“Among her sacramentals, the Catholic Church, in obedience to

the Lord’s Prayer, already in ancient times mercifully provided that

through pious prayers her people may ask God to liberate the
faithful from all dangers and especially from the snares of the
Devil. In a truly unique way, exorcists were established in the
Church who, in imitation of Christ, could cure those obsessed by
the Evil One, even by commanding demons in the name of God, so
that they might depart, lest for whatever reason they do further
harm to human creatures.”

-Congregation for Divine Worship &

Discipline of the Sacraments.
De Exorcismis/Rite of Exorcism -
November 22, 1998

Page 1 of 17
What is an Exorcism?
Rev. Benjamin P. Bradshaw

“The public and authoritative act of the Church to protect or liberate a

person or object from the power of the devil (e.g. demonic possession) in the
name of Christ (#1673). A simple exorcism prayer in preparation for
baptism invokes God’s help in overcoming the power of Satan and the spirit
of Evil.”
- Definition of Exorcism according to the Catechism of the Catholic
Church

I.) What is an Exorcism?

Jesus said, “In my name they will cast out demons” (Mk 16:17). The word
exorcism is derived from the Greek exorkizo, meaning “to bind with an oath,
or to make a demand (The Rite, Matt Baglio, Doubleday, 2009, 5).
Performing exorcisms was central to the ministry of Our Lord during his
time on earth. The Church, following the example and directives of Christ,
has always believed in and fought the power of Satan in this world, by
performing good deeds, baptizing the faithful, administering the sacraments,
dying for our faith (martyrs), and speaking truth to power, as is sometimes
needed in our culture. The Gospel of St. Matthew tells us:

“Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every
sickness (Mt.10:1).

Likewise, the Church has always taught the efficacy and power of exorcisms
in overcoming the temporary power of Satan in this world:

“When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus
Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil
One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus
performed many exorcisms and from him the Church has received the
power and office of exorcising (Mk 1:25-26; 3:15; 6:7; 13; 16:17). In a
simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. The
solemn exorcism, called a ‘major exorcism,’ can be performed only by a
priest and with the permission of the bishop. The priest must proceed
with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church.
Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from

Page 2 of 17
 demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted
to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different
matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before
an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing
with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness” (CCC#1673).

The Catholic Church is quick to point out that in the vast majority of cases
one may not actually be suffering from diabolical activity, but rather
psychological or physiological problems/illnesses. For this reason, prior to
performing a formal exorcism, a priest must have consulted widely with
psychological professionals (who are at times present during exorcisms
themselves), and the cause of the problem within the person must have been
deemed beyond the scope of medical assistance. Quite frequently, one may
assume that they are afflicted by diabolical activity, though in reality, it is
quite possible that one’s own poor choices and life’s inconvenient events
(losing a job, marriage difficulties, etc.) will lead one to assume that evil
manifestations exist where they may not.
Our Lord tells us in the Gospel of Mark: “And these signs will accompany
those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons…” (Mk.16:17).
Over the centuries that Church has understood this role to seek the full
spiritual healing of the afflicted individual, thus the actual order of exorcist
was established. In the third century, Pope Cornelius mentions in a letter to
one of the early churches that at the time, in the city of Rome, there were
over fifty-two exorcists. During the fourth century, further steps were taken
to give authority to the local bishops to give authority to certain holy priests
to undertake the office of exorcist. During this century as well the Council
of Laodicea (363-363 AD, Asia Minor) “established a canon prohibiting all
individuals from performing an exorcism unless appointed by their bishop”
(The Rite, Baglio, 73).

II.) Two Extremes to Avoid:

According to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, we must
take care then to avoid two extremes: 1.) Perceiving the presence of the
Devil in everything and maintaining a borderline paranoia with regards to
the reality of the demonic. 2.) Ignoring or denying altogether the reality of
Satan and the demons and the reality of the spiritual warfare that every
Christian faces to some degree each day (Christian Faith & Demonology,
C.D.F., July 10, 1975, Franjo Cardinal Seper). For instance, quite often in
parishes wherein the level of catechesis is very minimal and often in third
world cultures, people can be found who live lives of great fear regarding

