brings release to the captives." It is "deliverance to those who are shut up" (cf. Is 61:1).

I have read some articles and books on exorcisms.

Some are very extordinary both Catholic and independent Church accounts. What I got out of it is the authority of the exorcist to the fallen spirits. If you notice the account in the Gospels:

Mark 5

A Man with Demons Inside Him

1 Jesus and his followers went to the other side of the lake to the area of the Gerasene[a] people. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, instantly a man with an evil spirit came to him from the burial caves.3 This man lived in the caves, and no one could tie him up, not even with a chain.4 Many times people had used chains to tie the man's hands and feet, but he always broke them off. No one was strong enough to control him.5 Day and night he would wander around the burial caves and on the hills, screaming and cutting himself with stones.6 While Jesus was still far away, the man saw him, ran to him, and fell down before him.

7 The man shouted in a loud voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I command you in God's name not to torture me!" 8 He said this because Jesus was saying to him, "You evil spirit, come out of the man."

9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

He answered, "My name is Legion,[b] because we are many spirits." 10 He begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of that area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on a hill near there.12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us into the pigs; let us go into them."13 So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs—about two thousand of them—rushed down the hill into the lake and were drowned.

The same Authority is given.

John 20:21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

He gives this authority in the Name of Jesus to believers. These well trained exorcist believers command respect from the spirits like they are Christ himself. God has so much faith in us. It truly is amazing these accounts.

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