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"Temptation on the Mount," detail, Duccio Di Buoninsegna, 1308-1311 Several of our clients are being tormented by high-level witches. It's ugly stuff. Some of their tormentors self-identify as witches, while others claim to practice Eastern religions or pagan spiritualities, such as Wicca. But they are cursing and hexing our people, and the effects are very real. For example, one victim has intense, medically-unexplained pains plus other family members are physically and mentally suffering as well; all the while the witch sending gloating texts. Another victim nightly hears a witch's threatening voice telling her she will be damned to hell. A third person suffers from regular visitations from a witch with a variety of physical tortures and manifestations. In each case, an active witch claims to be tormenting them and verifiably so. In the process of liberation, several have dramatically excreted from bodily orifices a kind of "bolus"- a mass or blob used by the witch to curse the individual. As long as the bolus remains inside, the process of liberation is hampered. While the excretion is messy and embarrassing, getting rid of it is a great relief. If they are faithful and persevering, the saving power of Jesus Christ will eventually free them from the witch's grasp. But the liberation process can, like a case of full possession, take quite some time. What is striking in these cases is the real power of the witch. Some of these witches have intricate, hidden knowledge of the people they are tormenting and taunt them with it. Some of these witches manipulate objects by the power of demons. For example, one witch materialized a cursed object inside the victim's locked car. And they can make people suffer real bodily ailments. During the process of liberation, we stress that victims must learn to trust in Jesus. The power of the witch, like that of demons, is limited. Witches can harass, torment, and inflict sufferings, but the power of the risen Christ is supreme. Where do the witches get their power? Some of these practitioners of magic claim to be channeling natural energy from the cosmos; others say they are calling on a "feminine energy"; and still others claim to be empowered by pagan deities. But they are all deceived. Practicing magic of any kind does not come from the one true and loving God. What they think are spiritual energies, earth powers or deities are but masks for Satan. All of these pagan "deities" are demons under Satan's control. High-level witches are deeply mired in this dark world of evil. In truth, their lot can only be increasing darkness and slavery to the Prince of Darkness. While they threaten others with hell, it is they who are in the greatest spiritual danger. However, the people who come to us, if they persevere, can re-find true freedom, light and peace in Jesus. The road begins with repentance for any sin they may have committed which made them vulnerable to the witch's power. It also includes a spiritual cleansing and sanctification through the sacraments and sacramentals. It should add forgiving the witch who is tormenting them, just as Jesus forgive those who crucified him. We are truly followers of Jesus when we "bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them" (Rm 12:14). Curses, hexes, and magic are the tools of Satan and his witches. The tools of the believer are faith in God, trust in Jesus, and love of neighbor, including one's persecutors.

"The Passing of the Soul at Death," 1918, Evelyn De Morgan It had been a long battle with cancer. He knew he was dying and admitted it. What I didn't know, nor did he tell me at the time, was that he was struggling with deep feelings of fear and despair. He was a man of faith, but these dark spirits were very real and very strong, and they tormented him. As we prayed over him, one of our spiritual sensitives sensed the presence what she called, "an Evil Spirit of Infirmity". So, we explicitly prayed again and again that this demon would be cast out. When the session ended, there was a remarkable change in the man. The darkness around him lifted and he said, for the first time in a long while, he felt hopeful and at peace. As the months wore on, these evil spirits returned, although not as strong. It seems that Satan was continuing to exploit his natural fear of death, which was the opening for the Evil One to return, and tempting him to despair. He fought valiantly against this final temptation. Some time later, he passed away in peace. St. Catherine of Siena in her famous work, The Dialogue , reported that the Lord said to her, "This last sin [of despair] graver to Me than all the other sins." Souls guilty of despair "judge [their] misery greater than My mercy." Despairing of God's mercy, "this is that sin which is neither pardoned here nor there, because the soul would not be pardoned, depreciating My mercy." As an example, the Lord told St. Catherine, "The despair of Judas displeased Me more, and was more grave to my Son than was his betrayal of Him" ("A Treatise of Discretion," Dialogues, p. 55 of 169). Throughout our lives, but especially at the hour of our death, evil spirits of infirmity and despair are wont to afflict souls. The remedy is clear: we trust in God's mercy. Whatever our sin, no matter how grave, the Lord stands ready to forgive and to welcome us into his Kingdom. We only need to ask.