Page 3 of 17
the presence of the Devil, living in constant fear of his attacks on their
families and lives. Likewise, quite often among the Western cultures,
various university settings (and frequently among Catholic universities),
and among many Catholic clergy worldwide, the reality of the demonic is
altogether denied and perceived of as foolish, outdated, or simply naive.
On July 16, 2009, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, the Cardinal
archbishop of Mexico City, gave a talk to the exorcists of Mexico and made
note of these two extremes to avoid. He accentuated that fact that we must
never fall into the trap of denying the existence of Satan:

“The existence of the devil must be taken as fact, without exaggerating or

minimizing his actions out of skepticism or credulity taken to the
extreme. Skepticism leads many to deny the existence of the devil and
dismiss his actions as psychological, socio-cultural or paranormal
phenomena. Others, out of extreme gullibility, see the devil everywhere
and grant him supernatural powers as if he were God…There has been a
hard battle against the powers of darkness, which began at the origins of
the world and will endure until the last day, according to what the Lord
has said” (Catholic News Agency, July 17, 2009).

In 1975, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under Pope Paul VI,
noted:

“People are asking whether there should not be a revision of doctrine on

this point [regarding Satan]…Some critics, believing that they can define
Jesus’ own position, claim that none of his words guarantees demonic
reality…The existence of demonic reality, they say, no longer has a call
on our faith today, and we are free to reject it…For still others, the idea
of Satan, whatever its origin may have been, has lost its importance. If
we were to continue to insist on it, our teaching would lose all
credibility…For all the above, finally, the names of Satan and of the devil
are only mythical or functional personifications, the significance of
which is solely to underline the dramatic fashion the hold which evil and
sin have on mankind” (Cardinal Franjo Seper, Christian Faith and
Demonology, July 10, 1975, p.7-8).

The C.D.F. goes on to accentuate that such an understanding and foolhardy

denial of the reality of Satanic activity places one outside the realm of

Page 4 of 17
authentic Catholic doctrine and the teachings of the early Church Fathers
and the Councils (p.17-32).
Both of these extremes lead us away from God, the revealed teachings and
doctrine of the Church, and the graces made available to us via the
sacraments and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Satan hates the Mother of God
and flees from her presence. It is for this reason that the saints and the
Church have often suggested to us to make a Consecration to Mary each
day, or at least once a year. Hence following the directives of the Blessed
Virgin Mary at Fatima, Pope John Paul II, along with the world’s bishops
and the orthodox churches, consecrated the world to the Blessed Mother on
the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25), 1984. Pope Pius XII had
previously consecrated the world to the Blessed Mother on October 31,
1942. Regarding the pivotal role of Mary in the battle against Satan,
Cardinal Rivera Carrera states:

“She brings us to Jesus, she protects us and cares for us in this difficult
ministry ... Mary also participates in exorcisms. She herself is an exorcist
and expels the devil through her sanctity” (C.N.A.).

It is important to point out that an exorcism is itself not a sacrament, but

rather a sacramental (which lead us to the sacraments). Sacramentals
themselves “do not confer grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the
sacraments do, but…they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to
cooperate with it” (CCC#1670). Examples of sacramentals are rosaries,
crosses, statues, holy water, and scapulars. The most important and
powerful of the sacramentals are blessings (homes, articles, food, people).
Blessings are sacred because they consecrate the person, articles, etc. to God
(e.g. when a chalice is blessed for a newly ordained priest or the
consecration of a new altar for a church). The blessed article or item should
always be respected and given proper treatment.
While the influence of Hollywood and the entertainment media has
greatly deteriorated the level of proper catechesis among the faithful with
regards to the Church’s teachings regarding the Devil, the demons, and
exorcisms, such negativity has in no way altered or harmed the ongoing
teachings of the Catholic Church with regards to these matters. On the
contrary, quite often when the Catholic Church has been attacked from
external or internal forces she has responded by clarifying her doctrine more
coherently. For instance, almost all of the twenty-one Ecumenical Councils
of the Church, with the exception of the Second Vatican Council, were
called to address heresy, schism, external forces, or aggressive political

Page 5 of 17
forces. We therefore have the expression: “A Council is often convoked
when it is provoked!” The teachings of the Catholic Church with regards to
demonology and exorcisms are no exception. The last few decades have
brought a much clearer focus of Church doctrine by Popes Paul VI, John
Paul II, and Benedict XVI. In Christian Faith and Demonology, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith notes:

“Satan, whom Jesus had confronted by his exorcisms, whom he had

encountered in the desert and in his Passion, cannot be the product of the
human faculty of inventing fables and personifying ideas, nor can he be an
erroneous relic of a primitive cultural language” (Franjo Cardinal Seper,
July 10, 1975).”

