Exorcist

The Catholic Church authorizes the use of exorcism for those who are believed to be the victims of demonic possession. In Roman Catholicism, exorcism is a sacramental but not a sacrament, unlike baptism or confession. Unlike a sacrament, exorcism's "integrity and efficacy do not depend ... on the rigid use of an unchanging formula or the ordered sequence of prescribed actions. Its efficacy depends on two elements: authorization from valid and licit Church authorities, and the faith of the exorcist." The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "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authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism."

The Catholic Church revised the Rite of Exorcism in January 1999, though the traditional Rite of Exorcism in Latin is allowed as an option. The ritual assumes that possessed persons retain their free will. However, the demon may hold control over their physical body and involves prayers, blessings, and invocations using the document Of Exorcisms and Certain Supplications.

Christ Curing a Possessed Man

According to the Vatican's guidelines issued in 1999, "the person who claims to be possessed must be evaluated by doctors to rule out a mental or physical illness." Most reported cases do not require an exorcism because twentieth-century Catholic officials regard genuine demonic possession as an extremely rare phenomenon easily confused with mental illness. As the demand for exorcisms has increased over the past few decades, the number of trained exorcists has also risen. In prior times, exorcists were kept fairly anonymous, and the performance of exorcisms remained a secret. Some exorcists attribute the rise in demand for exorcisms to the rise in drug abuse and violence, which suggests that such things might work hand in hand. A person often needs spiritual or medical help, especially if drugs or other addictions exist. The specially trained priest and medical professionals will be able to work together to address the patient and determine what type of illness the patient is suffering from. After the person's need has been determined, the appropriate help will be met. In spiritual help, prayers may be offered, or the laying on of hands or a counselling session may be prescribed. Particular sacramentals, such as wearing a cross necklace or using blessed salt, are believed to offer protection against Satan when used with faith. Certain theologians have held that wearing a head-covering by Christian females confers protection against fallen angels, which they teach are referenced in 1 Corinthians 11:3–10.

Signs

Signs of demonic invasion vary depending on the type of demon and its purpose, including:

Using languages unknown to the person or people around them.
Having extraordinary strength or resistance to physical restraint.
Knowledge of events or people that the person could not have possibly known.
An aversion to holy objects or places, such as holy water or churches.
Self-harming and displaying violent or aggressive behaviour.
Ailments or conditions that cannot be diagnosed or treated medically.
Having hallucinations or hearing voices.
An abrupt change in behaviour or personality.

Gabriele Amorth

This photo has been extracted from another photo

Photos Sister Angela Musolesi

collaborated for 28 years with Don Gabriele Amorth and wrote three books with him. She is a lay Franciscan nun. TOF

Angela Musolesi & Gabriele Amorth

Gabriele Amorth S.S.P. (1 May 1925 – 16 September 2016) was an Italian Catholic priest of the Paulines and an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome. Amorth, along with five other priests, founded the International Association of Exorcists. His work in demonology and exorcism gained him international recognition. Over the course of his career, Father Amorth claimed to have performed tens of thousands of exorcisms and became one of the most prominent and controversial figures in the Catholic Church in the modern era