Christ blessing, El Greco, 1600 A possessed woman was away from her room on an errand. Not known to her, I blessed and exorcized it using holy water. I also sprinkled exorcized salt in the corners on the floor. Then I took exorcized oil and made a sign of the cross on the door, windows, and lintels. But when I left, nothing different could be seen by the human eye. The next day, she texted me: Possessed Woman: Did you do something to my room? Priest-exorcist: Why do you ask? Possessed Woman: You blessed my room. Priest-exorcist: How could you tell? Possessed Woman: Something changed. They [the demons] hated it They still do. This brief exchange was illuminative. First, it helped confirm the woman was possessed. She had "occult knowledge." There is no way she could have known I blessed and exorcized her room. She received this knowledge through the demons. Having occult knowledge is a strong sign of true possession. Second, it confirms the power and importance of having a priestly blessing, especially blessing our homes. The demons hate it and are repulsed by it. Another possessed woman said that when she goes near a blessed home, she has great difficulty entering it, much like a church. A third said when she entered a blessed house, she could see the demon, that typically tormented her, stay outside. It peered through the window while she was inside but did not enter. A blessed home is a holy place and the demons in the possessed are repulsed by anything holy. All should have their homes blessed, preferably by a priest who "should gladly cooperate." But if a priest or deacon is not available, the Church's revised Book of Blessing (1989, pp. 237-242) allows a home to be blessed by a layperson. After an Introduction, Readings from Scripture, and Intercessions, the lay minister, with hands joined, prays the Prayer of Blessing: "Lord, be close to your servants who move into this home (today) and ask for your blessing. Be their shelter when they are at home, their companion when they are away, and their welcome guest when they return. And at last receive them into the dwelling place you have prepared for them in your Father's house, where you live for ever and ever. Amen." Then the people and the home are sprinkled with holy water while the minister says: "Let this water call to mind our baptism into Christ, who has redeemed us by his death and resurrection."

One of our spiritual sensitives (SS) sent the attached photo of a nasty large bruise on her body. She had been assisting our priest-exorcists in cleansing a demonically-infested building. Below is our text exchange: Spiritual Sensitive (SS): Here is the latest development [referring to the photo she sent me]. Priest-exorcist: Is that your arm? SS: Leg Priest-exorcist: How did it go last night? SS: Got rid of 8 [demons]. Priest-exorcist: Ok, thanks for doing that. SS: Then they socked me in the leg. Priest-exorcist: Ugh. Sound crazy? Look more closely at the lives of the saints. Many of them were beaten by demons. For example, in a letter to her spiritual director, Gemma Galgani wrote: "The Devil has pursued me in every possible way...He seized me by the hair and dragged me about...He tormented me like this for more than four hours, and thus I passed the night." She was so afflicted by demons that she asked for an exorcism to be performed over her. The priest rightly refused, responding that she wasn’t possessed. Similarly, Padre Pio often suffered physical beatings by demons: “These devils don’t stop striking me, even making me fall down from the bed. They even tear off my shirt to beat me! But now they do not frighten me anymore. Jesus loves me....” Some of his community members suggested an exorcism for him. Again, it was rightly refused by his superiors. The possessed and strongly oppressed can also be clawed, scratched and bruised by demons.* In fact, it is one of the discernment questions I typically ask during intake, “Do you have any unexplained bruises or scratches?” I have many photos of such. I have been asked several times, “Why doesn’t God just shut all the demons up in hell and stop them from afflicting people?” Good question. It’s part of a larger question: “Why does God allow bad things to happen to people at all?” In fact, what demons can physically do to us pale in comparison to what humans do to each other. Demons are very restrained in what God allows. They tempt everyone. They can harass and occasionally physically torment people. But they cannot directly kill or maim us, although human beings can and, sadly, do so to each other. Our spiritual sensitive generously assisted us in this exorcism ministry. She paid a price for it, just as Jesus paid the price for us all. In faith, her suffering participates in Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice. God will reward her for it. *Fr. Cliff Ermatinger, The Trouble with Magic, Padre Pio Press, p. IX.