Pope Paul VI himself took direct aim at the cultural and theological dangers
of denying the reality of Satan:

There is this “terrible, mysterious, and frightening reality of evil and he

who refuses to recognize its [Devil] existence…departs from the integrity
of biblical and ecclesiastical teaching. Neither exegetes nor theologians
can neglect this caution” (Paul VI, L’Osservatore Romano, July 13, 1972).

In 1 Peter 5:8-9, St. Peter exhorts the faithful of the Church to stay alert
and be vigilant against the attacks of the Devil: “Be sober and vigilant. Your
opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in faith.” Jesus Himself
addressed Peter with these very words in the Garden of Gethsemane: “He
said to Peter, ‘So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? 41 Watch
and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the
flesh is weak.’" (Matthew 26:40-41). This ‘readiness’ that Our Lord speaks
of and this ‘sobriety’ which is addressed by the Apostle Peter, brings us back
to the old adage: Know Thyself. We should strive to be aware of our own
weaknesses, while simultaneously trusting the Divine Mercy of Our Lord.
We should constantly seek out the grace of the sacraments, the teachings of
the faith, and stay focused on the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Mother
as our compass and guide. Such a life keeps us “sober and vigilant” (1
Peter 5:8).

III.) Who Can Be an Exorcist?

According to Canon Law (#1172): “No one can legitimately perform
exorcisms over the possessed unless he has obtained special permission from

Page 6 of 17
the local ordinary [bishop].” The Canon goes on to point out: “Such
permission from the ordinary is to be granted only to a presbyter [priest]
endowed with piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life.” Thus, only
a priest with proper experience, holiness, and knowledge of theology should
undertake to perform the exorcism. There have been many instances when
the demon being possessed has publically acknowledged the sins of the
priest, or the individual attempting the exorcism, in full view of those
present. More than this though is the desire of the Church to heal the
individual of the demonic affliction. While there are many instances of
those who become possessed or oppressed by way of their own fault, such as
involvement in satanic cults, rituals, Ouija boards, necromancy, tarot cards,
and New Age activities, it is sometimes the case wherein the person himself
is in no way responsible for demonic presence. An example of this would be
parents who offer up their children in satanic rituals. While this is to a
certain decree rare within the United States, Satanic worship is growing at an
alarming rate in Europe, Africa, and Asia. It is interesting that quite often
Roman Catholic clerics are the first to scoff at possibility of the existence the
Devil and demonic activity. Matt Baglio points out:

“While not necessarily rejecting the official teachings of the Church, most
clergymen found [post-Vatican II] the concept of the Devil a slideshow
that no ‘serious-minded’ priest would lose time considering…The Devil
had finally convinced the world that he no longer existed” (The Rite,
p.36).

While many clerics and theologians within the United States and Europe
would find the issue of demons amusing, superstitious, or simply ignore it
altogether, in most Christian cultures worldwide it is simply an assumption
that they do Spiritual Warfare with demonic powers, following the
injunction by St. Paul himself:

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. 12 For we are not contending against flesh and
blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world
rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in
the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12).

IV.) The Rite of Exorcism:

In the last line of the Our Father we pray, “And deliver us from Evil.”
During the mass the priest follows up this prayer by saying, “Deliver us

Page 7 of 17
Lord from every evil and grant us peace in our day…” (Roman Missal). In
praying the Our Father, we thereby acknowledge both the fundamental
existence of evil forces, though in no way equal to those of Good, and our
own fallen nature which inclines us towards sin as well (concupiscence). Up
until 1972 all clerics received the Minor Orders prior to their ordination to
the priesthood: Rite of Tonsure and Rite of Exorcist. Following the
directives of the Second Vatican Council and the revision of the liturgical
rites, in 1972 Pope Paul VI suppressed the Rites of Tonsure (cutting/shaving
of part of one’s hair signifying the entrance into the clerical state) and
Exorcist (see: Motu Proprio Ministeria Quaedam). At this point the actual
entrance into the clerical state began with the ordination to the deaconate
(transitional or permanent). Referring to this, Paul VI notes in the Motu
Proprio Ad Pascendum:

“Since entrance into the clerical state is deferred until deaconate, there no
longer exists the rite of first tonsure, by which a layman used to become a
cleric. But a new rite is introduced [termed Candidacy] by which one
who aspires to ordination as a deacon or presbyter [priest] publically
manifests his will to offer himself to God and the Church, so that he may
exercise a sacred order.”

