Posted on 09/06/2019 8:26:15 AM PDT by Salvation
There is wide interest today in the topic of exorcism. Numerous books and news stories have helped to fuel this. Another reason for the interest is that as our world becomes more secular, families disintegrate, the outright celebration of sinful practices spreads, and there is an increase in psychological trauma, bondage to sinful drives, and openness to demonic influence.
An entire generation of priests were taught to distrust the traditional understandings of trauma and dysfunction, which gave significant weight to spiritual causes. These priests were often trained to view most such things as merely psychological in nature. Thus, parishioners were often sent off on a recommended course of psychotherapy without so much as a prayer being said.
The tide is turning back to a more balanced approach. Catholics are rightly asking for spiritual help along with other approaches (e.g., psychotherapy, psychotropic medicines). However, it must be said that some of the increasing number of people requesting the formal Rite of Exorcism manifest a misunderstanding of that rite as well as a lack of knowledge about other avenues of healing.
Demonic possession remains rare and that is what the formal Rite of Exorcism is meant to address. Most people who present themselves (or someone they love) to the Church are not in fact possessed by the devil or demons. There may be obsession, oppression, or torment at work, along with psychological trauma, and other more natural sources of struggle.
For people who are not possessed, what is needed is deliverance, not exorcism.
What is deliverance? Deliverance is prayer and ongoing ministry that uses numerous approaches to bring healing and wholeness to those who, after baptism, have come to struggle significantly with bondage to sin and sinful drives, the influence of demons, or the effects of psychological and/or spiritual trauma.
Deliverance involves taking hold of the full freedom that God is given us, of helping the faithful who struggle to lay hold of the glorious freedom of children of God (cf Rom 8:21). St. Paul says that the Father has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:13 – 14).
There is also a magnificent passage in the Acts of the Apostles in which St. Paul is told of his mission to the Gentiles by the Lord: I am sending you to [the Gentiles] to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:17–18).
Fundamentally, this is a description of the ongoing work of deliverance, which the whole Church must accomplish for God’s chosen people. Deliverance seeks to take people out from under Satan’s power and place them under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ, to bring people to, or restore them to, their true identity as sons and daughters of God.
Even after baptism, it is possible that we open doors to Satan enabling him some degree of access to our heart and mind. When this is the case, a Christian, working with clergy and fellow believers alike, must take a stand against the schemes of the devil by repenting of sin and renouncing any form of agreement with the deceptions of the enemy.
So, deliverance first involves coming to an understanding of the tactics of the evil one and recognizing the flawed thinking that often infects our mind. It involves coming to know and name these tactics and the deep drives of sin within us. It involves repenting of them and steadily renouncing their influence so that we come to greater serenity, peace, and healing—to deliverance.
The general deliverance we all need is effected in many ways: by the Word of God proclaimed and devoutly read; through the frequent reception of sacraments of Holy Communion and confession; through spiritual direction; through the experience of the Sacred Liturgy, praise, and worship; through authentic, close fellowship with other believers; through personal prayer; and even through good psychotherapy (when necessary).
For those who are suffering acutely from oppressions (and most of us do at some point on our spiritual journey), a more focused deliverance is often needed. It is usually called “deliverance ministry,” which often involves both clergy and lay praying with those who struggle and offering support and encouragement. It is different from major exorcism in two ways. First, it focuses more on the person than on the demons. There may be some minor exorcistic prayers directing demons to depart, but overall deliverance ministry involves praying with and for the one afflicted helping him identify issues and lay claim to the graces God is offering. Second, it is gentler, and the person and those who pray for him are encouraged to pay little attention to any unusual manifestations such as shuddering or shaking, which sometimes occur in the course of deliverance and healing ministry. Deliverance ministry seeks to broaden healing to the large number of people who need healing and deliverance, who may be going through a crisis, a transition, or just a difficult time; who may be oppressed but are in no way possessed.
Major exorcism, in contrast, is a fierce combat directed against demons. There is nothing gentle about it, and like major surgery it is invasive and wrenching. It should only be used for those who are definitely possessed, as determined by a skilled and appointed exorcist who looks for required evidence and has eliminated other lesser or natural causes.
Most often, deliverance takes time and involves a multidisciplinary approach. Most people just want relief, but God is in the healing business; healing takes time, courage, prayer, patience, and waiting for the Lord. It is linked to uncovering and naming sinful drives and distorted thinking, which provide doorways for the devil to rob us of our freedom. God proceeds very delicately and deliberately in these matters. Healing takes courage and God often waits until we are ready.
So, while recent interest in exorcism is encouraging, we must be careful not to focus too much on what is rare (demonic possession), overlooking what is often more necessary and applicable to most cases: deliverance prayer and ministry.
Here (are) a few resources I would recommend:
Two excellent books on deliverance have been written by Neal Lozano:
Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance
Resisting the Devil: A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance
Here are some deliverance prayers that I and others in this work often pray with the faithful, encouraging them to pray with others as well: Deliverance prayers.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). I am a witness.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
Exorcism or deliverance? Good question. Half the US population is in desperate need of both.
“Demonic possession remains rare “
Very true. But his minions are many.
I delt with one this week that had died in 2003 of cancer and hung around for 13 years. She was stuck, attached to the material world.
Exorcism is what you do with true demons.
Deliverance is what you do with his minions who are misguided spirits who once had a physical body. I interview them in the process and almost always find multi layers of spirits embedded in the main spirit or spirit who most recently had a physical body.
I ask them what event took place with their hosts that allowed them to enter. Very frequently they reply that the host was sexually molested, tell me when, where and by whom. Often the attached spirit was previously in the molester motivating their behavior.
Ps. The level of demonic activity has substantially increased recently due to the times we are in.
“The level of demonic activity has substantially increased recently due to the times we are in.”
<<<<<<<<
Let’s say a Twinkie represents the normal amount of demonic activity. How big would the Twinkie be now?
"Who, in their right mind, Kevin, could possibly deny the 20th century was entirely mine? All of it, Kevin! All of it. Mine. I'm peaking, Kevin. It's my time now. It's our time."
Timely. You answered some important questions. Thank you and Bless you.
Let’s just say that the weeds in the wheat field are very active.
The Bibke is very accurate.
I have the utmost respect for Msgr. Charles Pope and his work. He writes from a perspective that can only come from much experience.
However, I differ from him in a few of the perceptions of the way things work. Relatively minor things.
The one area relates to deliverance. He limits it to the soul of the person in the physical body. I include the dark minions who are attached to or in the hosts physical body. Usually they are just misguided by dark influence and are not actual demons.
An example would be the souls of aborted children who have attached to their mother.
Our evil democrat voting tendency ! Out I say !
“An example would be the souls of aborted children who have attached to their mother” Wow, that explains something else I was just thinking about.
Now, what is a Bibke:?
LOL.... typo BIBLE....
Salvation - Thank you for posting this excellent column by Msgr. Pope on the difference between Exorcism and Deliverance and that both have a purpose to serve.
Tired&Retired - Thank you for your comments on the article and giving examples of your own experiences.
Ken H - How big? In the first Ghost Busters movie there was a line that, I think Bill Murray gave, when asked that: “Its of cataclysmic portions.” (or it was close to that)
And as our late friend Zot would have said, “some souls are stuck here because of their theology’” And I would add that the souls of aborted or miscarried babies cling to their mother as the only place they are award of to be. Then is the time for prayer for them to be rescued from this plane of existence by God’s messengers.
Worth repeating..
“Then is the time for prayer for them to be rescued from this plane of existence by God’s messengers.”
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