"Checkmate," by Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch (A chess match with Satan) See https://haventoday.org/blog/closer-look-checkmate/ My book, Diary of An American Exorcist, is out and surprisingly one of the most talked about items is demons texting. This encouraged me to dive more deeply into demonic texts we have received and to look for any insights or patterns that might help us understand their behavior. We have had three cases in which demons have texted the team and/or the family of the possessed person.* Two of these cases were the most difficult cases we have had so far, and the third involved a pious family with priestly and religious vocations among the children. So, all were "high value" targets with high-ranking, powerful demons involved. This suggests that it takes considerable spiritual "energy" to cross over and manipulate such items in the physical world, and thus this action "costs" them a lot. Demons are not God and are not all powerful. Their abilities are limited and they focus their finite energy according to Satan's plan. Yes, he does have a plan, but it is doomed to fail. All evil is inherently self-defeating and self-destructive. Below is a small sample of the verbatim texts we received in these cases, minus some of the particularly vile and unrepeatable demonic comments. Case 1 Demonic texts Received by Possessed Young Woman's Priest-spiritual Director: "Her torments start now, priest...all night. While you and that friend of yours [Msgr. Rossetti] sleep...We will make her bleed. We're glad she's away from you now." "Be ready. We're coming for you and the girl." [Priest texts back: "Be gone in the name of Jesus!] "Stop. She'll die." ... "Kill her. Come on priest. Do it. If you don't, we will. We want her dead." [Priest texts back: Vade retro satanas (Get behind me Satan).] "Stop." [Priest texts back: "Blood of Jesus splashed on you."] "Stop it. We'll hurt her more." ... "We hate you. Stop leading her." ... "There is no power in the priesthood." ... "You are weak, You know there's nothing you can do to help her. And you've given up. You sleep, she'll scream." [Priest texts back: "You are crushed by Our Lady's heel. Vade (depart)!" "Stop. Let us have our fun." [Priest responds: "Forbidden, foul fiend!"] "We're abusing her. She's better off dead. Let her go....She can't handle the sexual and physical abuse." [Priest texts: "Leave."] "We're not leaving." Case 2 Demonic Texts Received by Mother of Possessed Young Woman: "Don't worry. I'll take care of her." "There's nothing more you can do to help her. You have tried to help her, but you have failed. You have failed at it. There is no more time for helping, only waiting and watching. She is in good hands...you can't protect her from us." "Just so you know it's going to be interesting ... you won't know when we will come but we will and you just won't believe it all...let's have some fun." Case 3 Demonic Texts Received by Father of Possessed Young Woman: "My baby and I are going to have a fun night...[you] should have protected her more." "You are going to give up, you are going to get worn down. You'll lose patience. She's mine." "Say goodbye to your baby soon....You don't know who I am but I'm coming for your baby." "She's mine." [A friend in the room texted the following to the father: "It's [the demon] talking to her. I heard it. Now it's laughing....Her phone is down but screen is lighting up." Comment: The friend audibly heard the demon's voice in the room and saw the phone typing out a text message with no human touching the keys.] In these texts, we get a sense of the demonic personality. They are narcissistic, arrogant and boastful. They constantly denigrate and put us down with demeaning words. They are sadists who describe their torments and tortures of others as "fun." But their words and actions are never haphazard. They always have a specific goal. A major goal in these cases was to dissuade and discourage those supporting the possessed. Their words indirectly tell us of the importance of the support of others. The possessed are buoyed up and helped greatly by their parents and friends. These are important connections which the demons try to break. Also, these demonic texts inadvertently affirm that the prayers of the priest are effective and there is great power in the priesthood. Demons often tell the priest to "stop" the prayers and threaten retaliation. All three individuals, by the grace of God, have been liberated. The demons did everything they could to convince the priests and the family to abandon them. But their loved ones did not waiver nor did the love of Christ. Ultimately, Love cast them out. *I know of at least two other exorcism teams in the USA and abroad that also report receiving demonic texts (see: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1354888/demonic-texts-the-enemy-can-use-technology-says-exorcist.) It is interesting and affirming that when speaking to exorcists around the globe how similar our experiences....Typically the texts appear to be coming from the phone of the possessed but when the phone is checked, these texts do not appear.

"Temptation of Christ" by Sandro Botticelli 1480-1482 A pious layman told me he had a vision of the Blessed Virgin. He was certain it was the Blessed Virgin. In fact, this gifted soul had truly seen the Virgin in the past and he said, in this new vision, she was exactly the same. The Virgin again looked radiantly beautiful and he felt the same consolation as before. But then "the Virgin" told him that he will die within a few months....hmmmm....that didn't sound right to me. It turned out to be a lie. A pious religious came with a similar story. She said she has long been receiving locutions from the Lord guiding her spiritual life. She confided that she, too, was given foreknowledge of her death which would supposedly occur within some months. The locutions urged her, in the meantime, to practice much mortification and penance for the salvation of souls, which sounded good. But, her vocation was increasingly troubled and it became clear that she becoming demonically oppressed. A possessed young man likewise claimed to have been receiving regular visions of his guardian angel and several saints, plus daily seeing the demons attacking him. We advised he ignore these visions, good and bad, until his liberation. He refused and said Jesus himself was leading him. The progress in his exorcism stalled out. Spiritual people are vulnerable to being tricked by demons with false visions. This is especially true of the possessed who have a strong demonic presence. Such false visions can inflame the possessed's spiritual pride and derail the process of liberation. Moreover, those misled by false visions are unwittingly developing a deepening relationship with the powers of evil. The Scriptures tell us that "Satan masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Cor 11:14). Even the spiritually mature cannot always distinguish between what is from God and what is from the Evil One; they can appear and feel exactly the same. Satan can well mimic a real spiritual experience. The antidote? First, "Do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God" (1 Jn 4:1). Are they in accord with the truths of the faith? What are the fruits of these visions? Do the predictions come true? Second, do not trust your own judgment. Rather, rely on wise spiritual direction and obedience to those mature souls whose ministry it is to discern and lead. In this exorcism ministry, I have witnessed a number of souls deceived by Satan. It is one of his most effective weapons against devout souls, who perhaps take some hidden pride in their spiritual lives.