During the Pontificate of Pope Paul VI nearly all of the liturgical rites were
updated and revised, though always maintaining the same primary structure
as tradition held. The last of these Rites to be updated following the Second
Vatican Council was the Rite of Exorcism (January 26, 1998). The current
Rite is officially entitled: Of Exorcisms and Certain Supplications (De
Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam). The last time the Rite of
Exorcism was revised by the Catholic Church was in 1614, thus its current
revision was carefully examined by the Holy See. The 84-page new Rite is
very similar to the old Rite of Exorcism, with a few minor changes (though
some would argue this point). The Exorcist, in addressing the demonic
spirit, reading from the old Rite says:

“I command you, unclean spirit…”

It should be noted that other Christian communities such as Anglicanism,

Lutheranism, Methodism, and Pentecostalism all have certain prayers that
they often refer to as “prayers of exorcism.” While these prayers may, in
fact, be prayers which are helpful to the afflicted individual and may be

Page 8 of 17
minor prayers of deliverance, only a Roman Catholic or Orthodox priest has
the spiritual power to exorcise a true demonic presence. This is because
only the Catholic and Orthodox Churches maintain Apostolic Succession
and thus the valid Holy Orders entrusted to St. Peter and the Apostles by
Jesus Christ Himself. It is wise for those outside of communion with
Rome/Holy See to recall the story in the Acts of the Apostles wherein some
Jewish rabbis attempted to exorcise demons and were attacked by the
demons because even the demons recognized their lack of spiritual
authority:

“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce

the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I
adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Seven sons of a
Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit
answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, mastered all
of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house
naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all residents of
Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all; and the
name of the Lord Jesus was extolled” (Acts 19:13-17).

In 1985 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) reiterated the fact
that only authorized exorcists may lawfully and legitimately perform and
exorcisms:

“It follows, therefore, that no member of the Christian faithful can use
the formula of exorcism against Satan and the fallen angels…and even
less are they able to use the entire text for exorcism. Bishops are to
bring this to the attention of the faithful as it is deemed necessary” (#2).

Within the old Rite of Exorcism, which an exorcist is still permitted to use
should he wish to do so, some guidelines are clearly laid out for him prior to
exorcising the afflicted individual (my paraphrase of each):

1. He should not rely on his own abilities but that of God.

2. He should strive to grow in knowledge of the faith and the Church’s
theology by way of sound study and prayer.
3. He should not be too quick to believe that a person is indeed
possessed by the Devil/Demons. He should consult medical experts
first and get the legitimate insights of other professionals.

Page 9 of 17
4. He should make note of each exorcism in an attempt to learn from
each in order to gain knowledge and experience.
5. He should make note of the tricks used by the devil in an effort to
discourage the exorcist or make him believe that he (demon) is not
present (often they will remain silent until commanded to speak or
reveal their names).
6. He should remind the one to be exorcized that the demon will often go
to great lengths to dissuade the individual from proceeding ahead with
the exorcism. Because an exorcist cannot perform an exorcism
without the individual’s permission, this ends the ritual.
7. He should remind the afflicted individual that recourse to sorcerers,
necromancers (summoning the dead or séances), tarot cards, palm
readers, etc. is forbidden and sinful in the eyes of God and will only
intensify the demonic presence.
8. He should recall the words of Our Lord in Matthew’s Gospel wherein
He notes that “this type can only be driven out by prayer and fasting”
(Mt.17:20). Thus, the exorcist should be vigilant in preparing himself
and the individual through his own prayer and fasting. Likewise he
should remind the individual, inasmuch as is possible, to prepare
themselves for the rite by prayer, fasting, and frequent reception of the
sacraments.
9. He should lead the afflicted individual to a church or holy shrine, if
possible, to perform the exorcism. If this is not possible, “the
exorcism may take place in a private home.”
10. He should “have a crucifix at hand or somewhere in sight.” Likewise
relics of the saints and holy/blessed water can be applied reverently to
the afflicted person.
11. He should never fall into senseless chatter with the demon, only
speaking to it when necessary and “he will bid the unclean spirit to
keep silence and to answer only when asked.” Likewise, should the
demon claim to be a good spirit he should give no credence to this
false claim.
12. He should ask the devil/demon only the necessary questions:
• Number and name of the demons inhabiting the individual?
• Time and place they entered the individual?
• Why they entered the individual?
13. He should speak in a clear, confident, and yet humble voice in
commanding the demon to depart.

Page 10 of 17
 14. He should pay attention to what words, phrases, prayers, or names in
particular cause pain to the demon (e.g. Virgin Mary, St. Michael the
Archangel).
15. He should “guard against recommending any medicine to the patient,
but should leave this care to physicians.”
16. He should never perform an exorcism over a woman while alone with
her. This is both for his protection and for hers as well. Often the
Evil One will make appeals to the fallen nature of the exorcist in
attempting to insight lust. Likewise, this guards against false
accusations and claims against the exorcist. (Statistically most
exorcisms occur with women. There have been many theories put
forward as to why this is, though many believe that it is simply that
women are often more disposed to believing in the spiritual realm and
that, just as women are more likely to seek out doctors than men, so
too do are they more likely to seek out exorcists than men). It is
recommended that other members of the individual’s family are
present, though this number must be minimal.
17. He should inquire among the person if there are certain temptations
that persistently afflict him/her.

An exorcist can never improvise an exorcism, as he has no authority to do

so; just as a priest has no authority to alter or change the rite of the Holy
Mass. In a document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
dated September 29, 1985, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)
reminded the bishops of the Church regarding exorcism:

“Bishops are asked to be vigilant that, for even cases in which true
diabolical possession is excluded, diabolical influence nevertheless seems
in some way to be revealed, those who do not have the required faculty not
serve in the leading of meetings [attempted lay exorcisms] where, in order
to gain freedom, prayers are used which dignify demons by directly
questioning them and in searching to make known their identity” (Letter to
the Local Ordinaries, #3).

In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI addressed a meeting of the world’s exorcists,

shortly after his election as Roman Pontiff. It was in this year as well that
the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome began offering a
course entitled, “Exorcism and Prayers of Liberation,” under the direction of
the Holy See and Dr. Giuseppe Ferrari, the national secretary for the Group
for Research and Socio-Religious Information, or GRIS). Since its

Page 11 of 17
inception, the course has been immensely popular, not only by priests,
bishops, and seminarians, but also by medical doctors and psychologists
who wish to better grasp the reality and nature of the demonic among
humanity.

IV.) What are the Signs of Genuine Demonic Possession?

The Encyclopedia of Catholic Doctrine defines demonic possession as,
“the tangible proof of the existence of the devil and a visible manifestation
of his power” (p.172-173). As mentioned prior, the Church is quick to point
out that true demonic possession is a “very rare phenomenon and is easily
simulated by certain pathological states.” Just as proper ecclesiastical
authorities and bishops need to verify and approve of alleged apparitions of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, the saints, etc., so too do they need to adequately
investigate alleged possession of the devil within an individual. Inevitably,
many within the Church and among medical professionals diagnose a
demonic possession as being simply schizophrenia, epilepsy, hysteria,
paranoia, or manic depression. Likewise, there are those who suffer from
these ailments who misdiagnose their affliction as demonic possession as
well. For this reason, any authentic exorcist will be found working very
closely with experienced medical professionals.
According to the Rite of Exorcism, there are often certain signs that can
accompany one who is possessed by demons (Exorcism of the Possessed,
#3):
• “Ability to speak with some facility in a strange tongue or to understand
it when spoken by another.”
• “The faculty of divulging the future and hidden events.”
• “The display of powers which are beyond the subject’s age and natural
condition” (e.g. superhuman strength).
Fr. Gabriele Amorth, official exorcist for the Holy See for many years, has
participated in many thousands of exorcisms over the years. He is the
founder of the International Association of Exorcists, is a member of the
Society of St. Paul, and has been a priest since 1954 and an exorcist since
1986. Fr. Amorth notes that when he is speaking with someone, or a family
member, who has approached him regarding the possibility of an exorcism
he looks for certain signs as well (An Exorcist: More Stories, Ignatius, 2002,
p.78-82):
• Medicine is ineffective: When the person or the family says that all
medical attempts at a cure have been ineffective and that doctors appear
to be baffled as to what is the source of the problem.