San Severino's Release of a Woman from Possession by the Devil (15th century), Scala, Florence When we began the session, I was feeling fine. However, halfway through the exorcism, I felt as if all of my strength was gone. I could barely move or speak. I had to force myself to say the prayers. Then the possessed person likewise said, "I am feeling very, very tired." "This is strange," I thought, "What is happening?" Then it occurred to me....it's demonic. So, I commanded the "demons of fatigue" to depart. I said it again and again, "Demons of fatigue, in the Holy Name of Jesus I command you to leave." Eventually, the fatigue lifted and we both returned to the task at hand. This is yet another demonic trick. They try all sorts of things to stop an exorcism. This particular ruse is subtle. You would never think of demons being able to make you feel so tired you cannot move. Not long ago, a layman complained to me that whenever he tries to work at his ministry, he is overwhelmed with an uncharacteristic tiredness. It saps his energy and he can barely function. Very diagnostic is the fact that the tiredness only comes over this energetic person when he begins his ministry. I suspected a demonic cause and told him so. I suggested he use holy water liberally over himself and his workplace, and also begin his ministry with daily deliverance prayers. Most bouts of exhaustion have physiological and/or psychological roots, but sometimes they have a demonic origin. I am most suspicious when it occurs in the midst of an exorcism or when it occurs unexpectedly as a person begins a holy task. When demons desperately don't want something to happen, this is one of their subtle tricks.

St. Catherine of Siena Exorcizing a Possessed Woman by Girolamo di Benvenuto, c. 1505 We were in the midst of a particularly difficult exorcism. It seemed like we weren’t getting anywhere and the demons were deeply entrenched. We already had two, sometimes three priests, working on it. We needed more help. So, I called a specially gifted woman. I only called her when we really needed help, since such sessions were so spiritually painful for her. When she showed up, the demons were enraged and, I think, terrified. They constantly threatened, tormented and attacked her. All the while the demons themselves were screaming and tortured at a level we had not achieved without her. Some departed that very session. There is a long history of specially gifted women with a charism of casting out demons. For example, St. Hildegard of Bingen, doctor of the church, was asked by the abbot of Brauweiler to exorcize a noblewoman from Cologne who had been possessed for seven years. The priests had been unsuccessful and the demons claimed that only the saint could personally cast them out... which she did.* St. Catherine of Siena, also a doctor of the church, is likewise famous for her role as an exorcist. She detested doing exorcisms saying, "Alas! Every day I am tormented by evil spirits: do you think I want anybody else's?" Satan himself called her, "The greatest enemy I have in the whole world."** It was said that if the priests could not exorcize the demons, they would bring the possessed to St. Catherine who did. Of course, the female exorcist par excellence is the Blessed Virgin Mary. As I have said elsewhere, when she shows up, the demons cannot get out of the room fast enough. The Church appoints priests as exorcists. They are often older men, and specifically trained for this ministry. But the Church has long recognized a charism for casting out demons among the laity, including some gifted, blessed women. When exorcists need help, it is just such a woman we call. We were fortunate to have one. *Honey Meconi, Hildegard of Bingen, University of Illinois Press, 2018, pp. 59-60. **Blessed Raymond of Capua, The Life of St. Catherine of Siena, Tan Books, 2003, pp. 218, 222.

"The Exorcist" movie 1973 A well-intentioned young priest called me and asked for my thoughts. He was helping a fully possessed, young woman who was having problems finding an exorcist. He voluntarily stepped in and began praying regularly over her using prayers of minor exorcism, not using the solemn Rite. Technically, this sounds okay since he was not doing a solemn exorcism or saying the official Rite of Exorcism....but.... Then the young woman began complaining of not being able to sleep at night. So, before she went to bed, the priest prayed over her and she fell into a sound sleep. Eventually he began praying over her every night before she went to bed, so she could sleep. What's wrong with this picture? It might be somewhat surprising but I have run into at least four different situations in which young, well-intentioned priests ended praying nightly over possessed young women so they could sleep. Fortunately, in each of these situations, when this was discovered, it was halted immediately. An old exorcist wisely cautioned me years ago to watch out getting too emotionally close to possessed women. He knows of priests who have done so and, even if the relationship did not become sexually acted out, the inappropriateness itself was an opening to Satan. The Evil One will use that to gain access to the priest. The priest himself could become oppressed, and even possessed, as a result. I have seen this happen. The real fight is an exorcism is not the session itself. Satan knows he loses in a face-to-face fight with the Church which is filled with the power of the risen Lord. Rather, Satan is a master of hidden manipulations. Typically an exorcist is an older priest. Even then, he needs to be careful about setting solid boundaries in this sometimes dangerous ministry. If a younger priest is selected, he should be closely supervised by an older exorcist. Satan is a cunning adversary and not to be underestimated.