Page 12 of 17
 • Hatred of the Holy: Total aversion of the afflicted person to the sacred,
such as crucifixes, the sacraments, the mass, blessings, etc. There have
been numerous stories for instance wherein an exorcist will bless an
article of clothing given to him by a family member and later when the
individual puts this on there tear it off in disgust without being aware
that the blessing actually took place.
• Abnormal Anger: Out-of-character outbursts of rage or uncontrollable
anger resulting in sharp violence. While this is certainly seen in people
with psychological illnesses, in very rare instances it can be the result of
demonic influence. During the actual exorcism itself, Amorth claims
that quite often the person becomes infuriated and there is a clear
“movement of the eyes either upward or downward” (p.80).
• History of the Occult, Satanism, & Addictions: Involvement of the
individual or a parent of the individual in Satanism, black magic, Wicca
witchcraft, the occult, Ouija boards, various New Age movements,
séances, or necromancy. Likewise, Fr. Amorth points out that repeated
involvement in drug use and other addictive behavior clearly opens one
up to the attacks of demonic powers as well; largely because the
individual become desensitized to harmful internal and external
influences.

Fr. Amorth and other exorcists, such as Fr. Candido Amantini under whom
he trained, have at times referred to the exorcisms as simply “blessings”
while in the presence or the afflicted individual or the family, so as to not
alarm them. Likewise, at times the exorcist may prefer to celebrate the Rite
of Exorcism exclusively in Latin, since very few people are familiar with
Latin and this tends to cause less alarm among the family. Fr. Amorth is
quick to point out that a good confession, a regular prayer life, regular
reception of the sacraments, devotion to Mary and the teachings of the
Church, and forgiveness of one’s enemies from the heart is the best
protection against the Evil One.
Because of the exaggerated abuses of those seeking exorcisms and, in
certain circumstances the misdiagnosis of the exorcists themselves, many
local/regional Councils in the history of the Catholic Church have drawn up
guidelines to help provide criteria in evaluating the authenticity of demonic
possession. The following is a list of regional Councils which addressed this
issue:
• Council of Elvira (305)
• Council of Cartagena (398)

Page 13 of 17
 • 1st Council of Orange (441)
• 11th Council of Toledo (657)
• 1st Council of Milan (1565)
• 4th Council of Milan (1576)
• Council of Salerno (1596)

V.) Types of Diabolical Activity:

All of the activity of the Devil is prompted and motivated by his hatred of
God. The Devil hates God, he hates the Blessed Mother, and his ultimate
goal is the eternal destruction of all of humanity. He hates us because we
are the “offspring” of Mary: “Then the dragon was angry with the woman,
and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the
commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” (Revelation 12:17).
Likewise, the Devil hates the fact that God is more powerful than he and that
God Himself became flesh, which he considers to be absolutely unthinkable:
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not
acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the
deceiver and the antichrist” (2 John 1:7).
Diabolical activity can be divided into two groups: ordinary and
extraordinary. The ordinary activity of the Devil is when he incites a person
to sin and consistently afflicts him/her with temptations. Every human being
of a certain age experiences these ordinary temptations of the Evil One
during their lifetime. Our Lord Himself was tempted by Satan in the desert.
The Catholic Encyclopedia points out, however, that “not all temptations are
diabolical in origin” (p.173). In other words, one can never excuse oneself
from culpability by claiming, “The devil made me do it!” Extraordinary
activity is of a more intense and debilitating nature and is further divided
into three types:
1.) Local Infestation: When the Devil infests an inanimate object, animal,
or location in order to do harm or frighten a person. For instance, St.
Faustina Kowalska claimed to have been accosted one night by
several wild dogs who threatened her with death for having saved
many souls from hell (Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska).
2.) Diabolical Obsession: (personal infestation) This occurs when the
Evil One focuses much of his attack on an individual human being
(usually one of influence over others). While he operates from the
outside attacking the individual, he can never gain full possession
over the intellect and will of the person unless the person grants him
this faculty. Obsession may manifest itself an extraordinarily strong

Page 14 of 17
 temptation to grave/mortal sin. Many of the saints have experienced
this form of attack including St. Padre Pio, St. John Vianney, and St.
Gemma Galgani.
3.) Diabolical Possession: Full diabolical possession occurs when the
Devil invades a person’s body and exerts full control over the
faculties of the individual, “manipulating them as one would a
puppet” (p.173). The power of the Devil is, however, restricted only
to the body, as he cannot invade or take control of the soul, intellect,
or will of the person. Because the Devil and the demons are pure
spirits and are not limited by time and space, as are human beings,
they can invade a human being at the same time or the devil could be
acting within several possessed humans all over the world
simultaneously. As was articulated earlier, the Devil has a strong
revulsion for anything sacred and quite often will go to extraordinary
degrees to keep the individual from anything having to do with the
presence of God, the sacraments, or blessed article or locations.