St. Peter's Basilica at dusk. Photo by Msgr. Rossetti A family of four with symptoms of a demonic oppression came for help. Trying to find out the cause, I finally asked, "Did you or any member of your family ever belong to the Masons?" They had some symptoms which were typical of Masonic-related curses. "Yes," the father said, "I joined but it was just for social purposes." In another situation, a woman started practicing Reiki, and then began summoning the spirit of her deceased father, whom she loved and missed. However, she ended up in relationship with a demon instead, who taunted and tormented her. She was terrified and seeking our help. Another family came with common symptoms of a demonic oppression. Things had gotten so bad that the wife, feeling desperate, had asked a local bruja (a witch) for help. The woman did her magic rituals over the family, trying to rid them of their problems. Immediately after, their symptoms became much worse. In each of these cases, and many others, the people were well-intentioned. Yet all of them made their situations worse by engaging in forbidden practices. Regarding these, the Catholic Church has given explicit public warnings: *The Holy See has forbidden membership in the Masonic associations and, as recent as 1983, went so far as to state: "The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin." *The USCCB published a document denouncing Reiki and warned against invoking "universal life energies." *The Catholic Catechism (#2116) rejects all forms of divination and conjuring of the dead. *The Catechism (#2117) also warns against all forms of "magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others -- even if this were for the sake of restoring their health -- are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion." While some might view these documents as examples of ecclesiastical heavy-handedness and/or an over-reaction, our direct experience suggests that they are timely warnings for our protection. At root, the commandments of God and the teachings of the Church are designed to keep us safe and are guideposts for a successful journey to the Kingdom. Our team is very careful to conduct our ministry in complete obedience to the teachings of the Church, not straying to the right or to the left. We know of exorcists who have not, with predictably disastrous results. Humble obedience is a great protection and a powerful weapon in casting out evil.

Hieronymous Bosch "Death and the Miser," c. 1490-1516. I am always surprised when I encounter people who willingly give themselves over to Satan’s service. It is one thing to struggle with temptation and to fall into his grasp through sin. It’s another thing to willingly choose to follow him. The Father of Lies would like nothing better. At Satan's own defection, he sought to be god and wants people to serve him. Thus he tempted Jesus, "All of these [kingdoms of the world] I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me" (Mt 4:9). These past few weeks (see Diary #140), we have directly encountered a Satanic cult.* They have been recruiting followers by threats and coercion. They have been actively cursing and manipulating young women. We have been supporting one who is valiantly resisting. Several Satanists have been arrested, but there are more at large. It is particularly disturbing to have confirmation of these cult members’ collaboration with Satan. They have hidden knowledge of their targets provided by demons, and they use it to harass and manipulate them. It is clear that their actions are ultimately being directed by high-ranking demons, whose tattoos and images are displayed prominently on their bodies and in their dwellings. One of the arrested cult members claimed to be receiving "sexual favors" from a fallen prostitute in hell. Actually, this is not impossible. While demons do not have bodies and cannot have physical sex with people, they can manipulate people's minds and sexually stimulate them (see Diary #127). Second, we have encountered witches who likewise have occult knowledge, levy curses, and torment people. They, too, are in league with Satan. They receive their hidden knowledge from demons who direct the witches’ actions, and make their curses potent. Thirdly, our team has encountered two of Satan’s minions, unknown to each other, who traveled separately from other States to target a specific individual in our area. They clearly were on a specific mission from Satan and used their occult knowledge to find and harass a holy person who is a potent force in frustrating Satan's plans. About her, one of the demons exclaimed, “She is foiling our efforts!” In each of these cases, Satan has specific targets in mind. He directs his minions to carry out his will and he empowers their evil actions by the help of lesser demons. So far, each of these efforts by those in Satan’s service has proved futile. The targeted individuals turned successful to the true God for help. Satan tempted and harassed, but Jesus saved. But what of Satan’s servants? Will the King of Hell be grateful and reward them? Satan is a complete narcissist. He only does what serves him; there is no gratitude in him. He is also a sadist, and he derives pleasure from dominating, possessing and tormenting. Those who serve him on this earth may be promised great rewards but, in the end, all he can offer is pain, torment, and despair. He has nothing else to give. Some have expressed incredulity at these revelations of Satan’s minions. I can only say that these are our direct experiences. As one object of a witch’s curses said to me, “I would never have believed it until I experienced it myself.” The family of the target of the Satanic cult is likewise stunned at the organized collaboration between demons and Satan's minions to attack them. Personally, I am dismayed to encounter people who willingly subject themselves to the Prince of Darkness. How could they be so blind? For those who serve Satan, despite promises to the contrary, it will never end well. *Sadly, this Satanic cult is located within the military. I have been told that the Church of Satan is a recognized denomination in the U.S. military. I do not think the Founders of our Nation had such in mind when they fought for religious liberty.

Her 2.5 ton army LMTV vehicle exploded when it hit an IED. She dragged two American soldiers from the burning vehicle; shot four insurgents and stabbed a fifth before lapsing into a coma. During her four deployments to Afghanistan, she was decorated with a bronze star, purple heart, meritorius service medal, and two battlefield promotions. Back in the USA, a ring of Satanists targeted her, underestimating the strength and character of this petite-looking 5'2" 113 pound young Catholic soldier. These men were targeting virtuous female soldiers, trying to bend them to their evil. The Satanists threatened her and said if she did not murder a certain named individual, they would kill her younger brothers and sisters back home.* One of the members of the cult had this tattoo on his arm: It appears to be an image of Aka Manah, a demon of "evil desire." When someone tattoos the image of a demon on their bodies, it is like branding an animal to its owner. These men were willingly under the control of Satan. When they accosted and threatened her, this decorated army soldier knocked the first one down, where he laid bleeding. The others fled in fear. She had the presence of mind to surreptitiously tape the conversation and it was also videotaped with cameras on the premises. To the credit of the senior Army leadership, seven members of the cult were immediately arrested and are now in prison, awaiting trial. One of these Satanists confessed to multiple crimes including covering up murders of innocent people. She is a decorated soldier who heroically serves in our armed forces and, I suspect, a powerful soldier in the Army of Christ. *For an example of a Satanic influenced murder, see the story of Sr. Maria Laura Mainetti, who was killed and recently beatified.

It is over. The horrible case of possession (see Diary #135), for which so many of you generously fasted and prayed, is finally over. Baphomet and his minions left.* Two days earlier, as the May crown was being placed on the statue of Our Lady, Fr. Ray, a great priest and one of our spiritual warriors, was surprised to see his parishioners going down on their knees in a hushed, reverent awe. Turning, he saw this rare "fire rainbow" in the sky. In recent weeks, I had been commanding the demons, using the words of the Rite, to tell me the day, hour and sign of their departure: "Dicas mihi ... diem et horam, éxitus tui, cum áliquo signo." Seemingly to no avail. At the next session after this heavenly sign, the afflicted young woman was liberated. Perhaps Our Lady herself, in God's mercy, answered the question. When Baphomet and the remaining demons left, he screamed so loudly the afflicted person said, "I thought my eardrums were going to burst." She had spent months of being demonically abused, burned, cut, harassed, What replaced months of torture and hopelessness was an inner peace and rest. It is a joy now to see the smile on her face. Was the fire rainbow a sign of the imminent liberation of a possessed person? Or perhaps it is a sign of the coming end of the pandemic? Or both? Whatever it foreshadowed, we know the Blessed Virgin is smiling upon us, protecting us, and blessing us. Most certainly such a special heavenly sign augurs a time of peace for all of us, as well as for this woman. May God make it so! *A full liberation is only definitively certain after months of being symptom-free and no reaction to the Rite, which is the case to date.

The Triumph of Death (detail) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder c. 1562 When someone is possessed, the "out front" activity of Satan is clear. The demons torture the person. They may sexually abuse them. On their bodies, they burn upside down crosses, leave claw marks, branding signs, and more. Fortunately, God does not allow Satan directly to kill or maim. But these physical tortures are not the most difficult or dangerous part of the spiritual battle. Satan subtly inflicts the minds of the afflicted with the dissipation of hell. Most notably, their minds are filled with despair. They feel hopeless. Satan whispers in their ears again and again: "There is no hope for you;" "God doesn't care;" "Your sufferings will never end;" "You are doomed to hell." It is one of Satan's most dangerous weapons. This is one of the greatest sufferings of hell, and Satan's own suffering-- a hopeless despair. In Sr. Faustina's vision, she described it as one of its seven major tortures of the damned. Their despairing state can never change. As exorcist enters a bit into the world of those to whom he ministers, particularly in difficult cases. With the severely possessed, the exorcist is surrounded by hundreds of demons and face-to-face with one of hell's princes. We try to be careful, but invariably some of the stink of hell sticks. This week I have been surrounded by much hopelessness that the afflicted bring. Breathing in so much despair is debilitating. In the journey toward liberation, hopelessness can be the greatest of hurtles for the possessed. They become convinced they will never be free and that no progress is being made. Their minds have sunk into a deep pit. Session after session, we encourage them, support them, cheer for them, and pray for them. As I look around me in our world today, I see the same signs of hell. As faith flickers out, hell's despair spreads. What I see is a waste land of despair. People clamoring for possessions; power and position; passions inflamed...and so much violence and anger. Underneath it all, there is a pervasive hopelessness fueling it all. It is often said that being possessed is rare. I am not sure that is true. *See T. S. Eliot's poem The Waste Land