VI.) What and Who are the Targets of the Evil One?
“If you want to know what is most sacred to God, we need only look at
what is most attacked!” This oft repeated Christian idiom bares much truth.
It does, however, beg the further question: “What is most attacked by the
Devil?” In addressing our modern culture, the quick answer to this question
may be human sexuality, the sanctity of Christian marriage between a man
and a woman, and the sanctity of human life from a natural conception to a
natural death. Because this will be covered in greater detail in our last class
on Spiritual Warfare in the World Today, I will avoid going into great detail
in answering this question. Fr. Gabriele Amorth, in his book An Exorcist
Tells His Story, mentions several things that the Devil often targets with his
power (Ignatius, 1999):
• Western Consumerism: Money and power takes precedence over the
dignity of the human person, other people and our faith. Often this is
seen in a total neglect for the sacraments and the Holy Mass. Profit is
held as the supreme motive of life, even to the neglect and abuse of
the world poor and one’s family.
• Secularism: The total separation of religion into the private sphere
which is therein forgotten about and altogether ignored, or in some
countries even persecuted. The gross acceptance of secularity leads to
relativism, or the belief that there is no objective truth apart from my
opinions or desires, and ultimately to a Culture of Death, wherein one
group of people decides that another group of people are unfit to live

Page 15 of 17
 or are somehow subhuman. We begin solving problems with death,
as did Cain with his brother Abel (Gn 4:8).
• Witchcraft/Wicca: The proliferation of books, manuals, and reading
materials on Witchcraft and Wicca in most bookstores should be
alarming to us, yet this is seen more and more as a legitimately
acceptable faith practice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
points out that this is a grave/mortal sin against the first
Commandment (CCC# 2110-2117). In his book The Rite, Matt
Baglio notes: “According to an American Religious Identity Survey.
Wicca grew in America from 8,000 members in 1990 to over 134,000
in 2001(By 2006, that number was said to have risen to more than
800,000). Baglio goes on to point that in Italy alone it is estimated
that “more than 500,000 people see an exorcist annually” (p.6).
Because of the dramatic rise in satanic cults in Western Europe within
the last decade this number is in many ways unsurprising. It is
currently estimated that there are over 8,000 Satanic sects with over
600,000 members in Italy alone (Baglio, 16).
• New Age Spiritism: This is often seen when one takes pieces of several
Eastern or World religions and constructs their own religion/faith to
suit their own needs. In reality, this is usually a faith based around
their ego. Involvement in New Age faiths is an invitation to demonic
activity, even when done unknowingly (see: Jesus Christ the Bearer
of the Water of Life; A Christian Reflection on the “New Age,”
Pontifical Council for Culture & Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue, 2003).
• Refusal to Change/Hardened Heart: Many times in the Gospel, Our
Lord was disappointed because of the stubbornness of the people.
This ‘hardening’ of the heart is seen a refusal to forgive, a disgust of
the holy, and an adamant refusal to submit to a God higher than
ourselves. This is sometimes manifested in a great cynicism for
‘organized religion’ or what is perceived of the institutional church.
Often this leads then to acceptance of blasphemies and a total
rejection of God and the Church itself. This is frequently seen in
academic circles on the University level, and quite often at Catholic
Universities as well.
• Association w/Evil Places or Practices: Clearly, continued exposure to
evil places (abortion clinics, homes where systematic abuse has
occurred, etc.) or evil practices (sustained drug usage, ongoing
exposure to pornography and sexual promiscuity, places of demonic
practices) weakens one’s will and allows for much greater

Page 16 of 17
susceptibility with regards to the attacks of the Evil One. There is
great spiritual benefit in having one’s home, articles, and children
blessed for this reason. Also, the negative influences of the
entertainment media would fall under this category. Such places and
practices/habits work to desensitize us to temptations that we would
normally recognize and avoid under normal circumstances. More
often than not, the Evil One has worked in controlling humanity by
slow, steady, and subtle means rather than immediate and apparently
offensive means.

Page 17 of 17