Rembrandt, "Return of the Prodigal Son," c. 1667 The demons were screaming again and again, "Get him out of here!" They were not speaking about the exorcist, but about the possessed girl's father. In the midst of her torment, while torrents of evil were spewing from her mouth, the father told his girl how much he loved her. His loving words tormented the demons as much as the Rite, perhaps more so. There is no love in hell. They can't stand it. I remember finishing up a particularly brutal exorcism some years ago. At the end, the possessed young woman was surrounded by her loving parents and very close friends. All loved her dearly and supported her throughout many painful and ugly months. At the end, the mother said, "You know why the demons finally left? They couldn't take her being surrounded by so much love." Our team members sacrifice, fast and pray. Over the years we have become a tight-knit and well-trained exorcism team. But I am always grateful when someone who loves the afflicted person is also present. "More is wrought by love than by sacrifice." There is no love in hell. That is all there is in heaven.

Goya's "Witches' Sabbath" 1798 Sex with a witch is an incredibly bad idea. We have had some who did, and they definitely needed help! Whether the man or woman practicing witchcraft tries to "bless" their partner or curse them, their actions will always be spiritually harmful and end up being a curse. For example, a woman recently said her aunt, who practices witchcraft, tried to give her some spiritual help through her magic. Almost immediately, her spiritual problems became much, much worse. Immoral sex by itself (i.e. sexual intercourse outside of marriage) is a grave sin that necessarily opens one to Satan's influence. But sex with a witch is particularly pernicious. The intimacy of the sex act deeply binds the couple. In marriage, it is meant to be a grace-filled bond of love. But when sinfully done with a witch (or warlock), it binds one to Satan. (Witches and warlocks get their power from Satan, whether they know it or not.) Those who came to us for assistance, having had sex with a witch, were deeply bonded with evil. This evil is hard to root out. A sincere repentance and sacramental confession are a good beginning, but the final liberation will likely be a long fight. In each of these cases, Satan staked out his territory and repeatedly claimed, "You belong to me!" Moreover, some also ingested cursed objects from the witch which they eventually painfully passed in the process of the exorcism. Whether it is meant as a blessing or a curse, whatever the witch or warlock gives as a potion must necessarily become a curse, since it comes from their practice of magic, which always finds it root in evil. As this country increasingly descends into sexual immorality, witchcraft and the occult, more people will be deeply bonded with evil. I am afraid that few will find their way out of the darkness... Our young people need to be warned: +Do not practice any kind witchcraft ("white" or black); +Even a witch's/warlock's "blessings" become curses; +Do not date or even befriend a man or woman practicing witchcraft; +And, never...ever, have sex with a witch.

Baphomet is associated with this 19th-century depiction of a Sabbatical Goat by Èliphas Lèvi (Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, 1856) I had hoped that she was only oppressed and not possessed. This young woman had many signs of possession including waking up with huge slash marks on her back and upside crosses burned on her body. But then she sent me a picture she drew the previous night that removed all doubt... She said she was in a kind of trance and didn't recall drawing it. Moreover, she had no idea what it was. But to us, it was immediately recognizable- Baphomet, one of the princes of hell. Sadly, she was possessed and the demonic cohort was being led by a high ranking demon.... Months later, thanks be to God, we are now getting near the end of the exorcism. At the beginning, there were 10 senior demons under Baphomet and, in all, several hundred demons. One by one, as the months passed, the ten left. Finally, only Baphomet and his coterie around him remain. He is now undefended by other demons and taking the brunt of the exorcism himself. For months, the afflicted young woman has had nightly visitations and torments by the demons. Being possessed, she is able to "see" some of the preternatural world. She said she sees Baphomet nightly; in the beginning he was huge and seated on a large throne. Now, as the exorcism has taken its toll, Baphomet looks small and his horns are on fire. She added that his face is contorted with pain and he is in a rage. As we pray, she can hear the demons screaming. This is no time to let down our guard. In the final throes, demons can be especially vicious, especially a prince of hell. We maintain our vigilance and look to the Mother of God as a special help. Whenever we mention her name and invoke her protection, the demons convulse in agony. Sometimes people, including some young priests, are excited by the prospect of an exorcism and all things related. The reality is ugly and painful for all. There is nothing attractive about it. But I think of the day when this young woman can lie down to sleep and not be terrified by the prospect of being dragged into hell. I pray that it is, through God's mercy, soon...

To know what is truly holy, one might look at what demons hate. Demons are tortured by anything holy. And one of the greatest tortures, for all that is evil, is entering a Catholic Church... +First, as one approaches the Church, the bells are ringing. Demons are repelled by the sound of the Church bells. Some exorcists ring little blessed bells during an exorcism for that very reason. + Walking through the Church doors causes great distress and anxiety for demons. Many possessed people find it well nigh impossible; demons desperately try to block them from entering. +Then blessing one's self with holy water is a source of great torment for demons. Holy water is part of every exorcism. It is one of the most consistently effective sacramentals to cast out every type of demon. +Walking up the aisle, one sees a crucifix. A standard part of every exorcism is raising the sign of the demon's defeat, the crucified Jesus, and saying, "Ecce crucem Domini: fugite partes adversae." When I raised up the crucifix in a recent exorcism, the demons shouted, "Take it away! It's burning me!" +Near the altar is typically an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The demons cannot even say her name, it is so holy and full of grace. They are terrified of her. +As the Mass begins, a priest approaches and kisses the altar. Demons hate priests, as uniquely configured to Christ. As a demon said to me in the midst of an exorcism, "I hate the day she met you!" +The priest's vestments themselves, particularly the stole, are powerful sacramentals. When one possessed person was struggling with demons of unchastity, we wrapped a priest's cincture, a symbol of chastity, around her waist. The demons begged to have it removed. In another exorcism, I laid my stole on the possessed and the demons howled in pain, "Take it off! Take it off!" +Demons do everything they can to keep a possessed person from going to Mass and receiving communion. A possessed person said the host tasted to her like "a dead animal." Demons abhor the real presence. Satanic cults know how sacred a consecrate host is, which is why they try to steal one and desecrate it. Everything about a Catholic Church is abhorrent to demons because it is holy. Their tortured response is a strong and clear testament to the sanctity of a Church and manifold graces inside. Then, wouldn't a daily visit to a Church for all of us be a graced moment? Is there really anything more important or more grace-filled than daily Mass?

This Holy Thursday, as a local priest began the sacred triduum, unexpectedly, the church lights began to flicker. They got unnaturally bright, and then very dim, despite the controls having no rheostat. The lights flashed and faded. Then the church went completely dark. The priest, unfazed, led a beautiful celebration by candlelight. Later, a spiritually gifted woman present in the congregation confided to him: "One of Satan's minions entered the church and invoked the help of demons to disrupt the Mass." When the Mass ended, the lights returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. In a nearby Church two days later at the Easter vigil, when it came time to sing the Gloria, the organ inexplicably would not play. The priest calmly preceded to lead the people in a blessed vigil Mass acapella, without instruments. The organist tried throughout the liturgy to get the organ to work, to no avail. At the very end, the organist had an inspiration and took out some of the holy water blessed on Epiphany. He sprinkled the water on the organ and it began to function normally, just in time for the final hymn.* This is typical demonic behavior. It harasses and tempts, but it can never thwart the work of God. I have encountered a number of people recently who are frightened by Satan and cower in fear. Unwittingly, because of their fear and letting this fear control their behavior, they fall under his control. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we say the prayer that St. Faustina offers us, "Jesus, I trust in you." Satan is toothless and powerless in the presence of the Risen Lord. Trust in Jesus. *In our app: "Catholic Exorcism," there is an Umbrellino Prayer for Technology that is used to protect computers, cell phones, etc., from demonic harassment. It can be adapted for other uses, such as a church organ.

Annibale Carracci "Resurrection" We had started to make some progress with the curses sent against A's family. After several weeks of sessions, the physical pains in the husband as a result of the curse were starting to abate-- a sign the witch was losing her grip over them. However, she still had occult knowledge of almost everything that transpired in the household and taunted them with it. As her power over them initially started to fade, I expected this to start decreasing soon as well. Then the woman announced she was going to meet with a higher level witch. I suspected she was aware she was losing her grip and sought out more powerful assistance. The next session confirmed it: the husband's pains were back and worse than ever. It felt like we had started all over. However, when we began the next session, I opened with the Umbrellino prayer as always. It is a prayer which protects the afflicted person from demonic reinforcements and isolates the demons tormenting the individual. We say it in the beginning of every session. This time, the husband instantly began coughing wildly and painfully. Clearly something was up! Ah yes... This Umbrellino prayer, which we say almost perfunctorily, has an important function, especially in such cases. The witch had obtained the help of a more powerful witch and was calling in demonic reinforcements. The prayer was blocking the reinforcements, hence the coughing and hacking. It's a battle. We will see this to its successful end and I know the Risen Jesus will triumph. In the meantime, the family is suffering terribly in many ways. From those who discern a call to do so: your prayers are requested!